Samantha Rose

Do or Die

"Please tell me you're joking." Regina agreed to meet Emma the next afternoon but this was definitely not what she thought she'd hear. 

"I'm not, Regina.  And I just had the same discussion with my parents but they are totally against it."

"And understandably so, Emma. We can't just -"

"Regina. Listen to yourself. You know exactly what Gold is going through. You had to say goodbye to Henry and the next time you saw him, he didn't even remember you. That's exactly what he's going through, except his daughter hates him and she doesn't even know it. No parent or child should have to go through that. As much as we hate to admit it, Gold saved us all from being trapped in the Underworld by giving her up. He could have kept her, but we'd still be down there."

Emma could see the distaste on the mayor's face. Regina knew Emma was right, but there would be no easy way to do this. If they screwed this up, they could face both Rumplestiltskin's and Hades' fury.

"Please, Regina. If not for me, do it for Belle." Regina let out a defeated sigh.

"Alright. But we have to figure exactly how we're gonna do this before we do anything. First we need to make a potion to reverse Gold's forgetting potion. Without Gold finding out. Then we need to introduce Sam and Belle to the truth. If they don't believe our words, we give Belle the potion. All Samantha has to do is hold Belle's hand as she remembering and Samantha can see everything Belle does. Again, all without Gold finding out."

"We'll how are we going to keep him distracted? Belle enjoys spending time with Sam so that's not the problem. How do we keep him from finding out that you and I are meeting with them? Magic?" 

"No, he's the Dark One. He'll sense the magic and probably even counter it with his own. He'll find out what we're up to. No, we've got to do this the old fashioned way... I'll have Robin get him to spend the day with Roland, then go drinking together. Lord knows that's Gold's hobby nowadays."

"How long will it take to make the potion?"

"I can have it done by the end of the day. I'll talk to Robin when I get home and tomorrow night.... we've only got one shot at this, Emma. If we screw this up..."

"I know. I'm not so concerned with if they believe us or not. I just want them to hear the truth and let them sort the rest out for themselves."

Regina nodded. This was by far the craziest thing either of them had ever done. As soon as Emma had left, Regina began to work on the potion. Reluctantly, Robin agreed to handle Gold. Emma went find Belle and Samantha. She found them by the pond, enjoying some snacks from Granny's. Emma's heart broke a little when she saw Belle throw her head back in a fit of laughter, for she knew the truth would most likely just damage their relationship.  But there was always hope, always the possibility that, in time, they could be a family. 

Emma engaged them in small talk for a bit, mostly about her own time in the Underworld that started at that very pond. She turned to Belle and prepared herself.

"Belle, I know that something happened down there that changed your husband. And you don't remember. But what if I told you that there may be a way for you to get those memories back?"

"Have you found a way?"

"We think so. Magic in the Underworld is a bit different so it may be harder to retrieve those memories but we may still be able to get some back," Emma explained, baiting Sam along the way. "Do you want to remember, Belle?"

"Of course, but I don't know what good only a handful of -"

"Don't worry about it," Sam interrupted. "That's where I come in, isn't it, Emma? My magic, due to its Underworld influence, can do the rest."

"I don't want any more magic then necessary. All magic -"

"Comes with a price. I know." The severity of Sam's voice spoke volumes. Already she had paid a price for her magic, and every time she used her magic, the price got steeper. "But sometimes, what you get back is outweighs the cost. As much of an ass your husband can be, he needs you. And this is the only way you can help him through whatever it is he is going through."

Emma watched as Belle nodded and reached to take one of Samantha's hands. It wouldn't be enough just to get Belle's memories back. Sam had to see them, too. Emma couldn't help but wonder how Belle didn't see herself in this girl: her love for adventure, the color of her eyes, and her understanding of magic's cost? Emma was able to see Rumple in her, too: she had powerful magic, she could be stubborn as hell, and she would was willing to pay the price of saving someone she cared about. Much like Rumplestiltskin had when he sacrificed himself to kill Peter Pan and save Storybrooke. The daughter of the darkest Dark One and a child of True Love? A great magic matched only by a greater cost. No matter how this played out, Sam would get hurt. 

Hades was the one person her whole life who she knew loved her. Discovering that nearly every aspect of her life was a lie would be devastating, even if she found her real parents in the process. And how could she accept if they really did love her, when she had be taught there was nothing good about them?

Needless to say, Emma was having second thoughts.