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Be Strong For Me

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THE NEXT DAY FELT DULL. Everything blended together in a mix of grey. But yet the sun shone bright and the sky was blue. Melody felt void. She didn't know if it was the fact that she knew she was going to die or if it was the fact that she lost another person she cared about. Maybe it was both.

The teen followed Emma, David, and Mary Margaret as they arrived at the park where Henry was, Gold sitting nearby, watching.

"Gold. What are you doing here?" David asked when they reached him.

"Well, my son made it clear I'm to stay away from him, so I'm spending some time with my grandson instead," Gold replied.

"Emma, why don't you take Melody and go talk to Henry, and we'll handle this," Mary Margaret said to her daughter.

Emma and Melody walked over to Henry and Emma smiled sadly at him.

"Hey guys," Henry greeted.

"Henry, hey," Emma said.

"Hey Henry," Melody greeted, trying to smile.

Henry noticed but smiled back nonetheless. He knew that his sister was trying to best she could to be the stronger one out of the two of them. Though he knew how Melody was feeling. Back over by Gold, Mary Margaret and David get ready to break the news to Gold.

"Mr. Gold, we have some news to share with you, and it's not good," Mary Margaret started.

"Not interested," Gold replied.

"It's about your son," David explained.

"Yeah, what about him."

"Tamara shot him."

Gold looked over at them, looking concerned for his son. "What? Is he dead?"

"They used a bean to open a portal. Neal was hurt so badly that he fell through. He's gone," David announced.

Gold let out a breath and looked away from them, looking back at his sister who was with Henry and Emma.

"Bae wasn't supposed to die," he said quietly.

"Greg and Tamara-they took something from Regina-a magical trigger. A fail-safe in the curse that could destroy Storybrooke," David told him.

"Or they activate it, it's a self-destruct. Everyone not born in this world will die," Mary Margaret added.

"I know this is hard, but we need your help."

"No," Gold denied.

David and Mary Margaret looked appalled.

"They killed your son in cold blood, and you don't wanna stop them?" David questioned.

"They didn't kill my son. I did. I brought magic to this world to find Bae, and now he's dead. Magic always has a price, and this-this is it. But I'm prepared to pay it."

"But... We'll die. You'll die! Your sister will die!" Mary Margaret pointed out.

"Well, I've made my peace with dying. And I know my sister has as well."

Gold got up and left, leaving David and Mary Margaret looking shocked.

---

"It's just ahead," Greg said, leading Tamara and Hook through the StoryBrooke mines.

"Are you sure whoever's in charge of you doesn't want you guys to die in a mine collapse?" Hook asked.

Tamara rolled her eyes. "Just keep moving."

"Who is telling you what to do?"

"You know what?" Greg said, turning to Hook. "That's not your concern. It's not ours, either."

Hook raised his eyebrow questioningly.

"Not your concern," he repeated. "So you're telling me you don't know who commands you?"

Tamara sighed. "Unlike you, Hook, we believe in something. We have faith in the sacredness of our cause."

"We're here," Greg announced.

He took one of the dwark pickax's in his hands and Hook looked over at Tamara

"So your sacred cause is pilfering a dwarf's pickax?" Hook asked, smirking.

"Regina had this," Tamara said as she took out the brown diamond, "in her pocket when you handed her over to us."

"It's a trigger, and this ax, according to our people, is what activates it," Greg explained, handing Tamara the pickaxe.

"You're going to destroy an entire town, and kill everyone in it..." Hook trailed off, realizing what was going to happen.

And if they were going to destroy everyone in town... Melody would die.

"Yeah, including your enemy," Greg reminded.

"Rumplestiltskin won't be immune to this?" Hook questioned, now knowing that he could not let this plan happen if Melody was going to die.

"None of your kind will be. Once this thing gets turned activated, nothing can shut it off," Tamara explained, holding it up.

"This whole town will revert to the forest it was. So tell us, Hook. We're willing to die for our cause. Are you willing to die for yours?" Greg asked him.

Hook thought of Melody and thought of what was going to happen to her. And there was no way he could let her die.

"Absolutely," he lied.

Greg pressed the ax down on the diamond, causing it to levitate, and give off a blue glow. The three of them ran out of the mines just as the trigger started to work, sending vines all over the town, destroying the buildings.

---

The group entered Mary Margaret's apartment just as Regina got out of bed, rubbing her neck.

"Henry!" Regina exclaimed.

"Mom!"

The two embraced when out of the blue an earthquake occurred and shook the entire apartment. Glass fell from the counters and Melody leaned against the pillar by the stairs to keep from falling. Things settled down and Melody looked to her mom.

"Was that.." she trailed off.

"Yes. The diamond was activated," Regina confirmed.

"So we're all gonna die," Henry realized.

"You were born here, so you'll live."

"But... I'll be alone."

"I'm so sorry."

"It's not gonna happen, I'm not gonna let it," Emma said, turning to Regina. "You did this, now make it stop."

"I can't, there's no way," Regina said exasperatedly.

"Well, figure it out! It's your fault!" Emma yelled.

Melody jumped in shock at the blonde's outburst but interfered.

"Stop! We already lost Neal. We can't lose anyone else. We need to stop arguing and come up with a plan."

While Melody spoke, Hook entered, not seen by any of them.

"From the mouths of babes, I'd say she has a point," he agreed, walking further into the room.

Melody smiled at him and all of a sudden David punched the pirate in the face. Melody snickered.

"That was for the last time we met," David explained.

"Bloody hell," Hook muttered, rubbing his jaw.

Melody went to hug him when Regina held her back protectively.

David drew his gun and pointed at him. "Tell us why you're here before I use something other than my fist."

"I think threatening to kill me seems a bit redundant when we're all about to die anyway," Hook said rolling his eyes.

"No thanks to you. Regina just told us you were working with Tamara and Greg to get your revenge," Emma revealed.

Melody rolled her eyes.

"Well, that was before they told me I had to die to get it. And most importantly, Melody would die as well."

Everyone looked at the teen and Melody smiled. She noticed them all looking at her and shrugged innocently. "What?"

"Why do you care about Melody?" David questioned.

"Why wouldn't I?" Hook replied.

"We don't have time for this. We have a real problem," Emma prompted.

"Which is why I'm here, 'cause staring death in the face has made me realize if there's one thing I want more than my revenge, it's for her..." he pointed at Melody, "to get the happy ending she deserves after all she's been through." Everyone was surprised but listened as he continued. "So should we start this thing now, and then resume bickering?"

"There is no stopping it. And the best thing I can do is slow it down, but that will only delay the inevitable," Regina offered.

"Well it should give the time we'll need," Melody spoke up.

They all turned to her confusedly.

"The time for what?" Mary Margaret asked

"To get the beans back. We could use them to get everyone back to the Enchanted Forest before StoryBrooke is completely swallowed."

"How? We don't even know where Greg and Tamara are," Emma pointed out.

"Well, I do. I can help," Hook said.

"Help yourself. You'll take them and you'd take Melody with you but you'd leave the rest of us behind. Why should we trust you?"

"No, we won't have to," David told her. "I'll go with him, and if he tries anything, I'll shoot him in the face."

Hook smirked. "Quite hostile, aren't we?"

"Just being clear."

"I'll take Regina and Melody to slow down the diamond, give you guys time. Mary Margaret, take Henry and gather everyone. Make sure they're ready to go as soon as we have those beans," Emma instructed.

Before Henry and Mary Margaret left, Regina stopped him.

"Henry, before you go, I'm sorry for what's happened. I tried to be the person that you wanted me to be and I failed. But I won't let you be alone. You just know that I love you."

"I love you, too," Henry smiled, then hugged her.

He let go and followed Mary Margaret out of the room. Emma grabbed her coat and she and Regina left the room. David followed and Hook was about to when he stopped Melody.

"Melody, I can get the beans and we can leave. I'll keep you safe."

"I can't just leave my family here," Melody told him, smiling sadly. "But thank you. For thinking about me. Thank you for putting me first."

Though Regina, Emma, and the others had always made sure she was safe, it was different with Hook. It was the first time she actually felt like she mattered to someone. Hook was her best friend and she was his. And Melody couldn't bear the thought of losing him.

Hook looked sad but nodded. "As you wish. I just want you to know that I'll always care about you. And I'll always protect you. I'll always put you first."

Melody's eyes brimmed with tears and she hugged Hook. Hook hugged back and smiled. And Melody could never truly understand how sincere Hook was when he said that.

---

As David and Hook drove in David's truck, the former prince kept looking at him suspiciously. Hook noticed and was growing irritated by the moment.

"If you want to say something mate just say it," Hook spoke up.

David looked at him and then back on the road. "I heard what you said to Melody before she left. And what you said before everyone left seemed kinda odd."

"Why does it strike you amusing that I care about someone other than myself?" Hook asked, smirking.

David shook his head. "It just doesn't make sense. You were on a revenge trip then you dropped it because of Melody. Why?"

"Well I didn't necessarily drop it did I? I tried to kill The Dark One remember?"

David rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean."

"Now don't get all offended - not that I care anyway - but Melody deserves a happy ending. After all she's been through, she deserves it. She hasn't exactly told me anything about her past but I can tell it was a rough one."

"Yeah, it was."

"I take it that you don't know her past either."

David looked at him then sighed. "No, I don't. The only person in town that does is Gold. But it isn't like he's willing to share either. But that still doesn't explain why you care about her."

Hook took a deep breath. "If I tell you, you can't tell her. Or anyone really it's actually quite embarrassing."

David rose an eyebrow. "Please don't tell me that-"

"No!" Hook said, shaking his head in disgust.

"Then what?"

Hook was silent before taking another deep breath. "Growing up I've always wanted a little sister. I wanted to protect her and love her like a brother should. But of course, I didn't have one. Melody got inside my head when we first met. She was everything I wanted in a sister. Sassy, smart, kind, and caring. And when I learned that her brother didn't care about her, well, I felt like it was my moment to fill my wish. And here we are."

David seemed surprised by the speech the pirate made and didn't say anything for a moment. "Well just to be clear, if you ever hurt her, I'll kill you and I know pretty much everyone else in town will too."

"Nice to know."

---

Emma, Melody, and Regina walked through the mines toward where the trigger was activated. The air was thick and they all felt it.

"I can feel it. It's like the oxygen's being sucked out of the air," Emma said.

"Not the oxygen. The magic," Melody realized.

Regina looks at her surprised that she knew. "Yes. The magic."

The three entered the room where the trigger was and walked over to it slowly.

"There it is. Once it stops glowing, it's destruction is achieved. And then... Well, then we'll see the real carnage. I'll try to contain its energy as long as I can," Regina told them.

"Won't be long. We'll have the beans soon. We can get the hell out of here," Emma said.

"Slowing the device... It's going to require all of the strength I have."

There was silence and Melody's face fell.

"You're not coming with us, are you? When you said goodbye to Henry, you were... saying good-bye for good," Melody realized.

Regina looked down at the trigger as tears filled her eyes.

"Regina, no. There has gotta be another way!" Emma said.

Regina looked back up. "You were right, you know. Everything that's happening, it's my fault. I created this device. It's only fitting that it takes my life."

"I can't lose someone else," Melody begged. "Please don't do this, mom."

"I'm doing this to save everyone. I will always love you, Melody. And you will always be my daughter. Just please, let me die the hero you and Henry want me to be."

Melody hugged her mom and struggled to keep the tears in. They pulled apart and Regina wiped the teen's tears.

"Don't cry. You need to be strong. Be strong for me."

Melody nodded and pushed the tears away. "I will."

She and Emma turned to leave and as they walked back, Melody kept repeating the same line over and over in her head.

Be strong for me

---

It lifted her spirits just the slightest, but it helped. David and Hook had arrived at the Diner where everyone was gathered and David held up a pouch.

"We have the bean," David announced,

Everyone sighed in relief and a few people hugged each other.

"You did it?" Emma asked standing up from her spot next to Melody.

"Yeah."

"Okay. Let's get going. Henry?" Emma said, turning to her son.

"Wh-where's my mom?" Henry asked.

"Mom can hold off the self-destruct device long enough for us to escape, but..." Melody trailed off, pushing away the tears.

"But what?"

"She won't survive."

"No. No."

"Henry, I'm sorry. I promised her I'd get you to safety," Emma told to him.

"But we can't do this! She's family! We don't leave family behind!"

"This is what she wants. We have a way out. We have to take it."

"We saved her from being killed by the Wraith. How is this any different?" he asked.

Melody got an idea and it seemed like Mary Margaret had the same one. They exchanged glances before Melody spoke up.

"The Wraith!" they both said.

"What?" Emma asked.

Everyone turned to Melody who explained her's and Mary Margaret's idea.

"We sent it through a portal, right? Why can't we do the same thing with the self-destruct?" she asked.

"Because we don't know if it's gonna work," Emma pointed out.

"It could," Mary Margaret encouraged.

"Yeah," David agreed.

"It's too risky. No one will go along with it," Emma said.

"Yes, we will. Because it's the right thing to do. Look, Snow White and the Prince have always led us before, and we've always won. So, who's willing to let them lead us again?" Archie asked everyone in the diner.

Everyone raised their hand and Mary Margaret smiled.

"Thank you, Archie." She turned to Emma and nodded. "This is what we should do."

"And will do," David agreed, nodding.

"Look, I know we haven't had a lot of chances to be parents, but give us this one. Let us do the right thing. It's not too late."

Emma hugged Henry and Melody looked back at Hook who was watching them all.

"I just don't want him to be alone. I don't want him to grow up the way I did," Emma told her parents.

Another loud boom shook the town and everyone held onto one another. Hook went over and held Melody who was about to fall to the floor from the shake.

"This plan could fail. If we use that bean now, we can get away for sure. We will survive," Emma objected.

"But it's wrong. Emma, I killed her mother," Mary Margaret defended.

"You did that to Cora because you had to."

"I did it because it was easy. It was a mistake. There were other paths, harder paths, and I wish I had taken them. So please, Emma, honey, let's take the hard path. Because if we don't we will be building a future on Regina's blood."

Emma hesitated and looked at Henry who was standing by Mary Margaret and then to Melody who was standing by Hook. She finally turned back to her parents and nodded.

"Okay."

David tossed her the bean, but then Hook intercepted, making them all look at him.

"You're all mad," Hook accused, moving away while holding the beans.

Emma went to grab the beans from him when David held her back.

"Give it back," Emma demanded.

Melody went to interfere but then stopped when Hook looked at her. She saw the look he gave her and she backed away from them. He didn't want her to get hurt.

"If she wants to die for us, I say let her," Hook continued.

"We understand each other. Look out for yourself, and you'll never get hurt, right?" Emma said.

"Worked quite well for me."

"Yeah, until the day that it doesn't. We're gonna do this. It might be stupid, it might be crazy, but we're doing it. So, you can join us and be a part of something, or you can do what you can do best, and be alone."

Emma held out her hand and Hook titled his head before looking at Melody. The girl was standing next to Mary Margaret as she waited for what was going to happen. He then pulled out the pouch and handed it to Emma.

"Quite passionate, Swan."

Everyone began to leave the diner but Emma didn't move from looking at Hook.

"So, why are you really doing this?" he asked Emma with a lowered voice once no one was paying attention, not even Melody.

"Melody doesn't need to lose someone else she loves. Neither does Henry. But you mean something to her, to Melody. And I'm going to trust you because she trusts you."

Hook didn't respond and Emma walked out, Melody and Henry in tow. And as soon as they stepped out that door, Hook regretted the move he had made.

---

Regina was still slowing down the trigger when David, Emma, Melody, Mary Margaret, and Henry arrived, looking frantic.

"What are you doing here?" Regina asked them.

"You were willing to die to save us. That makes you a hero. Now we're gonna be heroes," Henry explained.

"They're gonna open up a portal, throw this thing into a void," Melody added, pointing to the trigger.

"No. You don't know that it'll work," Regina said softly.

"We have to try."

"Everybody, step aside," David said, gently pushing the two kids and his wife to the side of the mine. Emma got out the pouch and then looked up, looking shocked. "Emma?"

She turned to them and saw David and Mary Margaret holding to two kids to them.

"It's empty...." Emma revealed. Everyone exchanged glances and Melody's face fell in horror. "Hook."

---

Hook opened his hand and held the bean. Looking down at it, the guilt started to creep up on him. He had betrayed her. He had betrayed Melody and he couldn't get rid of the guilt.

The image of her sad, broken face as she realized what he had done. He was supposed to protect her. And he didn't know what he was thinking when he made the choice. But he knew that he messed up.

He made the wrong choice.

---

The group watched as Regina started to grow weaker. Her strength was slowing and the truth became unavoidable. They were going to die.

"I can't contain this much longer," Regina told them.

Everyone's eyes filled with tears and Emma went over to Mary Margaret and David who were holding Henry and Melody close.

"Mom... Dad...," Emma trailed off as they embraced.

Melody went over to Regina and stared at her mother with tears.

"I love you, Melody. I only wish I was strong enough to stop all this. I'm sorry, I'm not," Regina apologized, as tears traveled down her cheeks.

Emma gasped in realization and went over to the two.

"You may not be strong enough, but maybe we are," she said.

Henry, Mary Margaret, and David stood back, as Emma hovered her hands over the trigger and Melody did the same. A bolt of magic went through her and she gasped as she used all of her strength. She thought about what her brother had said. Who was she saving? Her family. Why? Because they were all she had. And that alone made her strong.

Her magic combined with Regina's and Emma's and before they knew it the trigger diffused. Sending a wave of magic that threw them all back. Melody hit her head and landed beside Henry. So when she was grabbed, she didn't have any energy to fight back.

But the group didn't notice as they all got to their feet.

"We're alive!" David exclaimed hugging Mary Margaret and Emma.

"We did it," Emma said smiling.

"Yes, we did," Regina said smiling as well.

They pulled apart and David laughed. "Gotta hand it to Melody. She's usually right about a lot of things."

"Yes, she is. Isn't that right, Mel?" Emma said, turning to where she last saw the brunette and her son. But they weren't there. "Henry? Melody?"

They rounded the corner and they all looked confused.

"Henry? Melody?" Regina called out.

They all start to run toward the exit, yelling for the two kids.

"Henry? Melody?" Emma called out.

But then she ran when she saw a familiar looking backpack and necklace.

"Emma, what is it?" Mary Margaret asked.

Emma bent down and picked the objects up.

"They took them," Emma realized.

---

Just outside the cannery, Tamara has Henry in her hold while Greg has Melody in his. The teen didn't have enough energy left so she couldn't fight back. Her vision blurred and she swayed in Greg's grasp. Fear filled her entire body and she felt powerless against the two adults.

"Relax, kids. We're not gonna hurt you," Tamara said.

"Just everyone we love. You tried to blow up Storybrooke!" Henry pointed out.

"True, but that was never the point."

"It wasn't?"

"We came here to destroy magic, but then we found something more important, something that changed everything-you two," Greg explained.

Henry looked over at his sister and Melody looked at him concerned.

---

Emma was furious as she and the rest of the group ran down to the docks. Mary Margaret tried to keep up with her daughter.

"Emma, you don't even know where you're going," she said softly.

"Doesn't matter. I have to find them. I'll track them down in hell if I have to," Emma proclaimed.

They rounded around the building when they caught sight of Greg and Tamara with Melody and Henry in their holds. Greg threw the bean into the water and a portal emerged. The group stopped as their eyes widened.

"The last bean. They've opened a portal," Regina realized.

Then they all broke into a run.

"Henry! Melody!" Emma yelled.

But before they could get close, Greg and Tamara lept into the portal, taking the two kids with them. The group reached to where the portal was and stopped.

"No! No! No! We have to follow them! There has to be a way!" Emma said, shaking her head.

"Not only do we not know where they went, but Hook stole the last bean!" Regina reminded.

"I don't care!" Emma yelled.

"Without it, there's no way to follow."

"There has to be. We can't just let them take Henry and Melody!"

While they were talking, Gold and Belle walked up to them.

"They've taken Henry and my sister?" he repeated, looking worried.

"You're the Dark One. Do something," David demanded.

"Gold, help us," Emma pleaded.

"There's no way. I spent a lifetime trying to cross worlds to find my son. There's no way in this world without a portal," Gold told them.

"So that's it? They're gone forever? I refuse to believe that," Regina snapped.

Belle spotted something in the distance and spoke up.

"What is that?"

Everyone turned and saw the last thing that they thought they'd ever see. The Jolly Roger, sailing back to the docks.

"Hook," Emma realized.

---

"What the hell are you doing here?" Emma asked Hook as he made his way down the ramp from his ship to the dock.

"Helping," he replied.

"Well, you're too late," Regina snapped.

"Am I?"

"I thought you didn't care about anyone but yourself," Emma pointed out.

Hook held out the bean and Emma took it from him.

"I realized that I made a mistake," he admitted.

"Enough waiting around, let's go," Regina announced.

"Go? Where? I thought we were saving the town."

"We already did," David told him.

"We need to get Henry and Melody. Greg and Tamara took them through a portal," Emma explained.

Hook's eyes grew angry when he heard the mention of the young girl's name.

"They what?"

"They kidnapped them," Emma repeated.

"Then we can use my ship to follow them," he said.

"Well that's great, Hook, but how do we track them?" Regina asked.

"Leave that to me. I can get us to where we need to go," Gold spoke up.

Everyone looked to him and Mary Margaret nodded.

"Well, let's do it."

Everyone boarded the ship, leaving Gold and Belle to say goodbye.

---

Hook walked down the steps of the Jolly Roger and to the deck to where Gold was entering.

"So, are you done trying to kill me?" Gold asked.

Hook nodded. "I believe so."

"Excellent. Then you can live."

"Well, it's not like you can kill me anyway. Melody would hate you."

Gold didn't respond and summoned a magic globe. Everyone watched as he pricked his finger and put the drop of blood onto the globe. The blood formed to show the realm to kids were taken too. Gold stood rigid while Hook clenched his teeth.

"Where is that? Where did they take them?" Regina asked.

"Neverland," Hook answered.

---

Hook grabbed the bean from Emma and threw it into the water, opening the portal. Hook went and steered the ship in the direction of where the portal formed.

"So who are we up against? Who are Greg and Tamara?" David asked.

"They're merely pawns, manipulated by forces far greater than they can conceive. They have no idea who they're truly working for," Gold said bitterly.

He was angry. But not at his sister but at him. Never did Gold think that he would keep his promise to his younger sister. Never did Gold think he cared.

"And who's that?" Emma asked.

"Someone we all should fear," Gold explained.

And none of them knew. None of them could understand. That this was supposed to happen. This had to happen. Because this was part of Melody's destiny.

Melody had to see her father again.

---

And that's the end of season 2!

The next part of this story will explain a lot in Melody's past.

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