Lord Wyron

Once Upon a Time...

*~*Collaboration between Guardian Angel Haruki as Dr. Heather Jekyll, and Ghost Shadow as Edric Liddell*~*
Henry hurried from the library almost the exact moment Belle did, ignoring the terrible pain in his chest. If Rumpelstiltskin and Belle were telling him the truth (and he certainly hoped that they did), then Heather would need him...and he needed her.

Practically rushing through the front doors of the hospital, Henry ran straight past any staff in his search, furiously looking for the room they placed Faye in.

His mind ran at a hundred miles an hour, it seemed, rushing through idea after idea until it hit him: the coma patient ward! Given how the sleeping curse worked here in a Land Without Magic, the doctors would have either put her in a coma ward...or the morgue.

Shaking the thought of Heather placed haphazardly in a morgue out of his head, Henry continued his quickened pace to the coma ward; expertly dodging and weaving his way past the numerous amount of doctors, nurses, and other staff members with grace that even surprised him.

Finally finding the room after what seemed like forever, Henry hastily made his way inside, seeing the still-unconscious Heather laying in the hospital bed, strapped to various machines, keeping her alive, but asleep.

Whale and Mother Superior turn to face him as the monitor gave off a long beep, showing a flat line. Whale turned to see Henry enter, and he looked gravely at Henry, his eyes hiding a guilt eating away at the doctor's heart. He said to Henry solemnly, "I'm sorry, Mr. Carlyle...Sh-She's gone..." The nurses started taking the equipment off of Faye and turned off the monitors. Mother Superior remained silent, looking at the floor.

Henry stood still for a moment, feeling as though someone wrenched a blade in his gut.

"What? No, no, that's not right...That's not how fairy tales end..." He said quietly, his voice shaky as tears stung his eyes.

Brushing past the others in the room with little regard to their presence, Henry made his way to Faye's bedside, stroking a stray lock of hair out of her face as he could only stare at her lifeless body. She looked so serene, so peaceful, and yet empty.

"I'm so sorry." Henry said reverently, a single tear falling from his face and onto the floor. Leaning in slowly, Henry could only whisper a simple "I love you" before gently placing his lips against hers, a last goodbye.

A ring of light shot forth from the kiss, startling Whale and Mother Superior. A whisper from the nun could be heard in shock "Again?"

After Henry kissed her, Heather gasped, taking in a deep breath of air, and she opened her blue eyes to look at Henry. She said in shock as the memories came back to her, "Alexandre....! Is...Is that really you?" She laid a hand on his cheek, as though to confirm that he was really there.

She didn't hear Mother Superior state "That was true love's kiss...!" Frankenstein looked in shock at Henry and Faye.

Henry let his own hand place over Heather's, a soft, simple smile crossing his lips as he almost seemed to grow younger, looking more lively and vigorous than he ever had in Storybrooke.

"Actually....you can call me Edric." He told her softly, the loving gaze in his eyes conveying more emotion than words could at that moment.

Heather smiled at him, catching on that he remembered his real name. However as she smiled tears of happiness and relief came down her face, and she said to him, "I'm...so glad you're okay! I thought you were done for when he sent you away!" She then noticed his state of being, and she asked "What happened?"

Frankenstein and Mother Superior left the room silently as Heather spoke with Edric.

Henry couldn't help but chuckle slightly at her words. "What can I say? I'm full of surprises." When Heather asked about his current physical state, his voice turned more serious; though the light expression of mirth and joy never left his face. "Jabberwocky. It was kept under the mines....I had to kill it, to save you." He said quietly, awaiting any scolding or lecturings on how he could have been killed.

Heather was silent, noting how he still had his smile when he spoke seriously, when he answered her question. The Jabberwocky...she had heard of the poem by the same name (courtesy of Edric), but she didn't try to scold him. He had saved her after all. No...instead she felt guilt. It was because of her carelessness once again, that she placed someone she cared for in danger.

She mumbled "I'm so sorry..."

"Sorry? What on earth are you sorry for, Heather?" Henry asked with a small chuckle, though he was genuinely confused by her words.

Heather answered, trying to stop the tears from falling, "My carelessness. It got the better of me again. If I hadn't eaten that apple, you wouldn't have had to fight the Jabberwocky...I placed you in danger. That apple...was the experimental concoction all over again...! I should've known not to eat it!"

Henry's expression suddenly turned to one of seriousness, and caring. "No, Heather, don't say that...you didn't know any better. You didn't even know that you were you!" He reassured, pushing a lock of hair out of her face once again, a small smile creeping on his face as his victory was almost too much to handle.

The amount of Heather's tears seemed to increase after Henry stated that she didn't know she was herself. She shook her head and simply stated to Henry, "She knew. She knew all along. She could've stopped me!"

Now that she had her memories back, she remembered everything that Hyde had done during their time in Storybrooke.

"Heather...I'm not angry or upset at you or Hyde...I'm just glad you're back, the real you." With that said, Henry leaned in and kissed her again; not waiting for a response beforehand.

Heather blinked away the tears when he said that he wasn't angry with her or Hyde. When he kissed her, she reciprocated happily. She was glad he was alright as well, and the guilt went away for now.

However, she stopped when she thought she heard thunder, and she looked out of the window, seeing a large purple cloud coming towards them. She asked Henry warily, "Edric...what is that?"

Henry looked confused at first, his expression darkening as he got a good look out the window. "It's.....it's magic." He said quietly, eyes widened like saucers as the dense fog neared Storybrooke.

He could feel something inside him begin to tingle as the fog came closer - a feeling he hadn't experienced in what felt like forever. "I can....feel it. Raw, pure magic!" He exclaimed vibrantly.

Heather looked to Henry when he gave the answer, and she looked to him in concern. The fact that it was magic didn't sit well with Heather. She held onto Henry's hand instinctively, as though the smoke may try to separate them again.

Henry stared intently out the window, but squeezed Heather's hand to let her know he hadn't forgotten her. "It won't be long now...it's getting close. Don't be frightened." He said, finally turning his head back to look at her, a small glint in his eyes that bode excitement, as though his sanity was the only thing keeping him from diving out of the window and embracing the magic with all his being.

Henry's reaction and the clouds that billowed closer and closer were nothing but foreboding to Heather. The reason being because she knew who would benefit from magic the most. She easily figured out that Mr. Gold was Rumpelstiltskin. She was too weak to try and get out of the bed she was in. But it didn't stop her from trying to get up out of the bed, her hand still in Henry's.

Henry turned around as he saw Heather struggle to get up on her feet. "Heather, no! You're still weak...lie back down." He goaded, his attention diverted from the cloud of smoke that billowed closer to the hospital, the sounds of raging storms from within becoming louder by the second.

Heather pointed out as she still tried to get up, knowing that she had to eventually, despite her medical knowledge (well, her medical knowledge didn't exactly encompass what to do when recovering from a Sleeping Curse). She said to him, distracting him from the fact that she isn't going to lie back down, "Edric...what exactly is going to happen when that cloud gets here?"

Henry let his attention veer back to the window for a moment as Heather asked her question. "Why...I...I don't know. I'd assume we'd all get our magic returned, but...I can't say for sure. All I know is, I can feel it returning to me. A distant echo, but a feeling nonetheless."

As Heather fully stood up on her slightly shaking legs, she asked Henry, "So you don't know if we'll live if that cloud hits or not...?"

Henry looked between Heather and the window as she spoke before grinning almost madly. "I've no idea...hell of a way to go, if we don't make it." He added with a chuckle.

"But if we do live, it'll be well worth it."

Heather sighed at his answer. The only consolation she had, if they were to die in that cloud, was that Hyde would die with her. However, she was still worried for Henry's sake, but she could easily tell that he wasn't going to try and avoid it. She sighed through her nose, and said "Well...if we are going to die, then we've had a good run,"

Henry could practically feel the smoke envelop him, for he knew now it was mere seconds before it would hit.

"Heather...look at me. Don't look anywhere else. Close your eyes if you have to...but it's here - now. Are you ready?" He asked seriously, now holding both her hands in his own.

She looked to Henry, and she nodded in response to his question. She closed her hands around his as she spoke, keeping her eyes on him, "Yeah, I'm ready,"

Henry only leaned his head back, his eyes fluttering closed as the purple smoke seemed to permeate past any solid surface and enclose around them. Henry felt all the magic hit him at once, overwhelming all his senses as he found himself unable to see, hear, think, or even breathe. All he could feel were Heather's hands firmly locked with his as the cloud passed through them, bright flashes of lightning and the crack of thunder all around them.

Heather's senses were also overwhelmed when the purple smoke reached the two of them. She didn't move as the thunder resounded and echoed around them, she kept her hands in Henry's for what could be considered as reassurance. She had expected to feel at least a little pain and her heart to stop beating. But the pain never came.

Instead, the smoke soon passed and the two of them were still in one piece.

Henry let out a deep sigh as the smoke finally passed them by. Releasing his hands from Heather's, he stepped back a few paces, looking down at his hands with sudden interest. Clenching and unclenching his fists to see what would happen, Henry felt a smile begin at the corner of his lips. "Oh, it's good to be back." He said cryptically, an excited, almost wild look in his eyes.

The doctor let go of his hands when he did, and the foreboding feeling weighed on her heart even more when she saw the wild look in his eyes. She mumbled to herself ominously, looking down towards the floor and at her hands, in response to Henry's cryptic statement, "...Is it really?"

Henry chose not to answer that question, too caught up in the idea that he finally had his powers back. With newfound vigor and energy, Henry grabbed Heather's hand and practically dragged her out of the hospital, taking her along with him to the clock tower; where the very confused and discombobulated townspeople had begun to congregate.

Once Upon a Time...

The elevator kept going down until finally lurching to a shaky halt in front of a long stone tunnel, lit only by overhanging lights. Henry grabbed the portcullis-like door and lifted it up, stepping out. He let out a deep breath before opening the leather case Mr. Gold had given him, pulling the Vorpal Blade out.

The sword felt especially heavy in his hand now, but Henry could feel the wavering power it still held radiating into his hand. "Come now, Edric...this is it. You can do this. Just a silly old Jabberwock. I'm a cat: quick, agile, poised. No damned beast is going to keep me from my destiny." He assured himself quietly, now holding the sword up higher than before.

Beginning the long, slow trek through the cavernous passage, Henry felt his heart beating heavier in his chest. The tunnel led into a large, expansive cave, rife with drop-offs that seemed endless, the cracks in the ceiling beaming in just enough natural light to be able to see one's own surroundings.

As Henry stepped deeper into the cave, he found a large glass coffin just in front of him; a sliver of the covering having broken off, but the entire structure remained. Henry ran his free hand over the glass with curiosity, wondering who it belonged to.

Shaking his head to focus on the task at hand, Henry backed up until he felt a wall behind him. Readjusting his focus, Henry was preparing himself for battle...until the wall started moving. A large red eye opened slowly, the pupil leering over directly at Henry dangerously before the Jabberwocky's long neck slowly lifted off the ground, revealing the creature in all its might. It let out a loud, ear-piercing screech before breathing what looked like purple lightning out of its mouth, illuminating the entire cave as a thunderous crack struck the ceiling.

The Jabberwock slowly looked down at Henry, a huff of smoke puffing from its nostrils. "So...we meet once again." The creature said in a booming voice, haughty and cruel.

"We've never met before." Henry returned seriously.

"Not you, insignificant Bearer...my ancient enemy, the Vorpal one." The Jabberwocky said in a demeaning tone.

"Enough chit-chatter." Henry called up, feigning confidence as he (somehow) managed to spin the sword around in a way that looked skilled. "Shall we dance?" He added with a short bow, masking tears that stung his eyes as he realized this may be his last few moments.

The Jabberwocky said nothing, only roaring mightily once again before charging at Henry, who quickly sidestepped out of the way of its gaping maw, wrinkling his nose as he could smell the creature's breath; which reeked of sulfur and rotten corpses.

"You know--" Henry began, quickly sprinting across the cave to give as much space as he could between the creature and himself. "They wrote a lovely poem about you. I memorized it, word for word!" He exclaimed, trying to talk to keep himself from losing sanity.

"Silence! Your evasions will save you naught!" The Jabberwocky shouted, causing the rocks in the cave to shake at its voice. Without warning, the Jabberwocky sent another breath of lightning at Henry; who managed to duck behind a large pillar. He could feel the heat of the lightning against the pillar, and knew that a single hit would be enough to finish him off entirely. To keep himself going, Henry began to retell the poem:

"Twas brillig, and the slithy toves, did gyre and gimble in the wabe..."

Dodging another lunge from the creature, Henry continued.

"All mimsy were the borogoves, and the mome raths outgrabe. Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that..." (Another duck), "...bite! The claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun the frumious Bandersnatch."

"I shall suffer you *no* longer!" The Jabberwock cried, this time using the claws on the tips of its wings to jab at Henry; who dodged and rolled with great reflex, barely missing the sharp talons. As one of the wings neared him, he swiped at it with the Vorpal blade, incurring a cry of wrath from the Jabberwock; who recoiled in pain at the blow.

"I HAVEN'T FINISHED MY POEM YET, YOU INCONSIDERATE WRETCH!!" Henry cried at the top of his lungs; letting the adrenaline pump through his veins.

"He took his Vorpal sword in hand; long time the manxome foe he sought— So rested he by the Tumtum tree, and stood awhile in thought. And as, in uffish thought he stood, the Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, came whiffling through the Tulgey Wood, and burbled as it came!"

The Jabberwock, at this time, was growing increasingly impatient, for no meal had been so evasive or irritating before Henry. Abruptly turning around, it swept its large tail to the side with tremendous force, colliding with Henry and sending him flying back into a rock formation; dropping the Vorpal blade in the process. Henry crumpled to the ground with the wind knocked out of him.

Henry tried to climb to his feet weakly, managing only to fall to the ground once again; wheezing most terribly as he could feel an excruciating pain in his chest from where the Jabberwock's tail hit him. Bright lights flashed before his eyes and he became lightheaded and dizzy, his field of vision turning blurry and hazy.

"One...t-two, one..." Henry stumbled again, the terrible laugh of the Jabberwock ringing out in his ears. "Two...And through, and through..."

The Jabberwock cackled almost amusedly as it watched Henry struggle to move once again. "Such *false* resolve. Prepare for the End, Hero..." The Jabberwock stated threateningly before lifting its neck up, preparing to unleash another gust of lightning from its mouth.

Henry made no motion to move, too tired and weak to even try and defend himself as he could feel himself fading away to unconsciousness. Just as his eyes were closing, he felt an impulse to open them once again; and look out in front of him.

Looking up weakly, Henry saw not the Jabberwocky, but instead a vision of those he met in Storybrooke and those from time gone past, each looking as they did in the Enchanted Forest.

"Stand up." Said a deep, emotionless voice as the Steel Monger stepped out in front of Henry; woodsman's axe in hand. However, a fine mist seemed to envelop the machine, and it faded away into Nick Chopper who repeated, "Stand up, Henry."

“One last push, Cat.” Said Jefferson, who stepped forward next, a grim look on his face.

“Tick-tock, dearie, tick-tock! Time’s wasting…” Came the shrill voice of Rumpelstiltskin, who held a pocket-watch in his hand.

“I know you can do it, Alexandre.” Heather said softly, daring an almost loving smile as she did so, moving up with the others.

“You’re the Savior, Chesh…” Said Snow White, who appeared in front of Henry as well.

"Stand up, Edric...for us." Came Alice's sweet voice from the back as she stepped forth, looking Henry directly in the eyes.

"For all of us, lad." Came one last voice, thick with an Irish accent as a tall, burly man stepped forward, dressed in a work apron and tunic, holding a hammer in his hand.

"P-Papa?" Henry said meekly as he looked upon the Carpenter with shocked surprise, the older man’s weathered face curving into a small smile as a response.

Overcome with a new feeling of willpower and resolve, Henry slowly rose to his feet; the pain in his chest seeming to subside as he lifted the Vorpal blade from the ground, holding onto the hilt tightly.

The people in front of him, friends, allies, associates; all began to fade away; for their purpose had been fulfilled.

As the Jabberwocky charged its breath, Henry could see a single spot on its chest that shone a magnificent purple, resonating like a heartbeat.

"The Vorpal blade went snicker-snack… He left it dead, and with its head, he went galumphing back." Henry said quietly, his tone hoarse and cacophonic, but filled with resolve as he threw the sword with all the might he could muster.

Time seemed to slow down as the blade whirled through the air, the Jabberwock just about to deliver the killing blast when the sword plunged itself deeply into the creature's glowing chest.

Letting out an ear-splitting roar of agony, the Jabberwocky flailed violently as a bright light enveloped it fully; disintegrating it into a pile of smouldering ash, the Vorpal blade clattering aimlessly next to it.

Henry, now overcome by pain and fatigue, collapsed to the ground, unable to hold himself up anymore. "I did it." He told himself quietly, feeling at the key around his neck as if to personally tell Alice. "I did it for everyone." He added tiredly

Lying there for what felt like hours, Henry gathered enough strength to crawl over to the still-smoking ash pile, seeing a large, egg-shaped object sitting atop the pile. Reaching for the strangely-cool object, something inside Henry told him that this was it.

Rising slowly to his feet, Henry took the Vorpal sword in hand and made the long trek back to the elevator; collapsing to the ground as soon as he entered. In a half-awake voice, Henry called for Mark to begin powering the elevator once again, taking the time now to finish the poem:

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy…
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy..."

My Characters

Once Upon A Time - CHARACTER IN STORAGE FOR FUTURE IMPLEMENTATION
--

Name: Formerly Jack Specter, currently titled the Headless Horseman

Appearance:

Jack Specter

Headless Horseman

Height: 6'6"

Age: Undead, believed to have died in mid-30s

Affiliation: Formerly Neutral Good, currently Neutral Evil

Magic Capabilities: Having been brought back from the dead, the Headless Horseman displays many magical characteristics: Firstly, being undead, the Horseman is invulnerable to any attack made by regular weapons, only affected by weapons enchanted with magical properties. Secondly, the Horseman gives off a natural aura of terror and danger, able to bring battle-hardened warriors to their knees in fright. The Horseman is able to set his own sword on fire (to no actual damage to the blade) and has complete omnipresence over Sleepy Hollow, able to see anything that goes on in his domain. The Horseman has limited necromantic abilities, able to bring back a single undead thrall at a time to serve him. Lastly, the Horseman seems to become stronger at nighttime; his already impressive abilities increased as the night grows.

Weapons: The Headless Horseman carries very little in the way of weaponry, wielding only an enchanted bastard sword and a throwing axe.

Sword

Axe

Strengths: Expert horse rider and swordsman, nigh-invincible, aura of fear, ownership of Sleepy Hollow, and has strength, speed, stamina, and agility that far outweighs a normal human.

Weaknesses: The Headless Horseman is bound to Jack Skellington's will, and is thus unable to disobey or rebel against him. Being undead, the Horseman is unable to pass any magical barriers or walk on enchanted ground. The Horseman's abilities and powers are weakened during the day, and he possesses a radical hatred of the sun; preferring to stay hidden until the night brings him cover.

Relationships: -Had a brief acquaintance with fellow recruit, Rumpelstiltskin, before losing his head.
-Has seen Lilibeth Kalbfleisch at the recruits camp, but has never spoken to her.
-Was, at one point, good friends with the man who became the ghost Oogie Boogie.
-Is the slave and minion of Jack Skellington, his soul and personality corrupted by the lich's foul magics.

Brief Bio: Though the legend of the Headless Horseman doesn't delve deep into the life of the man who lived before, a consensus of sources state that, at one point; he was a simple farmer named Jack Specter who was orphaned at a young age. Legend says that Jack lived a modest life until being called to the front of the Ogre's War, where he was part of a failed charge against the beasts that left the horsemen scattered, and poor Jack headless. Through an untold series of events, people now say that Jack Specter wanders the graveyard of Sleepy Hollow, looking for his lost head, wearing a jack-o-lantern in place of it.

Music Gallery:

Horseman

Other: The Horseman's steed, simply named Nightmare, is as ghoulish and frightening as its rider. Resembling a heavily built black stallion, the creature for all intents and purposes resembles a horse; except for his eyes which glow a blood crimson.

Once Upon a Time...

Henry felt a certain sense of dread seem to wash over him the moment he left the pawnshop. The case that contained the famed Vorpal Sword seemed especially heavy in his right hand as he carried it, the weight almost wanting to pull him down into Oblivion.

He swallowed forcefully, trying to let as much courage as he could well up, this was his trial, it was what Alice would want him to do; or Faye, or Snow. But most especially, he'd have to do it for himself.

He racked his brains, thinking for someone, anyone who would serve as his companion to help power the elevator. "Mark..." Henry said under his breath. Truthfully, the fireman was the only person he could trust to help him do the job - but how would he convince him?

Deciding to figure out the necessities as he made his way to Mark's residence, Henry kept a tight hold on the case, eyes alert for anyone giving him a curious look. Eventually the fireman's house came into view; a rather small, but comfortable looking home. 'Much like it's owner - simple and efficient.' Henry thought to himself with a small smile.

A 2001 Ford Ranger was parked in the driveway just outside the garage door, and Henry could spot Mark's lower half sticking out from under the truck; obviously working on something.

"Good day, Mark!" Henry greeted cheerily, approaching the truck with a warm smile on his face. The man in question rolled out from under the truck, lying atop a dolly. Black, drying oil was stuck to his hands all the way up to his elbows, and he looked slightly impatient.

"Mr. Carlyle...can I help you with something?" Mark asked as he stood up to his feet, walking back into the garage and grabbing a few paper towels to try and clean his hands up.

"Oh! Yes...I could use your help on something important I've just recently discovered. I think you'll be especially interested." Henry said with a somewhat darker smile.

"Something important, you say? Come on, then, out with it." Mark ordered, putting the dirtied paper towel in his back pocket.

"The clock tower. I managed to pick up a few rumours around town that make mention of a secret elevator that Regina has in there, leads down to the mines." Henry said, completely serious.

Mark remained silent for a few moments, a frown forming on his lips. "Henry, when you said something important, I assumed it was something beyond a few rumors you heard." He answered bluntly, turning to go back on the dolly and under his truck.

"No, Mark, you don't understand...haven't things been feeling strange to you these last couple weeks? People acting different, unusual occurrences happening?" Henry asked, masking the anxiousness to his tone.

At this, Mark stopped completely. Come to think of it...the last two weeks have been strange. All starting the day Henry showed up, then going down from there. "Yes...things are...odd." Mark confirmed in a somewhat distant tone, trying desperately to forget his dream from last night...or was it a nightmare? All Mark knew was that this...this woman kept appearing in front of him; and the name Nick Chopper. But what did it all mean??

Mark must have visibly reacted, because the next thing he knew, Henry interrupted his reverie with a concerned, "Mark, are you well?"

"Yes, I'm fine...now, then; clock tower. You mentioned Mayor Mills...hiding something?" Mark asked, switching the subject quickly.

"Erm...right, yes. Remember that day at the mines? When you helped rescue Mason? Regina was *quite* eager to seal the mines up...almost...frantically so."

"Yes…I remember.” Mark replied seriously, recalling the time at Miner’s Day when he had tried to ask Mason if he saw anything down in the mines. “What do you think she could be hiding down there, then?” Mark asked, skepticism still in his tone.

"That's the million dollar question. I want to find out." Henry put in simply, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Besides, I wouldn't mind seeing the Mayor squirm; especially given how she has her fangs bared towards you. Over her...son." Henry added in a suddenly serious tone, tilting his head to the side to see if Mark would offer any sort of reaction.

At this, Mark's hard expression faltered, fading away to one of almost...vulnerability. "He's...he's not her son. Wait, yes he is...excuse me, Henry, I'm...not thinking straight." He stammered, stumbling over his own words, looking confused at himself.

'Oh, I understand, Nick Chopper...I see you peeking out there.' Henry thought to himself slyly. "Oh, no trouble, Mark. Happens to everyone." He said aloud, understandably.

"Now, then...clock tower...let's see if your rumor was correct. I'll be ready in one moment." Mark said seriously before heading inside to wash himself up and get changed.

---

As he stood in front of the sink, Mark took a bit of extra time to rub his face with a cold rag; feeling last night's fatigue weigh heavily on him. His thoughts drifted back once again to the woman from his dreams, his...his wife? "Who the hell am I?" Mark asked himself demandingly, looking at the man in the mirror as though he were an imposter.

“Mason, Nicholas, Catherine…these names mean nothing to me. So why do you keep repeating them?” He seethed, unsure as to whether he was speaking to the woman, or to himself.

“I am Mark Dufresne – I never married, I never had children, and I sure as hell wasn’t a woodcutter. Stop telling me who I am, and leave me be.” Mark hissed venomously, seeing his reflection sneer back at him with hatred.
Letting out a heavy sigh, his shoulders sagging; Mark finished cleaning up and put on a fresh change of clothes before going outside to join Henry once again.

"Lead the way, Mr. Carlyle." He stated simply, though his eyes looked more tired than before. Henry noticed this but said nothing, choosing to walk in the direction of the now-abandoned library that connected to the clock tower.

---

Henry stepped up to the front doors, jiggling the handle to confirm they were securely locked. "It's locked..." Henry stated, turning to face Mark. "You're a fireman, can't you kick the door down?" He asked, sticking both hands in his coat pockets.

Mark was wordless at first, feeling about the door's surface with a careful hand. His mouth curved into a deeper frown as he turned to look at Henry once more. "The door's a pull one, I'd end up breaking my foot if I tried to kick this one down." He told the younger man seriously, letting out a huff.

Henry thought deeply about a workaround, another grin forming on his face as an idea hit him. "The window! Can't you break that?"

Mark took the idea and thought on it for a few moments before nodding curtly. "Yeah...I could break a window. Good luck keeping that quiet, though." He added gravely.

"Lunchtime's nearly over, people are going back to work...they won't notice." Henry replied confidently before adding, "I can keep lookout, though. Make sure no one comes by."

Mark nodded briskly, finding this sufficient before approaching one of the windows. It was moderately sized, coated in a fine layer of dust and grime that had been sitting for years. A few boards were haphazardly nailed across the window, most likely to prevent any break-ins from occurring. Mark couldn't help but frown deeper: he was a fireman, a civil servant, committing a break-in.

Looking about in case anyone was watching, Mark waited until he was sure no one was about to turn the corner when he began pulling at the boards that were lain over the window. The years of just sitting there weakened the wood and nails, making it easier to pull them off the frame. Mark tossed the torn-off boards indiscriminately to the ground, finally leaving nothing but the glass window to take care of.

Mark looked down at his arms for a moment, noting that his thick leather coat should be suffice to break through the glass without injuring himself. Facing the window from an angle, Mark let his left elbow jut out sharply, successfully breaching it through the glass; leaving a gaping hole before him.

Using his sleeve to remove any excess glass that didn't come off in the initial strike, Mark had little time to do more before a rather-pleased Henry returned to Mark's location, grinning almost madly.

"Fantastic, this'll do quite nicely!" The young man commented cheerily, adjusting the case he still held securely in his hand.

Mark merely nodded before climbing through the hole in the wall, Henry following close behind. The ground floor of the library was indeed abandoned, with a thick layer of dust and grime covering every surface imaginable.

Mark placed his (now slightly-torn) sleeve over his mouth, covering a few coughs that threatened to erupt with the dust particles in the air. Henry, on the meanwhile, wrinkled his nose in an almost cat-like fashion before suddenly sneezing; shaking his head quickly afterwards.

"Good work on the stealth." Mark commented dryly, adjusting himself to the stifling air. "Nevermind that." Henry replied curtly, eyes peeled for anything out-of-the-ordinary that Regina could have used to access the mines.

The library itself looked quite plain, with light blue walls and orange-and-white tile flooring. The room they entered was apparently some kind of reception area, as a large wooden desk was set up against one of the walls. Through an open doorway is what led to the main area of the library, where rows upon rows of metal bookshelves stood; crammed full of books and novella.

"I must say, this is an impressive collection." Mark commented, looking at the various bookshelves. Henry, on the meanwhile, didn't answer; his eyes landing on a retro-futuristic looking elevator. The frame around it was rosewood and ornate, with the actual elevator itself being made of brass or copper; rife with various gears and pulley mechanisms. On the sides were innumerable amounts of dials, buttons, and flashing lights.

"Well....I found what we're looking for." Henry stated simply, piquing Mark's attention as he walked over to the schoolteacher's location. "What the hell?" Mark asked, stupefied. The elevator was definitely outlandish, even by Henry's standards. "I think it leads down to the mines..." Henry stated, cupping his chin with the hand not holding onto the sword case.

"Well, then, let's get going." Mark stated, moving to look for a way to open the door. "Only one of us can." Henry told the fireman bluntly. "What? Why for?" Mark asked impatiently, narrowing his eyes habitually.

"This elevator needs one person to power it." Henry explained, motioning with one hand to the set of dials, buttons, and lights. "I'll need to go down there alone...but I promise you, what I bring back will be worth your while- I just know it." Henry assured with a wide grin, earning a curt nod from Mark in understanding.

Turning one of the dials, the elevator doors suddenly slid open, revealing a cage-like interior within. 'How fitting...' Henry thought to himself before stepping in. "Good luck." Mark issued seriously before Henry closed the doors from inside. With a loud creak and groan, the elevator began to slowly make its way down the shaft into darkness....

Once Upon a Time...

*~*Collaboration between Ghost Shadow as Henry Carlyle, and YoshiSkittlez as Mr. Gold*~*

The front door of the pawnshop creaked open; the little bell attached to the door signaling Henry's entrance as he stepped through the threshold.

"Rumpelstiltskin..." Henry called out as he entered, eyes alert for the old man. His sights landed on a half-empty glass of scotch on the counter - its drinker nowhere in sight.

"Oh, for Christ's sake..." Henry muttered under his breath as he made his way around the counter. The curtain opened up just as Henry reached it, however, and a very confused looking Mr. Gold practically came face to face with him, both parties having to stop abruptly from bumping into the other.

Mr. Gold tilted his head to the side, resting both hands on the top of his cane and looked at Henry quizzically.

"Henry..." He greeted civilly with a curt nod and adjusted his grip on the cane. Although the stench of alcohol radiated off of him like being sprayed by a skunk, Mr. Gold showed no other signs of drinking if but his brown eyes looking a little less bright.

"Gold..." Henry greeted in kind, tilting his head subtly to the side as he took in the (former) Dark One's state. "There's been a problem...and I know Regina's behind it. Faye, she--" Henry stopped himself for a moment to let out a deep breath before speaking once again.

"She took a bite from a poison apple...she's...under a Sleeping Curse, I think - maybe even dead." He finished, fresh sadness in his voice; but his expression remained neutral, if not slightly embittered.

A light snicker came from the older gentleman as he side-stepped around Henry, using his cane to support his entire right side. He was staggering a bit more than normal, but that could just as easily been passed off as a 'bad leg day' as easily as it could be his drinking.

"Oh, well, you know what they say here in this land without magic..." Mr. Gold chided as he made his way back around the counter where his drink had been abandoned and picked it up once more, tipping it towards Henry like some sort of unspoken toast with a grin pulling at his thin lips. "An apple a day keeps the doctor away."

"Oh, that's...that's funny." Henry replied, though his tone said the exact opposite of his words.

"Bet you had time to think that one up, eh?" Henry asked cruelly, but continued to speak before Mr. Gold could answer. "How'd she get a poisoned apple?" Henry asked in an almost demanding tone, obviously speaking about Regina.

Mr. Gold shrugged theatrically, letting the bitter taste of his drink linger in his mouth for a short duration before swallowing and set the empty glass back down.

"You ever think that Her Majesty had better things to do today than to give out handouts? If I were her, I'd be checking all the locks on my doors and windows today." He said as casually as if he were asked about the weather.

"You're evading..." Henry observed soberly, placing both hands in his coat pockets. "There's no way she could have magic here, it's...it's impossible!" Henry finished stubbornly, trying to think of some explanation for the poison apple that took Heather away from him.

"And yet, it isn't." Mr. Gold replied pointing a finger at Henry for a moment, the smirk never leaving his face since Henry had walked in. "Regina managed to bring over a handful of little items from our world to this one...as have I. Mind you, my objects are a bit...harder to come by than Regina's; she's used up everything she had left to keep you from breaking the curse anyway. And it just so happens...I might have something to counteract Regina's last-stitched attempt to make you fail." His voice remained plesant, all the while speaking though he had his back to Henry and was rummaging through a dusty old cabinet until he found another bottle of scotch, and poured himself another drink, coughing a few times as the brown liquid filled the crystal glass once again.

"I'll take all the help you can give me...things are falling apart and Regina knows it; she's cornered, making her far more dangerous. I will finish this - then I'll make her suffer for it." Henry promised darkly, clenching his fists instinctively, as if in emphasis.

"Oho! Get in line dearie!" Mr. Gold chuckled, swirling the contents of the glass around in his hand out of habit. "Once this curse breaks, the line for Regina's blood will take you right up to the boundries of Storybrooke." He snickered and took another drink, letting his words sink in before starting again.

"I have a potion; hidden and out of reach from Regina's claws. Before she enacted the curse, I managed to bottle up true love in it's purest form and hide it from her. If I'm right, and most times I am, it should have been brought over with the curse. There's not a lot of it, but it should do."

Henry nodded seriousy, listening carefully to Mr. Gold's words as he spoke.

"Where is this potion, then? Time is of the essence..." Henry stated simply, cupping his chin in his hand.

With a wry, knowing smile, all Mr. Gold did was tap his finger on the bottle of scotch. Nothing about the bottle seemed out of place, the label was sleek and black looking with the name of the brand in elaborate cursive; a high-end looking bottle that only someone like Mr. Gold could probably afford here in Storybrooke. But taking a second look at the name printed on the bottle would tell Henry more than he would ever probably want to know...

Jabberwocky.

Henry looked perplexed at first before letting his eyes look down at the bottle Mr. Gold was tapping almost rhythmically.

His eyes widened considerably as the name seemed to ring out in his head. "The Jabberwocky? She brought that....that creature here?!" Henry nearly demanded in a slightly panicked tone. The Jabberwock was a fierce creature in Wonderland, enough that tales and songs of its fearsome might were spread out through the realm - and it was here.

"Why do you think Mayor Mills was so keen on paving over the mines so quickly?" Mr. Gold pointed out with a flutter of his eye that could be considered a lightning-quick wink.

Still smirking, Mr. Gold finished up what was left of his drink (again) before walking back out from behind the counter, the dull thud of his cane the only sound in the shop aside from the creaking floorboards under his unbalanced weight. He didn't stop until he reached the opposite side of the shop and ran his hand over a handsome leather case about a foot in width and five feet long. He let his cane rest against the glass casing that the leather case sat on top of and unhooked the brass clasps that kept the case closed, but did not open it and instead turned to face Henry.

Henry's expression turned, perhaps, even more grim as he realized that Regina had kept the Jabberwocky in the mines *all* this time. Since the very beginning it had been hiding under the people's noses.

Henry let his eyes divert over to the case that Mr. Gold wandered over to a finely-made leather case. "A present?" Henry asked with a raised eyebrow, unable to keep a bit of humor from the conversation.

"You know me so well." Mr. Gold scoffed. Did Rumpelstiltskin even know the meaning of present? Everything always came at a price with him, nothing ever given.

Mr. Gold stepped to the side, keeping his hand on the case and pulled the lid open to reveal what looked like a normal sword, though as the dim lighting from Mr. Gold's shop hit the steel, an almost magical type of glow seemed to resonate from it, if but for a moment.

Henry tilted his head to the side, a small, thin smile crossing his lips before forming a line once again.

"A sword? Well, that's all well and good - but I need not remind you that I don't have magic....I can't fight the Jabberwocky without my magic!" He objected, though not rude or ill-mannered...instead frightened.

This gave Mr. Gold a reason to chuckle, letting his fingers drum the top lid of the sword case.

"There are very few things I understand about Wonderland, it's a particularly annoying little world that I have little use for. So useless, in fact, I gave away the very looking glass that established a portal between our land and it..." Mr. Gold began to explain. "However, I wasn't about to let Regina keep a pet that I couldn't very well destroy on a whim, so I procured this." He said gesturing towards the sword, and as if on cue the light seemed to hit the steel just right in making it glow. "The magic it wields now is weak, but once you're down in the mines it will react to the beast. Cut it open, and bring me the potion."

Henry felt his breath catch in his throat as he looked at the blade with a newfound reverence.

"Is this...a Vorpal Blade? The Vorpal Blade?" Henry asked, sounding almost astounded as he let his fingers curl around the cool silver of the hilt that seemed to intertwine around a green crystal that helped make up the grip.

"So you are familiar with it. Good." Mr. Gold said as he watched Henry familiarize himself with the blade.

He lifted it up, out of the case; letting his hand get adjusted to the weight. He'd held very few weapons in his lifetime, magical ones especially.

"The song...about the Jabberwocky mentioned such a sword." Henry said solemnly, though his eyes never left the blade itself.

Finally looking back up at Mr. Gold, Henry cleared his throat before spaking. "Now comes the next part - how in hell am I going to get into the mines now that they've been sealed up?" He asked, a slight hint of concern to his voice.

A smile spread across Mr. Gold's thin lips that reached his eyes.

"Can you not think of a way?" He asked letting the lid of the case close now that it was empty before picking up his cane and heading back to his usual post behind his desk. "Anything strike you as curious here in Storybrooke? Aside from the obvious of course. Can you not think of a single location that might be treated differently than the rest of the town, a place that Regina wouldn't want just anyone to venture through?"

Henry pondered for a few moments, recalling every building in Storybrooke; internally searching for anything that would fit Mr. Gold's hints.

A wide smile crossed his lips as he finally figured out the answer he was looking for.

"The clock tower!" Henry exclaimed while keeping his voice at a level volume.

"Now you're thinking." Mr. Gold commended.

"So, Regina has her own little transportation system that takes her down to the mines...question is; is it as simple as walking up and hitting the 'down' button?" Henry asked, slightly cynical, though there was a small air of confidence to his tone now that he felt somewhat more empowered with information.

"Inside you will find an elevator, it's a two-man job so I suggest you make a friend and have them go along with you."

"Very well." Henry replied curtly, looking once again at the sword he had let lean against the counter-top. "Mind if I have that case for a bit? It wouldn't be good for inconspicuousness were I to wander around Storybrooke with a sword out for all to see." Henry requested with a small smirk at his own words, imagining the look on the townsfolk's faces if they caught a glance of him with the Vorpal Blade in hand. Mr. Gold just nodded and gestured for Henry to help himself to the case.

Henry did so wordlessly, gently placing the sword back in the case with deft fingers before closing and clasping it audibly.

"I'll return with the potion when able." Henry assured Mr. Gold as he turned to leave the shop, "If I don't come back - guess I wasn't the Savior." He added with a small chuckle, masking an ample amount of fear that welled in his chest before leaving the shop, not waiting for the pawnbroker's reply.

Once Upon a Time...

*~*Collaboration between Guardian Angel Haruki as Dr. Faye Stevenson, and Ghost Shadow as Henry Carlyle, and Alice*~*

Darkness hindered Faye's vision until it finally creeped away and allowed Faye to see. She found herself in a large, grandiose, and yet seemingly empty, ballroom. She raised an eyebrow at her surroundings. Where was she? How did she get here? What the hell was she even doing here anyways? It was at this point that she looked at herself and saw that she was wearing a purple ball gown.

The silence of the dance hall was broken by the sounds of footsteps on the freshly-polished wood floors; echoing off the walls in an almost ghostly manner.

The steps grew louder until Henry appeared behind Faye. Though he looked like Henry, he didn't at the same time. He looked younger, more...renewed, his dark brown hair; formerly styled messily, was now left down and un-styled. Instead of his usual coat-and-suit combo, he now wore very formal, if not somewhat garish, attire consisting of a bright red frock coat over a matching frilled shirt with a black collar around his neck.

Though saying not a word, his warm smile seemed to defuse any wariness or caution from the situation as he gently took both her hands in his, offering a short, gentlemanly bow as a precursor.

Faye turned to look who was behind her as soon as she felt their gaze on her. She was surprised to see that it was...Henry? He looked really different, but there was no doubt that it was Henry. She could feel her worry go away when he smiled, despite the questions she still had in regards to the situation.

She felt her face heat up in a blush as he held her hands in his, and all of a sudden, music started playing despite that there was no source of music in the room.

Henry took the music as an initiative and wrapped his right hand around her waist, placing it just at the small of her back as his left hand stayed clasped with her right.

Still silent; though not losing his grin, Henry slowly began a waltz; his movements fluid and graceful, as though he'd been dancing his entire life. The music seemed to match perfectly with his pace and rhythm as he spun her around the ballroom, letting his blue eyes lock onto hers; a look of complete enamor and affection in them.

Faye danced as well, able to keep up with Henry despite that she never danced before. Her blue eyes were also locked onto his as they continued dancing. As she danced, she felt peaceful and enamored...until a loud buzzing pierced through the air, destroying the disembodied music that had been playing through the air. All of a sudden, she felt something rip her out of Henry's gentle embrace, and pull her away. As she was pulled further away she screamed a different name, reaching for his hand.

"ALEXANDRE!!!"

And then...she felt as though she was falling...

She crashed onto the wooden floor of her bedroom, and she blinked rapidly as she rubbed her temple. She groaned "Owwww!"

She looked around and saw that she was in her bedroom, and the source of the buzzing was her alarm clock. She stood up and stopped the blaring, thinking about the dream in silence. She grumbled to herself as she got ready for work, "What the hell was that...? That person was Henry...but why did I call him Alexandre...?"

She shook her head, trying to shake off the dream, and she muttered "No use in thinking about that..." before she headed off to the hospital, trying to forget the dream.

---

Faye walked to the hospital, completely putting the dream out of her mind. Once there she got to work as she normally would (after she put her lunch in a brown paper bag with her name on it, in the break room), until lunch time came around.

She shook her head at the thought of her last patient as she walked into the break room, only to see a familiar face there. She slumped her shoulders and she asked the visitor seriously, "Shouldn't you be in the waiting area, Henry?"

The man in question looked up from the book he was reading (a copy of Alice in Wonderland) with a friendly smile on his face.

"Good morning, doctor; lovely to see you." He piped cheerily, not bothering to answer, or even acknowledge her question.

"This is one of my favorite stories. I always liked the Cheshire Cat - fantastic character...I always pictured him thinner, though." Henry added absent-mindedly with a small shrug of his shoulders; while internally he was quite offended that some fool had drawn him overweight.

Faye sighed and lightly shook her head at Henry, since he didn't bother to answer. She went over to the cabinet and took out her brown bagged lunch, and she went over to the table he was at, and she stated in concern as she sat at the table, "You know you're not supposed to be in here, right?"

At mention of being thrown out, Henry's expression seemed to sour; if only for a moment. "And what of it?" He asked her, the friendly tone not gone from his tone as he spoke. However, his focus was seemigy diverted to the book in his hands, his eyes on the pages instead of Faye.

Faye pointed out, "After what happened, a guard may be more than willing to try and throw you out despite any resistance. Just saying," She then asked politely and making chit chat after she gave him her warning, "So...how's staying at Granny's these days?"

Again, Henry visibly sneered. He had no fear of any guard or officer...however, he knew he wouldn't stand much of a chace in a fight without magic - only a sore reminder of how much he missed it.

"It's well enough, I suppose. Not much goes on..." Henry answered simply, though a perceptive one could catch a hint of uneasiness to his tone - as he was more than happy to keep his night with Ruby a secret.

However, Faye had heard that Henry had spent an amourous night with the waitress. She had heard about it from Dr. Whale himself. She sighed through her nose and she said to Henry, "Well...I'm sure you're quite happy with Ruby, huh?"
...Why did she bring the topic up? She knew it would've been better to leave the topic alone!

At this Henry bristled, stiffening his posture until it was almost certain he'd snap in half. "Oh?...where on earth would you get the idea that I'm with Ruby?" Henry asked; keeping his tone level. But his body language alone was more than enough of an indicator.

Faye could see from his body language that what Dr. Whale had said was true. She answered him, "Storybrooke's a small town, Henry. Of course news would travel fast here. Dr. Whale did see the two of you head to Granny's together, with Ruby very drunk,"
She shrugged and said trying to keep her tone even, (but she did feel bitter for some reason she could not place) as she took out a packed sandwich, a red apple, and a bottle of water, "Well, if you two are happy together, then you have my congratulations,"

"I didn't know Dr. Whale was Storybrooke's new trustworthy source of information..." Henry rebuffed, perhaps more sharply than intended. Faye knew...not only did she know, but she was now throwing it back in his face. He knew he deserved no less than such; perhaps even more, but his natural defences were more prickly than that.

"Besides...so what? Not like you had any interest in me." He added coldly, not having time to think about what he was saying before his tongue did the work for him.

Faye felt as though she had just been stabbed in the heart by a spear and then had rat poison poured onto the wound right after Henry said that she had no interest in him. Did her attempts at helping him mean nothing to him?! Did that kiss he gave her that night mean nothing to him?! It meant something to her! She clenched her teeth together, and she snapped back "At least I don't lead people on! At least I don't give noncommittal and meaningless affections to every single person of the opposite sex I meet!"

She calmed down a bit, and she stated to him, "Every action has a consequence, Henry. One day, all of that is going to bite you in the arse,"

"I've already figured out who I am..." Henry replied coldly, bitterness mixed in his tone; though his volume remained level.

"I'm not some goddamned Prince Charming to whisk you away to some pretty castle...I'm...this - cynical, philandering...flawed. If you don't like it; then find someone else." He hissed as he finished, eyes filled with a mixture of venom and...sorrow? Though more directed at himself.

Faye felt a chill up her spine when he said that he already knew who he was. Was he alluding to her other self when he said that?

She kept a glare though as he snapped back at her with venom and...sorrow? After he hissed, she retorted irritably "I never asked you to be a Prince Charming! Charming is an epitome of perfection, and news flash Henry! Perfection DOESN'T exist! All I want is some god damned honesty! But you've been anything but until now!"

At this, Henry couldn't stifle what could only be described as a mix between a laugh and a scoff. It almost tasted of bile as it left his lips; as though he was forcing himself. He'd been lying since day one. Not just to her, but to everyone - including himself. He couldn't even remember his own name back home...his entire existence was a combination of falsehoods and mistakes.

"Honesty...is an open wound, Faye - and in short supply here...don't pretend that this is some debate, because it's not. You know nothing about me...and you never will." He finished darkly, eyes narrowed dangerously as he spoke. And he was right...Faye would never know him for who he truly was, for the moment the Curse was broken - she'd die...leaving Heather in her place.

Faye glared at him, remaining unfazed from the dark look that Henry gave her. She then said to him darkly "You can't evade forever. Nobody can evade forever--"

"Watch me..."

After he made his comment, she said to him bitterly and in a foreboding tone, "You are only destroying yourself further with your evasion and 'Woe is me' act. You'll see someday,"

Faye picked up the red delicious apple and she took a bite out of it, creating a loud crisp crunch, and never realizing what she had just done, until it was too late. After she ate the apple, she was about to say something else, but she could only let out a choking sound. Her body convulsed slightly, as though it was trying to get rid of the poison, and she fell out of her seat with a crash. She landed on the cold floor, seemingly asleep.

Henry could only clench and unclench his fists at her warning, preparing to argue further until she took a bite of the apple. Henry had never taken note before - but it was..different: a touch too red, a bit too shiny and smooth. The realization didn't truly hit him until Faye collapsed onto the floor.

"Heather!" Henry cried out, aghast, before running over to where she lay, crumpled on the floor.

"No, goddamn it, not you too!" He shouted, trying to check for any sign of life; anything to give him a spark of hope.

"Heather, wake up...come on, wake up - I know you have it in you...wake...up!" He tried one last time, his jaw clenched so tightly that it hurt as he tried everything in his power to shake her from her sleep.

He finally grew silent, letting his hands fall aimlessly to his sides as he could do nothing to stop the poison apple from doing its work.

Henry stood to his feet slowly, weakly. He only had a few minutes - maybe less, before security showed up to check on the commotion...and right now, he looked like a hell of a suspect.

He frantically looked between Faye and the door, as if deciding which to pick. After a few precious moments of debilitating, Henry gave Faye one more passing look, quietly saying, "I'm so sorry..." before leaving in a haste.

The moment he stepped foot outside, all his senses went numb; his legs turned to jelly as he could barely support himself. Leaning heavily against a tree; Henry slowly looked up to the uncaring sky above.

"Are you done yet?!" He called out, though he wasn't quite sure as to whom. A God, a wizard of some sort, maybe even some celestial animal; he had no idea - and right now, he didn't care.

"Is this amusing to you? This...this depravity - this turpitude? Just finish it, already...there's nothing else left you can take from me." He finished sullenly before slowly letting his weight down on the ground. What else had he to fight for now? He could only let his eyes shut tightly, and let the darkness wash over him...

*~*~*

Henry woke up face-down in a patch of grass; the radiating light from the sun gently wrapping itself around him like a warm blanket. He felt groggy, tired; as though he had just woken up from a long and restful nap.

Slowly climbing to his feet, he realized he wasn't in Storybrooke or the Enchanted Forest - but in Wonderland: home.

The bright colors, outlandish sounds, and overgrown flora hit him with an instant sense of nostalgia and longing, as though this was just a memory; and at that moment, he knew he was in a dream.

He looked down and recognized his old clothes, freshly cleaned and mended. Running a hand through his hair, he felt its locks smoothly flow between his fingers. He was himself - he was human.

He began walking in a random direction, not knowing or caring which way he was going for now. It felt...right.

Though he could *hear* the sounds of Wonderland's creatures around him, he saw nothing of them. Even the larger-than-life flowers which usually chit-chatted about shiftless topics were silent, simply waving lazily in the gentle breeze.

As he ducked through a tall patch of grass that grew far over his head, Henry saw his old mushroom house come into view. The air was a musky, earthy smell; welcoming to his senses as he remembered the months spent in this modest home.

Slowly approaching the fungi, Henry was about to turn the knob of his front door when he felt a sudden urge, a compulsion to turn around.

Obeying, Henry turned on his heel to see, perhaps, the most welcoming sight of all since he turned back human: Alice.

He felt his legs begin to move, though only through instinct instead of will; for too many thoughts ran in his head to control his movements.

He stopped only when he was mere inches apart from his sister, who smiled up at him with the same, sweet smile that made any trouble or issue disappear in an instant.

She looked healthier than ever; her chestnut brown hair freshly washed and groomed, her skin rosy and free of blemish, her eyes so *full* of life.

The two of them, brother and sister could only look at each other in complete silence until a small smile seemed to tug at his lips. Insignificant at first, it only seemed to widen as Henry let the flood of emotions overtake him, suddenly pulling Alice into a tight hug.

"You're here...I found you." Henry managed to say as fresh tears streamed down his face, his tone almost reverent. He could think of nothing else to say; though a million questions registered in his mind mere seconds before.

"You did find me...but I'm not the one you're looking for." Alice replied softly, pulling away from her brother before something was broken.

"What? Alice, what do you mean?" Henry asked, genuinely confused at his sister's crypticness.

Alice reached up slowly, cupping Henry's cheek in her delicate hand before speaking once again, "You already found me, Henry...in Storybrooke."

"That's not you, Sweetling. Sister Charlotte doesn't remember being you...she's, a copy, an imitation."

"But *still* me, Henry...underneath all the false memories and various deceptions - I'm under there, you just need to let me out."

"I can't, Alice...it's too late, now. Heather's dead, Snow's even *farther* from Prince Charming...and I'm alone. How can I break the Curse if there's no one left that can help me?" He asked, despairingly; the memory of Faye's death fresh in his mind.

"You just have to believe..."

"In *what*?"

"Yourself. *That's* who you're looking for, Henry. You've lost faith in yourself, you've tried to bury the past instead of face it - and you'll never be free from that pain until you *do* face it. Only then can you find yourself, and be the Savior you were made to be."

"But why me? I'm not a bloody Savior...I'm a cat...a cowardly, frightened cat."

"Because that's what you've *told* yourself. To the point that you believe in nothing else."

Alice continued, "You can *still* break the Curse...you *can* save Faye, and Snow, and me...but not as the Cat, or as Alexandre Frost, or as Henry Carlyle...look inwards...find the *real* you - Edric Liddell..."

Henry's breath caught in his throat as Alice said those two simple words. His name, his *real* name registering in his mind mere moments after she said it. "Edric...that's...that's me..."

"My brother." Alice added gently, taking his hand in hers. "Now wake up, Edric...break the Curse - and don't be afraid..."

"I won't..." Henry began as he could see Alice fading away before him, like a fine mist. "I won't be afraid." He finished as the world around him dissipated into nothingness...

*~*~*

Henry awoke with a start, eyes still damp with tears shed in sleep. He had no idea how long he was drowsing, but he didn't care. He had a job to do; a job to finish. And he had come too far to back down now.

Rising from his spot in the grass, Henry hastily made his way across the town to the pawn-shop. In a weird turn of events, he genuinely needed Rumpelstiltskin - and something in his head told him that the likewise was true as well.

Once Upon a Time...

Attention everyone: I have a camping trip to go to this upcoming Friday evening and will be gone Friday night, all of Saturday, and early Sunday morning. I doubt I'll have any connection to keep an eye on things, but I'll see what I can do

Once Upon a Time...

Collaboration between YoshiSkittlez and Ghost Shadow
--
The afternoon had slowly turned into evening and Henry was none the more melancholy. Faye still distrusted him: to the point of giving her allegiance to Knox Kowalski instead. The very thought of this was enough to make Henry's blood boil...but all he could think of doing now is grabbing himself a drink - and maybe a woman.

Stepping through the front doors to the Rabbit Hole, Henry quickly took off his scarf and coat; hanging them up on a nearby rack for safekeeping. His eyes instantly landed on Ruby, who apparantly hadn't even left since he was last there.

Reaching into his suit jacket pocket, Henry pulled out a single cigarette, planting it in-between his lips. This place always seemed to bring out his worst habits...

Ruby's eyes brightened the moment she saw Henry walking back into the bar, a queer transition from her behavior beforehand. Sure he had only been gone for a few hours, but she felt as if it had been days.

"Henry! Hey! Henry!" Ruby leaned over on the bar stool, looking like she was about to topple over it for a minute but somehow kept her balance despite her lanky figure spilling over the side. "I-----have a queestionnnnn!" She sing-songed and patted the barstool next to her which was currently empty, as were a few glasses that were sitting in front of her. Also in front of her was a stack of what looked like pages of The Daily Mirror; none in any particular order and scattered about like Ruby was about to house-break a new puppy. "C'mere!"

Henry raised his eyebrow curiously: Ruby was drunk. Not a simple buzz or slight intoxication, but absolutely plastered. A small chuckle seemed to climb up his throat as he grabbed a Zippo lighter (designed with the four suits of a playing card deck) from his pocket, using it to light the cigarette in his mouth.

Slowly approaching the bar, per Ruby's request, Henry was whistling a small tune to himself whilst occasionally removing the cigarette from his lips to blow out smoke.

"A question, eh? Well...ask away." Henry replied in an interested tone, sitting down next to her.

Ruby seemed to calm down a bit as Henry joined her, and then turned back around to the multitude of newspapers scattered before her. Each of them had a picture on it, a picture of Henry. There were seven articles to be exact, from the new arrival business to the Jane Doe scandal to helping the nuns raise enough money to keep the convent open. These articles had been passed around Storybrooke quite often as of late, and the older articles weren't exactly hard to find if you knew where to look, but Ruby seemed to take a keen interest in them.

"You-youyouyouyou said you came to Brookstory alone right?" Ruby asked stacking the papers into a somewhat neater pile before laying them flat in front of Henry for him to see. "Remember? Member, member when I told you I knew evry'one here and their favorite color?" Ruby pointed at the picture she had put in front of Henry. It wasn't a great shot, just one of Henry's car with Henry still inside looking over a newspaper from when he had first arrived, but that's not what Ruby was pointing at.

Instead, she was pushing her finger down on a rather round looking man with an even rounder face. It was hard to see his specifics, as he was wearing a trenchcoat with the collar pushed up and a fedora to shade his face as well as sitting on one of the benches next to Henry's car also pretending to read a paper; definitely the look of a man who didn't want to be found.

"So then who's that?"

Henry nodded subtly as she began asking him about how she knew everyone; taking a few drags of his cigarette while carefully watching. His eyes narrowed subtly as they landed on the obscure fellow on the bench.

"I have...absolutely no idea." Henry answered; sounding sincerely perplexed. However, this sudden realization didn't stop him from ordering a glass of wine from the bartender; just as he had done earlier that afternoon.

Ruby didn't look pleased, and then pulled out the next article from underneath the first one. Another picture featuring Henry, this time of him sitting at a booth at Granny's alone, but again Ruby didn't point to Henry, but at the corner of the image where the same man was. This time he wasn't wearing the fedora, and you could really get a good look at his face if you paid close attention to it.

"He's in all of them, but I've never seen him around Borystooke, like...ever, and yet he seems to be in every single picture you are..."

"It appears I've acquired my first fan." Henry said dryly in response; clearly more interested in getting his base needs fulfilled as opposed to working out important mysteries.

"Say..." He began, sounding as if he was going to change he subject. "How much have you drank tonight?" He asked curiously, yet with a hint of mischievousness to his tone.

Ruby furrowed her brows and sat up on the bar stool just a bit to reach over and pluck the cigarette from Henry's mouth, only to put it into her own where she eased back into the stool, giggled, and puffed the smoke out of her mouth.

"I've only had water." She blatantly lied. Henry would then catch the eye of the bartender, signaling to Henry that she probably shouldn't have anymore for the rest of the night.

"But I'll let you buy me a drink or two..."

"Right, then." Henry replied with a small chuckle before waving the bartender over; showing no regard for the man's earlier obscure look.

"Ello, mate! Two tequilas for my....very sober friend here, please. I'll be sure she gets home safe." Henry ordered, flashing a dazzling smile; his last sentence catering to the bartender's suspicions.

The bartender didn't look too happy, but oblidged by refilling Ruby's last drink and grumbling as he walked away to tend to some of the other guests. Ruby snatched the drink which looked like some sort of margarita and drained it's contents with the blink of an eye.

"Didju drive here?" Ruby asked, setting the once again empty glass back down onto the bar.

"Nope! Walked...and I suspect you and I will be walking back home as well." Henry said simply, taking a small sip from his wine as it was brought out to him.

Turning sombre, Henry began to relay his own problems to Ruby, "Faye wouldn't let me in to see the Jane Doe...or Mary Margaret, whatever you prefer. She's afraid I'll just cause more trouble - and who can blame her, eh?" He finished, switching moods in the blink of an eye as he stopped to take another drink.

"I dunno what her problem is." Ruby snorted. "Aint nothin wrong with a Prince Charming running around. I bet she's never even been kissed before; probably jealous. That paper article-" Ruby sat up on the stool again and filtered through the papers she had been showing Henry earlier to find the one written about the Jane Doe incident where Sherry Attar had done a nasty article about him. "Bullshit if you ask me."

"Yes...bullshit indeed." Henry repeated with a small smirk. "You were the only one who saw it, at least - I thank you for that." He commended with a sincere smile.

"So....how long were you planning on staying here, exactly?" He asked, reaching into his pocket again; this time procuring a small box of nicotine gum, popping a single piece into his mouth. "You can try and take this too, if you'd like." He added nonchalantly; as if unaware of the sensual implication.

"I'm good with the cancer stick. At least that will eventually kill me." Ruby grumbled pulling the stolen cigarette from her mouth and patted the ashes down onto the ashtray provided by the bar. "And I'm here until I pass out, and before you give me any bullshit on how that's not a good way to cope...I know...I just don't care."

"Oh, that's alight...I'm here t' encourage ya!" Henry proclaimed cheerily. "You like wine?" He asked with a certain glint in his eyes, as if there were a number of improper thoughts running through his mind. Ruby didn't seem to notice, far beyond the point of picking up subtlety.

Ruby laughed for no apparent reason and let her head rest on Henry's shoulder in a tired-like fashion, or maybe even cuddly...

"I like whatever can get me drunk. And if you can get me drunk, then I like you too!"

'Too late for that...' Henry thought to himself with a small smirk. "Then, I'm happy to oblige..." He said, almost quietly before deciding to order a full bottle.

--

Time seemed to pass all in a rush as Henry and Ruby did nothing but talk, drink (more Ruby than Henry), and even the occasional flirt here-or-there. However, as even the night crowd started to die down; Henry, (under the effect of a rather pleasant buzz), rose from his seat slowly.

"Hour's getting late..." He observed, though wasn't sure what time it even was at the moment. "I best be taking you home." He added on, quite hopeful for any reward he'd receive upon 'delivery'.

Ruby really didn't have any choice but to obey, since she knew that she really wouldn't have any other way home if Henry left without her. She stumbled out of the barstool, using her hands to brace herself against Henry from hitting the floor. Apparently, to Ruby, it was the funniest thing in the world because she didn't stop giggling as they walked out of The Rabbit Hole together. Still giggling, Ruby even managed a flailing wave to a man she spotted in the corner of the room, eyeing the two of them with curious intent.

"Bye Doctor Whale! Have a drink on meeeee!"

Henry cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly as Ruby practically screamed at the doctor. "Don't listen to her, doctor, have a nice night." Henry bid before tugging slightly on Ruby to get her to move faster out the door where there were (hopefully) no other civilians to embarass.

The walk back to Granny's Bed and Breakfast was less than graceful, Henry had almost literally become her own two legs with how heavily she had to lean on him to keep from falling face-first into the pavement. Thankfully the only other person they ran into was Dr. Hopper on a late night walk with Pongo, but neither of them paid much attention to the staggering couple as they walked across the street to the run down building.

Once they reached the second floor (going up the stairs was a nightmare for poor Henry) Ruby tried to find her key in her pants pocket, but she would have had more luck getting struck by lightning right then. Not only could she not remember what pocket her keyring was in, but she wouldn't have even been able to identify the right key if she had managed to find it.

"My, my...lost our keys, have we?" Henry asked rhetorically, more to himself than to her. He couldn't help a truly wicked smile as he began feeling about and in her pants pockets, perhaps lingering a bit longer-than-appropriate; gambling on Ruby's inability to notice.

Eventually after an awkward (yet enjoyable) amount of time, Henry managed to fish out the keyring with a victorious smile. "Ah, wonderful! Here we are, then. Now.....which one.." He finished perplexedly before trying to test all the keys in the keyhole for the right one.

"Hey..." Ruby said excessively patting Henry on the shoulder, though she kept her eyes on the keyhole as Henry tried each key to unlock it. "Hey hey hey! Hey...hey did Granny let you come back yet?"

"Correct-a-mundo!" Henry piped cheerily, only glancing back for a moment as he kept trying the keys. Finally, he seemed to find the right one as it neatly slid into the keyhole.

With a relieved sigh, Henry turned the key, earning a small clack sound as the door unlocked.

Opening it slowly, Henry stepped to the side to allow Ruby entrance first to lie down...or throw up.....or get undressed, whatever the like.

Ruby stepped into the threshold and turned around to face him in the doorway, now using the door jam as a bracer to keep from falling down rather than him.

"Did you get your room back?" She asked, tilting her head to the side like a curious puppy.

"I....assume so-"

"Good." Ruby said with a smile, her curious look shifting drastically to that of a predator. "Then I won't have to worry about getting you home on time." She snickered and with incredible accuracy (for being so drunk) Ruby held her hands on each side of Henry's face and pulled herself into him for a tight kiss.

Henry's eyes widened in shock for a brief moment as Ruby's lips crashed against his. But any previous judgement or willpower faded by the second until nothing was left but impulse. Not letting his lips part from hers, Henry gently pushed her inside and shut the door behind them.

Once Upon a Time...

Collaboration between YoshiSkittlez and Ghost Shadow
--
With the side of her head resting atop of the bar, Ruby flicked what was left of the torn up straw wrapper onto the ground, joining the possible thirty other pieces that had been previously been ripped to shreds. Her face was flushed, her nose and eyes red from crying until there were no tears left, only the nauseous flip-flopping in her stomach remaining to remind her that she wasn't quite numb yet.

With a heavy sigh, Ruby raised her head to glare down at her perfectly full drink she had ordered almost an hour ago. Funny, the first time she legitimately could use a drink and it just didn't interest her...nothing did right now.

As Ruby wallowed in self-pity, she would have been able to hear the sound of footsteps approaching from behind, the floorboards creaking slightly with each step.

Giving no greeting or acknowledgement, Henry sat down beside her at the bar; taking a long drag from a cigarette he held between his index and middle finger. "Damn habits...keep coming back." He said nonchalantly, as if oblivious to Ruby's current emotional state.

Without waiting for her to respond, he signaled to the bartender; ordering himself a glass of red wine. "You look worse for wear." Henry observed aloud, finally turning to look at Ruby fully.

If Ruby had the energy, she would have scowled at Henry for that latter comment, but instead she kept her eyes forward looking at nothing in particular.

"I don't feel like talking." Came her almost snappy, bitter reply.

"And why's that, eh?" Henry asked in an almost snarky tone, but not unfriendly. "You're usually not like this." He observed, taking a drink from his wine as it was brought to him.

Ruby slowly turned her head to look at Henry, a single tear rolling down her cheek at the slight movement, though she either didn't notice or didn't care. She let out a quiet sigh and shook her head before returning to look straight back at the wall in front of her.

"You ever walk into a situation where you know exactly what's going to happen?" Ruby began, but kept going without waiting for an answer. "And then you go into it anyway, and then when what you're afraid of happens...you kick yourself because you should have known better...but that's just who you are, so you keep punishing yourself..." Another silent tear rolled down her cheek, but again Ruby made no move to wipe it away and just let it drip from her chin.

"Ha....all too well." Henry replied in an almost bitter manner, as if there were a bad taste in his mouth.

"I was a...street magician in New York for a time before I came here. Bloody terrible pay, but the connections were nice. I struggled in every way you did...and I let other people around me suffer because of it: when they had no choice or control in the matter." Henry finished in an almost wistful manner, taking another long drink from his glass preceding a drag of his cigarette.

"You end up hardening yourself, I find. Until there's nothing left inside of you...that way the pain just rolls away." He added on quietly, feeling tears sting at his own eyes. But in his own defiance he kept them held in, refusing to let old memories pain him now.

Ruby turned her head to look at him once again, though shook it side to side slowly. He really had no idea what she was talking about did she? Ruby reached over to her untouched drink, only to watch the ice as she swirled the straw around in small circles; it was better than looking at the wall anyway.

"Knox is married." She said simply, knowing that she wouldn't have to explain anything much further. The words hardly rolled out of her mouth though, nearly choking as the sentence seemed so...alien to her. Sure she had only really spent enough time with Knox to count as 'casual dating' over the last two weeks but still, imagining him as a married man...happy with another woman, it just didn't fit; although that was probably her selfish side talking to her, trying to rationalize that this was all just one big, horrible dream.

"Bastard. Who's the unlucky bride?" Henry asked curiously, twirling the cigarette between his fingers to pass the time.

Ruby stopped spinning the quickly melting ice and sighed once more, looking down at the tear splashes on the counter top.

"Mary Margaret Blanchard Kowalski." She stated matter-of-factly. "But you, and the rest of the town probably only know her as Jane Doe from the hospital." She then pushed away her drink and rested her chin on her hands, shutting her eyes tightly to keep the new wave of tears from formulating.

Henry's reaction was quiet, sombre, mostly through body language. His fingers stopped absentmindedly moving about, his posture became stiff and tall; his lips twitched. "What?" He practically demanded, almost as if the words didn't register or connect.

Suddenly realization hit him, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he rose from his seat at the bar; slamming a few bills on the countertop to pay for the drink.

"Regina...." He muttered under his breath before turning to head towards the door. "I need to see things for myself." He told Ruby at a normal volume. "Keep your head up." He said lastly before starting to walk towards the front door.

Too emotionally drained to even begin to question Henry's reaction to the news, Ruby just pitifully waved him off with her hand as a sort of 'goodbye' and stared down the drink that she had pushed away just moments ago.

Once Upon a Time...

Henry stepped through the entrance of Granny's, loosening his scarf in the temperature-controlled environment. A sincere smile came to his face as he was given a much warmer greeting from the citizens of Storybrooke than the day before when he was still an outcast.

Even Mark, still alone and unsocial looked up at Henry, offering a small nod in greeting with a smile of his own. Taking this as an invitation, Henry walked over to the fireman's table; taking off his coat and hanging it on the back of the chair opposite Mark's as he took a seat.

"Good morning, Mr. Carlyle." Mark greeted in a tone that was especially friendly for him, taking a drink from his coffee.

"And good morning to you, Mr. Dufresne. Bit chilly out, isn't it?" Henry asked, trying to make conversation.

"Yes, so it is. All the more incentive to drink coffee." Mark added neutrally, taking another drink as he looked out the window.

"Oh, I don't like coffee much - far too bitter." Henry said, sounding somewhat distracted as his mind wandered back to the dream he had last night. He didn't want to remember it, he hated remembering it. He must have winced visibly, for Mark's voice seemed to echo towards him, "Are you alright, Henry?"

"Oh....oh....yes, I'm fine. Just remembering a bad dream I had last night." He answered simply, sounding almost as though it caused him pain to speak of it.

"I see..." Mark replied simply, though his tone suggested he wanted to say more. "Anything you want to share?" He added on sincerely, green eyes staring straight at the teacher.

Henry hesitated for a moment, debating whether to disclose the full details of the dream to Mark - for even dreams had power, and Henry wasn't sure how much power mentioning the Dark One would hold. "I...I can hardly remember. I was here, in Storybrooke, except the town was dead...gray. All I remember seeing is Mr. Gold on the ground....he was...stabbed and I was...holding a dagger in my hand. It was black, long, and jagged, as though it was wrought in shadow -- and there was a name written on the blade....."

"What was the name?" Mark asked curiously, not letting his eyes leave Henry for a moment.

"Rumpelstiltskin." Henry answered bluntly.

"Rumpelstiltskin? Like the fairy tale?" Mark repeated. His words implied sarcasm or amusement, but his tone was serious.

"Yes, like the fairy tale...strange, isn't it?" Henry asked, trying to deviate from the main topic.

"Yes...strange, indeed. Dreams are unusual occurrences, Mr. Carlyle. Don't dwell on them, if you want my advice; you'll end up driving yourself mad trying to apply order to disorder." Mark advised before asking for a to-go cup from the waitress.

"Yeah, suppose you're right." Henry replied, trying to sound genial once more; though it was difficult. He couldn't disclose everything he saw or experienced to Mark. That he had killed Rumpelstiltskin - and became the Dark One, himself. The raw power, the fear, the feeling of helplessness as the cumulative knowledge and power of millennia past permeated his very being...and it was amazing.

This only caused Henry to shudder more as he pushed the dangerous thoughts out of his mind. "Let dreams stay dreams, Mr. Carlyle...People need to leave their Wonderlands - the real world is not so wonderful." Mark advised lastly before standing up to leave, coffee in hand.

"It was good speaking with you, Mr. Carlyle. Have a pleasant day." Mark bid goodbye before heading to the door.

"If only you knew, Tin Man." Henry added after the fireman left the building, staying seated at the table to think....to ponder...to wonder.