Crocodile's Daughter - Magic is Coming

11 - The Outsider

"Some of us knew him as Archie. Others as Jiminy. But we all knew him as a true friend. And though he may not be gone, he will always live on inside of us, reminding us to be our best selves...to do the right thing, to always fight for what we believe in. So we shouldn't think of today as a goodbye, just as a way of saying...'Archie, we'll be listening,'" Mary Margaret said. Marco went up and laid Archie's umbrella on the gravestone, then knelt beside the coffin. "I miss you so much, my friend. You are at least...you are in a better place," He said. I got a call from my father afterward, telling me to come down to the shop. Belle and I walked in, going up to the counter.

"Hey. What, uh, what's wrong that you couldn't tell us on the phone?" Belle asked. "I did it. I can leave," He said. "You can cross the town line?" I asked. "Indeed I can. When I pour...this potion onto the object I hold most dear, that object becomes a talisman that allows me to cross the town line and still remember who I am," He said, showing us a potion. "And who you're looking for," Belle said. "Wait, you're looking for someone?" I asked.

 "My boy. Your brother, Rae," He said. "What, um, what will you enchant?" Belle asked. "Well..." He said, turning around. He opening a painting, unlocked a safe, and pulled out an old shawl. "This shawl...is all I have left of our Baelfire," He said, looking over Bae's old shawl.

 "I don't suppose I could...come with you?" I asked. "No, I...I-I truly wish you could, but I only have enough of this potion for one object," He said. "Well...I might be able to perform a duplication spell, but I don't have the ingredients to do it. I'm missing werewolf fur. Maybe Regina has some," I said as he put the shawl away. "Hey. This is my journey, Belle. This is my journey. I'm afraid it's something I have to do alone," He said. "I know," She said, hugging him.

I went down to Regina's house and knocked on her door. "What have I done this time?" She asked, opening the door. "Nothing. I was just wondering if you had any werewolf fur," I said. "Well, it's down at my vault. I can grab it if you wish," She said. "Just bring it to the library," I said, and she nodded.

I went into the library with Belle, and I was helping her put books away. "Uh, sorry. The--the library's not open yet," She said to someone. "Oh, I'm...I'm not here for the books, Luv," He said, setting a book down. "You. You're the one who broke into my cell at the Queen's palace," She said, then ran. The man appeared behind the library cart, and Belle stopped.

"You wanted to kill Rumplestiltskin," She said. "Oh, I still do.  But right now I'll settle for you," He said, but Belle shoved the cart on top of him. We ran into the elevator, and he pounded at the doors. Belle pulled out her phone and called my father as I cast a protection spell on the doors. "Rumple, I'm--I'm in the elevator. There's a man. He broke in. He wants to kill us. Pirate. A hand. Missing a hand. Hello? No," Frustrated, she snapped her phone shut.

"I hope he comes, I can't keep this spell up for forever," I said. The pounding stopped and the elevator open to reveal my father. "Belle. Rae. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. Here," He said, giving her his jacket as she hugged him. I dropped my hands and stopped casting the spell. "Where--where is he?" She asked.

"I don't know. But you've nothing to fear. I'm here now," He said, and she hugged him again. He left, and Regina showed up. "Here's that werewolf fur. But, why do you need it?" She asked. "My dad found a way to leave town, and I need a duplication spell to go with him," I said, and she nodded. Belle and I left, following him.

"Where are you going?" She asked. "The shop," He said, his cane clicking on the pavement. "Why?" She asked. "Well, let's just say there are many wonderful things in there that I could use to make sure that pirate never comes near you ever again," He said. "Rumple, no. We--we need to report this to the sheriff. They'll take care of him. You're so close to finding your son. Please. Please don't let your hatred for this man get in the way of that," Belle said.