CHAPTER THIRTEEN —
( I will protect you when the dark closes in. )

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        Luna enjoyed breakfast with her daughters before they went their separate ways for the day. Luna was reopening her clothes shop for the first time since the curse lifted, Aella was heading to the fire station, and Daisy had to go to school despite her protests. She almost convinced her mother when she said, "I'm a dragon. When will I ever use math while flying around?" Luna cherished being open with her girls again, discussing their past in the Enchanted Forest and their new life in Storybrooke. The three of them joked around while eating pancakes, freely sharing their thoughts about whether they missed the Enchanted Forest and their honest opinions about Storybrooke.

But their laughter disappeared when Luna received a call from Gold, who was labelled on her phone as "Snake." Apart from his past self having scaly skin that looked similar to a lizard, snake or crocodile's skin, she knew that she couldn't always trust the man and that he would likely stab her in the back if it benefitted him. She had that name for him on her phone as a reminder before every message and call he'd send her way.

"Hey, Rumple, what is it?" Luna asked, leaning away from the table so Aella and Daisy could continue their conversation over pancakes.

"It's Cora. She's on her way to Storybrooke." 

That was all Luna needed to hear to drop everything and make her way to Gold's pawnshop, where she met up with Gold, Regina, David, and Henry. Since Henry regained consciousness from the sleeping curse, he had been haunted by nightmares of finding himself in a red room covered in fire. However, his latest nightmare was different; while he was in the room, a woman named Aurora informed him that she was with Emma and Snow. This development caught the attention of David and Regina, prompting them to consider speaking with Aurora to convey a message to Emma and Mary Margaret from the dream.

Henry was laying down on a small lounge in the back room with Regina sitting on a chair beside him and Luna behind her. "I brought your blanket from your bedroom back home," Regina smiled at Henry, laying the blanket over him.

"Thanks," Henry smiled. "So, Cora, she's pretty powerful."

Gold nodded as he entered the room. "Yes, but not as powerful as I am."

"Debatable," Regina mumbled.

"Actually, no, it's not."

Luna leant towards Henry. "She's a psycho."

Regina snapped, "That's my mother you're talking about!"

Luna smirked and retorted, "I'm sorry. Have you met your mother?"

David walked up to Henry. "You're sure you're okay to do this, kid?"

Henry nodded. "I was born to do this. I'm done reading about heroes. I want to be one."

David sighed. "Sometimes being one is knowing when not to run into the fire."

"Unless you're me," Luna said. "Then sure, run head first into the fire."

Henry nodded. "I'll be okay.

Regina stood up, moved out of the way, and Gold took her place. "Look, whatever he faces in there, it'll be far less dangerous than what he'll face if we fail."

"I can do this," Henry nodded.

David sighed and crossed his arms. "Get on with it. Fast."

Gold cleared his throat. "All right, Henry, just relax, and soon you'll drift off."

Henry closed his eyes. "What do I tell them?"

"Just listen to my bedtime story, and all will be clear." Gold placed his hand above Henry's forehead, and a glowing light appeared. "Once upon a time, Snow White and Prince Charming needed to stun a very powerful magician long enough to lock him up in a dark dungeon."

"That was you," Henry said. "They used Cinderella to trap you with a magic quill."

"Kid," Luna whispered, raising a finger to her lips to signal to Henry to remain silent.

"The quill," Gold continued. "And yet, it wasn't the quill itself but the ink that captured the Dark One." Regina and David exchanged looks because that's not what they thought; they thought the special quill trapped him. "Harvested from the rarest species of squid from the bottom of a bottomless ocean, impossible to find unless you're a mermaid. Or me. I happen to have a private supply in my jail cell; that is where they will find it."

Henry suddenly woke up with a start, startling the rest of the group. "Henry, are you okay?" David inquired, concerned.

"Did you see her? Did you tell her?" Gold asked quickly.

Henry shook his head. "No, I didn't get the chance. Something...something happened. She got sucked out of there." He tried to sit up but then cringed in pain.

"Henry?" Regina said quickly, concern all over her face.

"Something's...Something's wrong."

Regina tugged at Henry's shirt sleeve, exposing a deep, extensive burn that began on his hand and extended to his elbow. "Henry!" She gasped.

Luna reassured Regina with a confident nod. Stepping forward, Regina allowed Luna to take charge, watching as Luna knelt beside Henry, her expression calm and determined. Luna gently grasped Henry's hand, offering him a reassuring smile as she carefully examined the burn on his arm.

"Trust me, I've dealt with burns before. I've got this," Luna said to Henry, her tone comforting yet authoritative. With a deep breath, Luna's eyes began to shimmer with a radiant orange light as she focused her energy on the injury. Gradually, the burn on Henry's arm started to fade, eventually disappearing altogether.

As Luna finished, a sense of accomplishment and a glint of newfound admiration reflected in her eyes as she looked at Henry, who was staring at her in amazement. "You really are the Queen of Dragons."

Luna gave him a wink. "Better believe it, kid."

"What caused this?" Regina asked.

"When you venture deeper into the Netherworld instead of away, there are risks," Gold explained. "Someone woke Aurora before her soul was ready to return. The violence of that act tore her away and injured Henry. We're lucky it wasn't worse. He will need some time to recover before he can be sent back."

Regina and David quickly jumped in, "Out of the question."

Gold stared at David. "Careful with your tone, Charming. I understand your concern for the boy, but I know Cora. Without our help, Snow and Emma will soon be dead, and then a true monster will be on her way to Storybrooke."

"Aurora is gone," Regina said. "Why do we have to send Henry back to that fiery inferno with no one there to receive our message?"

"Because someone will be there." Luna turned to David with a frown before quickly realising who he was talking about.

"Snow," she said.

Regina scoffed. "That's an awfully big assumption."

David shook his head. "No. No, it's not. She was there once before, she can go back, she can find a way. She will, I know it, and I'll be waiting."

Regina raised her eyebrows. "You are going to this Netherworld?"

David shrugged. "I faced you. How bad could it be?"

"David, don't be silly," Luna said firmly. "I'll be the one going in. You will burn in there, just like Henry. I won't. If I do, then there's something seriously wrong with the magic here in Storybrooke. Trust me, I'll be fine."

Gold arched an eyebrow. "Sorry to tell you this, Luna, but I don't think you have a true love to kiss you and wake you up."

Regina shot Luna a quick, knowing look, but Luna chose to ignore it.

"Daisy or Aella, one of them will wake me up. It worked with Henry and Emma," she told them. "I've loved my daughters as soon as they hatched. I'd do anything for them, and they me. I'll see Snow and make it out, I assure you."

Tensions escalated between Luna and David, with Luna even transforming David's nose into a pig's snout. Ultimately, Luna's plan was chosen, and preparations were made to subject her to a sleeping curse. Meanwhile, Regina busily mixes a potion with Henry by her side while Luna calls Aella to bring her and Daisy to Gold's shop.

"So, instead of Regina's iconic apple that she accidentally used on Henry." Regina gave Gold a look. "We're going to have to do this the old-fashioned way."

Luna frowned. "What do you mean "the old-fashioned way"?"

"You are about to join a quite distinguished club, Luna," he began. "Before such innovations as the apple, back when the Sleeping Curse first came to be, a more direct method was required: through blood. By pricking one's finger on the needle of a spinning wheel, one falls under the spell."

"Like what my mother did to Aurora," Luna said.

"Exactly," Gold nodded. "Okay, your Majesty, would you like to do the honour?"

Luna prepared herself on the lounge before the spinning wheel and watched Regina dip the needle into the sleeping potion before putting it back on the spinning wheel. "Good luck," Henry said.

"I'm ready," Luna nodded. "If I don't wake up, tell my girls I love them."

Regina gave a small smile. "Will do, Luna."

"So, when I awake, I'll be in that fiery room?" Luna asked.

Gold hummed. "Not exactly. That room is where those who've already awoken from the curse return. You, however, are being put under for the first time."

Luna frowned. "Then how am I going to get to the same room as Snow?"

"That, Cordelia, is the conundrum we're all depending on you solving," Gold said. "Now I say this with the utmost sincerity: good luck."

Luna held her finger above the needle, glancing at the group gathered around her. "Give me two hours, and then get my girls to kiss me." They all nodded in agreement, and Luna lightly pricked her finger before drifting off into a slumber.

-ˋˏ ༻♥༺ ˎˊ-

Luna suddenly found herself standing in a pitch-black room, surrounded by mirror-covered walls, floor, and ceiling. As she tried to find a way out, she noticed the rising temperature emanating from the floor. Curious, she stamped her foot and was surprised by the hollow sound it produced. "Well, hello," she murmured as she knelt and began pounding her fist against the glass. After a few attempts, the glass shattered, and Luna plummeted into a room engulfed in flames.

"Henry!" Luna's ears perked up at a distant voice calling out. With a sense of urgency, she rose to her feet and scanned the room, her eyes locking on Mary Margaret standing on the far side. "Cordelia? Luna?"

Luna waved her arms. "Snow! Mary Margaret! Hey!"

Mary Margaret shook her head. "I don't understand. I...Henry should be here!"

"We couldn't let him come back. He kept getting burnt from the flames," Luna explained. "So I decided to come because—"

"You can't be burnt," Mary Margaret finished off.

Luna nodded. "Yeah, and David knew you'd be in here."

"I don't know how much time we have," she quickly said.

"Okay, so Gold said there's a way to stop Cora," Luna said. "You have to stun her like what you did to him to lock him up in your dungeon."

"The quill!"

Luna shook her head. "It's not the quill that speed, Rumple; it was the ink. There's a jar in his cell, where you kept him in your castle. Get it, stop Cora, and come back. Make sure you do it."

Mary Margaret nodded with determination. "We will. We have some help with Aurora and Mulan."

Luna's expression turned serious as she nodded. "Don't underestimate Cora! And can you also pass on to Aurora that I'm deeply sorry for what my mother did to her?"

Mary Margaret nodded. "I will." She paused, her eyes widening in surprise. "Luna, how did you manage to get here? It seems impossible for you to be here unless—"

Luna interrupted her with a calm yet determined voice. "It's the Sleeping Curse, which will be broken by either Daisy or Aella," she explained. "I'll be alright."

Concern etched on her face, Mary Margaret asked, "Are you certain you don't need Hook?"

Luna shook her head. "He's not in Storybrooke, and I don't think he considers me his true love anymore."

Mary Margaret's eyes lit up with urgency. "He's here in the Enchanted Forest. He survived!" she exclaimed, watching Luna gasp in disbelief. "We crossed paths with him briefly until we got separated. He's aware that you're in Storybrooke, and he's trying to get there."

Luna shook her head and looked away. "It's been decades since I left him," she mumbled.

Mary Margaret quickly began to look around. "I'm waking up now."

Luna nodded. "I should be too, soon. I told them to give me a few hours."

"Okay. I'll see you when we get back," Mary Margaret said as she began to fade. "Tell David that I love him and will return to him."

Luna smiled back. "Of course I will."

"Goodbye, Luna."

"See you soon, Snow."

Luna found herself alone in the burning room for another twenty minutes. She sat in the middle of the room, closed her eyes, and entered a deep state of meditation as the fire danced around her, its warm glow flickering across her serene face. Suddenly, she was pulled out of the room and came face-to-face with Aella and Daisy, staring down at her.

"Mum?" Daisy said with a smile.

Luna beamed and hugged them tightly. "I love you two so incredibly much!"

Laughter filled the air as they returned her embrace. "I love you too, mama," Aella whispered.

"I love you as well," Daisy echoed.

"Was she there?" David quickly interjected. "Snow?"

Luna nodded and pulled away from her daughters. "Yes, I told her everything and they're heading towards your castle now." She then rolled her eyes. "She also told me she will come back to you and she loves you etcetera etcetera. You know, the usual between you two."

"They'll make their way back to us now," David grinned.

Regina hummed. "Yeah, all they have to do is face my Mother, which will be a challenge in itself."

AUTHORS NOTE
Just a bit of a spoiler, but KILLIAN's IN STORYBROOKE NEXT CHAPTER!!!! Ooooo I'm both nervous and excited to get this underway and write Luna/Cordelia and Killian's Storybrooke love story!!!!
Pheebs/-rosepetal