Hello, It's Mrs. Hyde

Prologue:Ch.12: The Split

Jessica (Narration):
*"Theatrics. Deception. Misdirection.
That's what it takes to fool a man who thinks he's smarter than everyone else in the room.
But the real trick isn't the sleight of hand.
It's timing."*

The Next Morning – Warden's Quarters

Jekyll woke with a start, heart racing, limbs restrained.

His arms were bound tight in a straightjacket. He was on the floor of his private quarters — alone.

A note had been pinned to his vest.

*"Sorry you failed at almost escaping.
—Mr. Hyde

-P.S:
Should you touch a single hair on my assistant's head—or even speak her name—
I'll cut your tongue out the moment we're separated.
    Tread carefully, Doctor._"*

Jekyll sneered.

He looked across the room to see Bram passed out drunk in a chair, snoring softly, his flask tipped sideways on the armrest.

Jekyll rose slowly, flexing his shoulders as the jacket sagged open — not fully locked.

He walked across the room with eerie calm and pulled a scalpel from a drawer.

Turning it over in his fingers, he muttered under his breath, "Hyde isn't half as clever as he thinks."

Then his gaze turned cold.

"And Jessica...she's not as protected as he hopes."

⸻

Jessica (Narration):

*"For all his brilliance, Jekyll never understood one thing.

The more you try to break someone like me...

The more dangerous I become."*

Jessica sat in her cell, one leg propped up, chin resting on her knee as she watched Hook struggle for the fourth time to pick the lock with his namesake.
She smirked. "I thought that hook was enchanted. Didn't Peter Pan himself gift it to you?"
Killian shot her a glare, jiggling the mechanism again. "That's a bloody lie. Pan didn't gift me anything. He took my hand and turned it into a bloody trophy."
Jessica bit back a laugh, lips twitching. The image of Peter Pan hanging Hook's hand above his bed like a golden trinket was too absurd not to picture.
Zelena snapped, "If you actually had magic, we wouldn't still be stuck here."
Hook turned on her, eyes narrowing. "Coming from the witch who used magic and got us in this mess."
Jessica reclined against the wall, arms crossed, her grin sharpening. She and Hyde shared that terrible timing for humor. At least someone was keeping things interesting.
"We can't turn on each other," Snow said, stepping between them. "We need to work as a team."
David nodded. "The groundskeeper said he was fixing the wand. He'll be back."
Jessica chuckled darkly. "You should've listened to me."
Her voice faltered only slightly as familiar footsteps echoed down the corridor. She didn't look up, but her entire posture shifted — tense, rigid, bracing for impact.
Jekyll.
He approached with his usual smug grace, holding up the keys like a prize.
"Good news and bad news," he said. "The wand? Fixed. But your dear warden wasn't pleased. Knocked me out cold and took it."
Jessica's hands clenched into fists, but she kept her eyes on the floor.
Jekyll held up the keys. "However... our drunken friend misplaced his loyalty and his consciousness. So I can still keep half my promise."
He unlocked the door, one by one, freeing Snow, David, Hook, and Zelena.
"Wait," Snow said, turning back. "Why isn't she coming?"
Jekyll's eyes flicked to Jessica, her chin still low, face unreadable.
"She'd try to stop us. She's loyal to Hyde. Best she stays here."
Jessica didn't move.
"Where's the warden now?" Snow pressed.
"I don't know," Jekyll replied smoothly. "But he's powerful. And he's not fond of betrayal."
Killian stepped out of the cell, pausing beside Jessica's.
"You'll be out before we go," he murmured, glaring at Jekyll. "I'm not afraid of her... or him."
Jessica lifted her head just slightly, enough for Killian to catch the glint of something... certain in her gaze.
Jekyll, watching the exchange, gestured to the exit. "Come on."
As the group followed him out, Jessica smiled softly to herself.
Let the show begin.

Elsewhere — In the Lab

The walk through the woods was brief. Jekyll claimed the flower he needed for the spell was growing just beyond the prison perimeter — rare, delicate, and essential.
None of them noticed Jessica's absence.
They returned with the flower and approached the lab, the air thick with tension.
Jekyll threw open the door and froze.
Jessica stood in the center of the room.
Wand in hand.
Eyes aglow.
"Surprise," she said with a smirk.
Before Zelena could react, Jessica raised her hand and cast a blast of red magic straight into her chest. Zelena vanished in a flash of light, teleported back into the enchanted cell she'd so recently left.
"What the—?!" David drew back as chains of glowing energy snapped out, wrapping around him, Snow, and Hook, pinning them to the far wall.
"Jessica!" Killian barked. "What are you doing?!"
Jessica tilted her head. "Bet on the wrong horse. The bad horse, actually. But I forgive you. You told me about Jefferson."
Jekyll staggered back, terrified. "How—?"
Bram stormed in through the back door, eyes burning. He tackled Jekyll to the ground, wrenching his arms behind his back.
"You thought we wouldn't be ready for you?" Bram snarled.
He yanked a small blue vial from his belt and forced Jekyll's jaw open.
"No—!"
Jekyll thrashed violently, but the liquid poured down his throat.
Screaming.
Twisting.
His body convulsed, face distorting in flashes of purple and blue.
Snow's voice shook. "David—David, I think I know his story."
David whispered, stunned, "Doctor Jekyll and... Mr. Hyde."
Jessica smirked. "Clever couple."
They turned to see Hyde rise from the floor, his figure now fully his own.
He adjusted his cuffs and looked directly at Jessica with a slow, appreciative smile.
"You've done brilliantly," he said. "Both of you."
Jessica looked up at him. "Are you ready?"
David called out, panicked. "What are you going to do with us?!"
Jessica turned, her expression calm. "Don't worry. You'll be home before you know it."
With a flick of her wrist, she transported them back into the prison cells.
Hyde watched her with awe. The fire in her. The elegance of her control.
Fate had been cruel to many, but it had brought her to him. That alone was enough.
"Bram," Hyde said softly, "you might want to leave."
The guard nodded and quietly slipped out.
Jessica stepped to the cabinet, opening the locked drawer and withdrawing the syringe of red serum.
Hyde's breath hitched slightly. "Is it finally time?"
She nodded. "Let's finish it."
She folded up his sleeve carefully, fingers brushing his skin.
"Are you prepared for Storybrooke?" Hyde asked, voice low.
Jessica sighed. The sound was soft, content.
It stunned him. He hadn't heard her sound like that since... maybe ever.
"My brother's there," she said. "Jefferson. And my niece, Gracie. I've waited so long to see them."
That settled it for Hyde. This wasn't just strategy anymore.
This was hope.
"Do it."
Jessica plunged the syringe into his arm.
Hyde doubled over, clutching the table.
"Get back," he rasped.
She did, moving quickly.
He cried out as the serum ripped through him.
Then—
A second figure fell from him, body convulsing.
Jekyll gasped for air, blinking up at the man who had been his shadow.
"You... did it."
Hyde reached out, grabbed Jekyll's hand, and slowly pulled him up.
"It's nice to meet you properly, Doctor," Hyde said coldly.
Jessica watched carefully as Jekyll's eyes darted to her. She stepped back instinctively.
Hyde caught it instantly.
"So she's your newest obsession, is that it?" he said softly to Jekyll. "Her."
"No, Mr. Hyde. You are. You ruined my life," Jekyll snapped. "From the inside out!"
Hyde chuckled. "Do you see the irony here? The man you made all believe to be the monster inside will now ruin you from the outside."
He grabbed Jekyll by the throat, squeezing hard.
Jessica shouted in pain.
Hyde whipped around — and saw her collapsing.
Zelena — newly returned — had zapped her from behind with a bolt of green magic.
Hyde roared.
Killian slammed his hook into Hyde's shoulder.
Bram stormed in, but Snow kicked him hard, grabbed his nightstick, and zapped him to the ground.
"Now!" Zelena shouted. "We go!"
David pulled Jekyll to his feet. "You stayed?"
"For you," Jekyll said breathlessly.
Zelena raised the wand. "We're done here."
Hyde looked down at Jessica's still form.
Then up at the group, eyes blazing.
"And now," he said, voice deadly calm, "I'll kill you all."
Snow didn't hesitate — she struck him with the nightstick.
Electricity lit the room.
Hyde hit the floor hard.
Unconscious.
The group disappeared in a portal.
And the lab fell silent.

Jessica (Narration):
*"They thought they'd won.

They forgot one thing.

The Dark One's wife is still in a box.

And we still have the key."*