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CHAPTER FORTY
THE DARK SWAN, PT. 2
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HOOK'S PLAN HAD NOT GONE AS HE THOUGHT IT WOULD. While Teresa had been distracting the nurse, he had tried to take out Zelena's heart in order to control her so she didn't cross him. He was unable to do so, as her heart repelled him and threw him against the wall. Due to him being down, Zelena was able to take his knife, which she then had used to cut off her own hand to rid herself of the cuff on her wrist that made her magic disappear for as long as she was wearing it.

Hook had been in shock when he seen her hand hit the floor. But what shocked him even more was when she picked it up and magically attached her hand back to her body. She then had used her magic to teleport out of the padded room, leaving Hook to stare after her in shock.

Afterwards, he had met up with Teresa back in the hallway, and now the pair stood before Regina in her office. Behind Regina was Henry, Snow, David and Belle.

"You let her out?" Regina was furious.

"Technically, he let her escape. I was meant to distract the clueless nurse," Teresa said.

Regina was glaring at the pirate. "Moron."

"Watch it, Your Majesty. At least I'm doing something to save Emma."

Regina stepped back, clearly offended. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, maybe you like being with Henry alone." Belle rolled her eyes, and even Teresa stared at him in shock. "Maybe you like not having Emma around?"

"Maybe you like having a hook? Maybe you'd like another?"

"Enough!" Snow exclaimed. "Zelena's out, that is what matters, but not as much as Emma. Emma kept us united, and that is exactly how we are going to remain. Come hell or high water, we are going to put our nonsense aside, and find my daughter. Okay?" The room remained silent. "Okay. Where would Zelena go first?"

"I know exactly where," Regina said. "Or more accurately, who she's after."

➳

Before they could even get to Robin Hood, they ran into Zelena in the street, who grinned at the sight of them. Beside Zelena was Robin, being forced to stand still with her misty green magic.

"Hello, sis. I see you've fixed the clock. It would be a shame to break it again. Although, it might be fun to see Robin fly like one of his arrows."

"You lay another finger on him..."

"Oh, I'm not here to hurt Robin," Zelena said, cutting her off. "I'm here to trade him for the apprentice's wand."

Regina glanced at the wand in her hand, and clutched it tighter. "What the hell do you want with this?"

"I am tired of losing to you! You continue to get everything! But now...now I have someone to love me and only me. See, this is my future, and I am not letting anyone take it from me or turn it against me. So I am going as far away from you and Robin as possible...over the rainbow, where you can't follow."

"Back to Oz?'

"I may have been feared and despised there, but at least I was free," Zelena said. "At least I was in control. So if you want your forest-smelling boyfriend to live through the day, you will give me that wand."

Noticing her hesitance, Hook stepped forward. "Don't even think about it."

"You can't, Regina. Please," Snow pleaded.

Robin let out a choking sound, making Regina's heart clench. She stepped forward in worry as she watches Zelena continue to strangle the man she loves.

One look at her face and Teresa knew that she was going to hand it over. She already lost Alice; Teresa knew she wasn't going to let herself lose Robin as well.

"I have to."

Regina stepped forward and handed over the wand, making Zelena laugh in victory. Robin gasped as he was released from Zelena's hold, and he rushed forward, where he enveloped Regina in a hug.

Zelena stroked the wand with a large grin. "Lovely. Now, all it needs is a little direction. A trinket from home. Now see me do what you weren't powerful enough to do yourself."

Zelena held the wand up and her necklace from home. She gave the wand a wave, before firing the wand to the sky, where, instantly, green clouds rolled in and thunder began to rumble. A storm. 

Zelena then let out a cry of pain and hunched over, suddenly heavily exhausted. In a flash, Regina had reclaimed the wand and slapped the cuff back onto her wrist, while David moved past Teresa to grab Zelena's arm. Confusion was plastered on the Wicked Witch's face as she is now breathing heavily. "Ohh! Ohh! No!"

"What the hell happened?" Hook asked.

Regina smirked. "What happened is I'm not stupid. I knew you could open that portal, but I also knew it would weaken you." Regina walked over to her sister and reclaimed the wand that she had dropped in exhaustion. "See, there's one thing our family does well, sis, and that's exploit pain. Now we're gonna take your portal, but we're not taking it to Oz. We're taking it to Emma."

➳

The wind was loud and howling outside; the large green twister was inching closer and closer. Inside Granny's Diner, Teresa now had her quiver on her back and her bow in her hand. Like hell she was going back to the Enchanted Forest without it. Yes, she had magic, but archery was her life. It would be her first line of defense, magic being secondary or if need be."

"Floyd, shut down the fryers, secure the condiments!" Granny shouted.

Hook was occompantying David by the entrance, the two of them bonding as they teid Zelena down to a chair. There was no way in hell Regina was leaving Zelena back in Storybrooke while they were gone; she already made the mistake of keeping her in a cell. Zelena wasn't leaving her sight until the birth of her baby.

Teresa stood at the counter, and feet away from her was stood Henry. Roland was standing alone, fear plastered on his face. Teresa frowned and moved toward him. "Hey, kiddo," she said, getting down on her knees. "You gonna be brave for me during the trip?"

Roland hesitated for a moment before nodding, but Teresa could still see how frightened he was. There was never a twister in the Enchanted Forest that Teresa could remember.

"And you don't have to worry, I'll stay right here if you want me to, okay?"

"Okay," Roland repeated, nodding his head, his dark curls falling onto his forehead.

Teresa rose to her feet and made sure to stay next to Roland. She looked up, and suddenly met Henry's gaze. He was smiling softly, a sign that meant he no doubt heard her conversation with Roland. She blushed under his gaze and looked away, the reveal of them being soulmates in the street suddenly playing her mind for what she felt was the one-hundreth time since The Apprentice spoke.

"I'm not sure my insurance covers this place going airborne," Granny said.

"We'll be fine," Regina reassured her.

"Well, Your Majesty, it's coming," Hook said, walking up to the former Evil Queen. "How do you suggest we get this cyclone to take us to Emma and not to Oz?"

"By using this."

Snow's eyes softened at the sight of the baby blanket that Granny made for her daughter years ago. "Emma's baby blanket."

"I, uh, couldn't very well carry her yellow bug," Regina said. "Ready?" Regina waved the wand over the blanket, and after a few moments, the blanket began to glow a soft yellow color.

Suddenly, the door was thrown open and in came two of the dwarves. Teresa rolled her eyes. As if there isn't enough people in here already.

"Twister!"

"Really? We hadn't noticed," Teresa said a roll of her eyes.

"Leroy! It's okay," Snow reassured him. "We summoned it."

Leroy's eyes widened. "You did?"

Snow nodded. "It's taking us to Emma."

"Out, dwarves. Adults only."

Leroy threw a glared at Regina. "No!"

"No?" Happy echoed, his eyebrows shooting up to his hairline.

"We're staying," Leroy declared.

"We are?"

"We've been on the sidelines too long, sister, missed too many adventures. Now it's embarrassing. How do you think it feels when everyone asks you how the adventure was, and you got to say that no one asked you to go along, that you weren't needed? We're not turning our back on you again, not even in the face of certain death."

Snow gave him a smile. "Thank you."

Before any of them could even brace themselves, the entire diner began to shake, thunder still clapping above, as the twister was over the diner.

"Hold on tight, everyone!"

Teresa stumbled, but was quick to regain her balance. She threw her one arm onto the counter, as the other hugged Roland—who had turned her way and wrapped his little arms around her waist—to her body.

She ducked her head down and closed her eyes as the diner was lifted from the ground and sucked into the twister.

Teresa could feel someone squish next to her and another throw an arm over her. She assumed it was Robin, since she was clutching his son to her side.