. . . . . ╰──╮✰ ✰ ✰ ╭──╯ . . . . .

‎‧₊˚✧ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɴɪɴᴇᴛᴇᴇɴ✧˚₊‧

‎‧₊˚✧ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴ✧˚₊‧

______

"Don't Be Afraid To Start Over

It's A Brand New

Opportunity To Rebuild What

You Truly Want."

______

Angie and Emma were cautious and quiet as they entered the hospital, not wanting to bother anyone. Dr. Whale was standing by Katheryn, who was propped slightly up. He turned and noticed them. "Come on in. Look who's awake."

Angie gently sat down at the edge of the bed as Emma began to speak. "Listen, we don't wanna take a lot of your time, but do you remember what happened?"

Kathryn thought about it for a second before answering. "I don't know much. I was in a car accident and I remember the airbag going off. And the next thing I knew, I was in the dark. In some basement. I didn't see anyone, but there was food and water. And then, I guess I was drugged?" She phrased the last sentence as a question, looking at Dr. Whale for confirmation.

Dr. Whale nodded. "Yeah, we are still trying to flush that out of your system."

Kathryn continued. "And then I woke up in a field at the edge of town and I started walking. That was it."

"You didn't see anyone?" Angie questioned. "Hear a voice?" Katheryn shook her head.

"Smell perfume? Cologne? Anything that would identify who did it?" Emma added.

Kathryn shook her head with more effort than the first time. "Nothing, no. I'm sorry. I wish I could help. Especially since...while I was gone you thought I was dead?"

"Your DNA matched the heart we found by the toll bridge," Angie informed her.

"They're grilling everybody down at the hospital lab to see who doctored the DNA results," Dr. Whale told them.

Kathryn shook her head in disbelief and leaned back. "Why would anyone do this?"

Angie sat up a little more at her place on the bed. "We have reason to believe somebody was trying to frame Mary Margaret."

"But why?" Katheryn wondered. "Who would do something like that?" 

Dr. Whale, Emma, and Angie all shared a look. Sharing a similar suspicion.

–

The apartment was abuzz with people. Mary Margaret had been let off the hook since Katheryn was alive and there was no murder. Angie and Emma couldn't be happier. Mary Margaret was enjoying the taste of freedom, but still questioned it to Angie and Emma.

"All of these people...just to welcome me home?"

Emma shrugged before taking a sip of her drink. "You've got a lot of friends."

"Didn't feel like that yesterday."

Henry approached them, holding a large card and a small box. "Hey, I have something for you." He handed the things to Mary Margaret.

"Thank you," Mary Margaret said with a smile. She opened the card and read out loud. "We're so glad you didn't kill Mrs. Nolan."

Angie giggled at the innocence of the kids. "It's from the whole class," Henry told Mary Margaret with a smile. "And I got you a bell."

"Thank you," Mary Margaret said again. "Tell everyone I'll be back soon."

Angie watched as Emma gently took Henry by the hand, preparing to bring him back to Regina. As she opened the door, she noticed David standing outside. Angie tensed up slightly. She knew that David didn't remember anything, but she still had an irrational fear that he would wake up any second. Emma looked at Mary Margaret, who was gesturing something that Angie couldn't decipher. Sensing trouble, Emma gently pushed Henry out to David and shut the door before he could come in. Angie was about to go over to see what had happened when Mr. Gold approached her.

Angie took a drink as she leaned against the wall. "Was it you?"

"Was what me?"

"Did you make Kathryn suddenly materialize? Because if you kidnapped that woman just to let her go-"

Mr. Gold raised his eyebrows. "Are you proposing I'm working with Regina or against her?" he questioned.

"I never know with you."

"Well you keep working on that one. My question is about something else. What do you know about him?" Mr. Gold gestured towards August, who was sitting at a table.

Angie shrugged. "Goes by August. He's a writer. Why?"

"He was poking around my shop today. August Wayne Booth, clearly a false name. There's one thing I know about, it's names. Do you trust him?"

Angie briefly paused at his choice of words. Names. Did he remember too? A small rush of heat crept up her spine as she considered the possibility. It didn't make sense, as Regina was the only one who was supposed to remember, but Angie was still skeptical. "Yeah. A lot more than I trust you. And a lot more than I'm sure you trust me."

–

Lilith gently poured her curse into several vials. She gently ran her fingers over the bumpy glass which held months worth of work. She set aside one of the larger vials, which she knew she would have to give to Regina at some point. The others she placed into a small chest.

"Lilith?"

She turned to see Rumplestiltskin heading towards her. "I know we have a history of stabbing each other in the back and probably will continue to do it for years and years and lives to come because that's the kind of people we are. But, I know that we are semi-close. So, I'd like to share a story with you that I never got a chance to share with...before she died."

Lilith pushed her chest off to the side and gestured to the chair in front of her. "Share away."

Rumplestiltskin began to explain his story. "As you know, I used to have a son. I lost his mother very early. I wanted to provide for him, wanted to make him feel loved. He cared for me, I could tell that he did. But we were constantly harassed by the castle guards, due to our poor status. So I wanted something that would help us."

"The power of the Dark One," Lilith realized.

Rumplestiltskin nodded. "Yes. I stole the weapon one night. My son reluctantly helped. I stabbed the previous Dark One with the weapon, killing him and transferring his power to me. I used my power to stop anyone who hurt my son. But my son hated my power. He hated who I had become because of it. He wanted to take me to a world without magic. He acquired a magic bean, the only one left in our world, to do it. But when he opened the portal, I was too chicken to go with him. I wanted my power and my son. Unfortunately, I couldn't have both. So, my son, my beautiful Baelfire, he..." Rumplestiltskin paused. Lilith realized what had happened.

"The portal. He went in without you."

"Not by choice. I had held his arm to stop him from falling. He fell when I refused to go. The portal closed. He's gone because of me."

–

Angie didn't trust Mr. Gold to leave August alone. He was Rumplestiltskin for crying out loud. He only had one agenda: his own. Even though he was a bit of a softie now, he was still a ruthless negotiator and an all around bad person. So, when he began to tail August into the forest, Angie began to follow him, gun in holster.

Angie had been silently re-evaluating the people in the town, not wanting to give them the same torture that Jefferson had inflicted on her until it was time. As far as she knew, only Regina, her, and Jefferson were aware. But she suspected that Mr. Gold was aware as well. Either that, or his choice of words was an impeccable coincidence. Angie knew which fairy tale character everyone was now, except for a select few that she hadn't met beforehand. But she was sure if she picked through Henry's book, she'd figure it out.

She didn't hate David. Nor did she hate Mary Margaret. She had never hated Mary Margaret in the first place. It wasn't her fault that David had broken her heart before courting Snow. Plus, this town had been a fresh start. David didn't remember what he did and it wasn't fair to hold something he didn't even remember against him. She did hate Regina though. She hated her for attempting to frame Mary Margaret. She hated her for the curse. She hated how she treated Henry. But as twisted as Mr. Gold was, Angie had a little 2 millimeter space in her heart for him.

She peered through the trees in the woods she had been walking in, noticing that August had stopped. Mr. Gold was still heading towards him. Angie wasn't sure if August knew he was being followed or not. Either way, Mr. Gold was preparing to speak with him, coming to a stop a few feet behind him. Angie found a tree to hide behind and listened in as Mr. Gold hollered out at August.

"I know who you are. And I know what you're looking for."

August paused, but didn't turn around. "Well, then, I guess all the lying can stop. Papa."

Angie covered her mouth to stop a gasp from escaping. Baelfire.

Mr. Gold began to approach August. "You were right, Bae. You were always right. I was a coward and I never should have let you go. I know, it's little consolation but I just want you to know that ever since you left, ever since you crossed the barriers of time in space in every waking moment..." Mr. Gold's voice briefly broke. "I've been looking for you. And now that I've finally found you, I know I can't make up for the past, for the lost time. All I can do is to ask you to do what you've always done. And that's to be the bigger man...and forgive me." Mr. Gold began to cry. "I'm so sorry, son. I'm so sorry, Bae."

Angie didn't think that August was going to do it, but he turned around and hugged his father. Mr. Gold was overjoyed and hugged him back. "Oh, my boy. My beautiful boy. Can you truly, truly forgive me?"

"I forgive you, Papa."

Mr. Gold stepped back after a few seconds. "You were looking for the knife."

August wiped a tear of his own from his eye. "I thought, if you still had it, it would mean that you hadn't changed."

Mr. Gold gave him a small smile. "Well, let's go and find it and see."

The two set out into the darkness so fast that Angie almost forgot to follow.

–

Mr. Gold led August into a clearing. "I buried it here shortly after Emma came to town. Things were changing. Didn't want to take the chance of Regina finding it."

"Of course," August responded.

Mr. Gold knelt down and began to dig in the dirt. "It should be right about here, son. Here. Look." He retrieved a dagger wrapped in a cloth from the hole in the dirt. He held it out to August. "I want you to take it. Destroy it, the way I know you always wanted to. I found you, and I don't need it anymore. I chose it once. Now, I choose you."

August took the dagger and began to examine it. "It's remarkable." Then, he made a decision that no one was expecting. "By the power of the darkness I command thee, Dark One," August stated, pointing the dagger at Mr. Gold.

Mr. Gold looked at August in disbelief. "You're trying to control me?"

"I command thee, Dark One," August tried again, but nothing happened.

"You're not my son," Mr. Gold realized. "You're not Baelfire."

"Papa, why would you say that? I'm just trying to use your power to help us."

"Enough!" Mr. Gold hollered. "It's over, Booth. Or whoever you are. My son would never try to use me. And he would know that this knife cannot harness any magic in this world, because there is no magic in this world. He didn't want me dabbling." Mr. Gold wrestled the dagger out of his hands. He drew it out and pointed it at August. "I wouldn't say it was useless, though. It still cuts through flesh rather nicely. It's about time you start answering some questions, sunshine. Why the theatrics? Why didn't you just come to me?"

"I needed you to work for it," August admitted. "I needed you to want it so bad, you would ignore what your eyes were seeing. Do I even look like him at all?"

"How did you know about this knife?" Mr. Gold questioned.

"I hear things."

Mr. Gold began to slowly advance on August. "No one here knows about this knife."

"No one here remembers," August agreed as he began to retreat.

"And yet you do. You're from there, aren't you? From my world?"

"The fact that you're asking the question means you know the answer."

Mr. Gold took a deep breath. "Now, that's that settled-" He lunged at August and pinned him against the tree, knife to his throat. Before he could continue to interrogate him, there was a sound of a gun cocking.

"As pleasant as your interrogation methods are, I'm going to need you to drop Excalibur from the Darkside and step back."

Mr. Gold reluctantly lowered the blade away from August, turned around with his hands up, and stared at Angie, whose gun was pointed straight at his head. "How much did you hear?" Mr. Gold questioned.

"Enough," Angie told him. "You know, usually people in this situation are left with many questions and few answers. However, I have mostly answers and only one question. And it's the same as yours." She turned her gun on August. "Who told you about the knife?"

August's eyes were filled with shock but he still responded. "A little fairy."

Mr. Gold pointed the knife out. "Why did you want it? If you know who I am, then you know who I am. The chances of you surviving this little encounter are pretty slim. So, why take the risk?"

"Because I'll die anyway."

"What?"

August leaned up and chuckled. "I'm sick. I'm sick and I need magic. I was going to get the savior to believe. But that woman. I don't think I'm going to make it long enough to see that happen."

Angie adjusted her grip on the gun. "She trusts you. It might be enough. Try again." She lowered the gun away from his face.

"You're gonna let me live?" August asked.

Mr. Gold shrugged. "You're gonna die either way. This way at least we might get something out of it."

August removed himself from the tree and left. Angie turned her gun on Mr. Gold. He smiled at her. "How long have you known?"

"About two weeks," Angie said with a smirk. "Nice to be back, Rumpy."

Mr. Gold dropped the knife back into the hole. "Lilith. Pleasure as always. Does anyone else know?"

"Regina of course. You, me, August. That's all I know."

Mr. Gold kicked dirt over the knife. Then, he turned to face her. "Not gonna take that from me?"

Angie shrugged and lowered her gun slightly. "Doesn't work. Not worth taking. Plus, I learned my lesson the first time I tried to control you."

"Ah," Mr. Gold remarked. "Good times." He gestured towards the tree. "You gonna arrest me now?"

Angie smirked again, placing her gun back in the holster. "Not worth it either. I helped at the end there. You'd find a way to drag me down with you."

Mr. Gold returned the smirk. "You always were bright. Regina and I are meeting soon to discuss the town. Now that you remember, will you be joining us?"

Angie traced her hand across her bangle. "Sorry, Rumpy. I'm not the same person I was 28 years ago. As interesting as it would be to join the Suicide Squad, I'm paving my own way. A way that starts with stopping Regina for good."