Long Lost | Once Upon a Time (REWRITING)

Chapter Twenty-Six: Going Home

"Another curse?" Snow exclaimed as she gazed at Mr. Gold fearfully. "It's happening again?" After their group chat in the vault, all of them had gone back up the stairs and out to the graveyard, joining those who had remained above ground. They were all now standing in a semicircle around Gold as he continued to tell them all what to expect once Pan's curse was enacted.

"Gold, this curse," Emma began, her very clearly having questions of her own, "is it going to work like the last one?"

At that, Gold sighed. "The last one was created to service the Queen's wishes. This will be done per Pan's desires." He spoke while looking around at them all. "I would count on something hellish."

Regina stepped in by turning to face the blonde, "The curse was built to be unstoppable. There's nothing that can be done." She said sadly and Emma knew that if she was saying this--her being the original enactor of the Dark Curse--there wasn't much hope for them defeating it.

The brief pause in conversation earned a sigh from Grace. "Just our luck."

"Well, it is possible to stop it." Gold shocked them all by saying. This earned a bewildered look from the queen herself.

"What?" Regina demanded.

He only gazed at her knowingly. "By using the scroll itself." Regina looked down in thought as he continued, "It can only be undone by the person who used the scroll. That's you, Regina. You must destroy the scroll. Both yours and his curses shall be ended, but know this--there will be a price; a steep one." He informed them all, though what he had said caused Grace to furrow her eyebrows and look up at him in confusion.

"Wait, her curse will be ended?" She repeated, causing him to turn and look back at Grace thoughtfully. "That means we'll all go back to where we came from?" She concluded, though she wasn't sure about her answer.

Gold, however, quickly nodded in confirmation. "Indeed." He let out, proving what she had said to be true. Upon seeing the questioning looks he had received from everyone else, he went on to explain, "This town was created by the first curse, and when that curse ends, the town will go with it."

"Well, what do you suggest we do?" Regina asked as she locked eyes with the man.

"Instead of going to Pan, bring him to us with a spell," he proposed, "one that will return Pan and Henry to their own bodies."

Henry looked around at them all in realization. "If I'm back in my own body, that means I'll have the scroll. I can bring it to you guys."

"Exactly right, Henry."

Regina, however, frowned at Gold. "Even you aren't powerful enough to cast such a spell."

Gold shrugged, "Well, given the proper tool, I could be." He spoke, and even as evasive as he was, Tink seemed to know just what he was talking about.

"The Black Fairy's wand." She finally injected herself into the conversation, her giving them all a brief history on the tool Gold needed. "One of the most powerful fairies that ever existed. Well-versed in dark magic. The Blue Fairy exiled her, but before she did, she took her wand."

"I assume our dearly departed Mother Superior has it hidden in her residence." Gold explained.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's hit the convent." David suddenly exclaimed, him already turning to leave. Hook nodded and gave him a look that he would be coming with, though they were both soon stopped by Tink.

"Can I come?" The former fairy asked as she stepped up towards the pair. "I should pay my respects to Blue, after all." David only nodded at the blonde.