STORYBROOKE, Maine

They made up for lost time. A lot. Even though Jefferson had only been without his memory for a week or two – he lost track of time – they still couldn't keep their hands off each other; it was as if they had been separated for years and could finally be together when in reality it was because they knew that their daughter would soon be home and these precious moments they had together would only be saved for when she was sound asleep.

Jefferson pressed a kiss to the side of his wife's face, the sun coming in from their window highlighting the lighter brown in her hair. It was growing longer, falling just below her clavicle. She let out a little hum, smiling softly as she looked down at him, cheeks flushed pink with sweat glistening on her skin. "I missed you." She whispered.

Jefferson chuckled. "Trust me, my love – you've proven that." He said causing Rebekah to blush, hair falling in her face as she looked down. She was so beautifully radiant while pregnant. Of course; she'd never believe him when he told her that. He moved his hand to rest on her belly, wanting to feel their son moving. But all he could feel was the slight jiggle from Rebekah chuckling.

She moved her hand over his, causing Jefferson to look up at her. "I'm getting bigger, I know." Rebekah frowned.

Jefferson shook his head, rubbing his thumb against her skin. "I'm probably crushing you right now."

"You're as light as a feather." He smirked.

"Oh, I'm sure." Rebekah said in a dry tone.

Jefferson sat up, no longer laying on his back, causing Rebekah to let out a little yip when he brought her along with him. She laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck as they were now eye to eye with one another. "I'd love you even if you were as big as an ogre."

Rebekah kinked her brow, trying to be cute. It worked.  He moved his hand to run through her hair, sighing slightly at the feel of it. He had wanted so badly to touch her while he was cursed but knew he couldn't. Now that his memories were back, he wanted to spend every moment touching her. In every way. Lightly stroking her cheek, running his fingers through her hair, wiping away every happy or sad tear – and of course, spend every moment he could with her.

Rebekah leaned forward, pressing her lips against his softly. When she pulled away, her lips curved into a smile. "Jefferson, I'd love you if you were as small as Jiminy Cricket."

He chuckled, nodding his head. "Good to know." Jefferson smiled. "Who knows what tricks your mother and Hook have up their sleeves next to keep us apart."

Rebekah frowned, her body growing still. Her arms fell from around his neck, settling in her lap. "The next time I see Hook I'm going to slap him across the face."

Jefferson shook his head, moving to grab her hand, pressing a kiss just above her wedding ring. She had told him it had been a gift from Hook – an apology. He wore Hook's other apology on his ring finger as well. A new wedding band. A part of him wanted to chuck the ring into the nearest body of water but he knew Rebekah would want to do the same to her own ring. He refused to let that happen – not after the trouble he went through to steal the ring from Agrabah in the first place.  Besides, he knew how much she loved that ring; how much it meant to her.

He smiled, a memory replaying in his head from when he was without his memory. Rebekah's knee connecting with Hook's groin. Jefferson couldn't help but chuckle, loving how protective his wife had been of him even without his memory. More memories floated in his head – the look of worry and panic in Rebekah's eyes when she had found him on the side of the road, how Grace had looked at him longingly, wanting nothing more than to have her father back, how Rebekah would smile at him, but it wouldn't always reach her eyes. Jefferson wanted revenge for the time he lost with his family. Even if it wasn't long.

"What are you thinking about?" Rebekah asked, pressing her hand to his cheek, thumb rubbing gently against his skin.

"Everything I've missed," he told her. "Cora, Hook..." Jefferson paused. "Rumpelstiltskin turning out to be your father."

"He's not my father." She corrected him. "He's just...the man who tricked Cora into creating me." Rebekah sighed, shaking her head. "The whole thing is still so confusing to me. And the worst part of it all is that...I want more answers."

"From him?"

Rebekah looked at him with a guilty look in her eyes. "No." She shook her head. "From Cora." She confessed. "I hate her and want her nowhere near our family but...I want some answers."

"Do you think that she'd tell you the truth?"

"No." She barked out a laugh. "But I want her to know that I know. He said that he created me to kill her...what if that's true?" Rebekah questioned Jefferson. But he knew that Rebekah was aware that he didn't have the answers she wanted to hear. "Maybe that's why she was so awful to me all my life? Because she knew I'd be her demise?"

Jefferson let out a shaky breath, "I think she was so awful to you because...she was never a good person, Bex." He tried to make her see. "If she ever found out that you would be the person to kill her...you wouldn't be alive. She wouldn't let you survive through childhood." It was the truth; and Jefferson knew that Rebekah knew he was right. "I don't want her ever finding out that Rumple created you to kill her...she'd stop at nothing to end you before you get the chance." 
Rebekah nodded her head, lips forming into a frown as she looked at Jefferson. "We need to make a new hat."

He blinked in surprise. "Bex...I spent years trying, it never worked."

She smiled softly at him. "You don't have magic." Rebekah reminded him. "I do. We find out the material that was used to make the hat and I'll find a way to make it work."

Was it even possible? Could she really make this work? "Bex," Jefferson said, a little in shock. "Even if it worked...you know Grace doesn't want to leave Storybrooke."

"I don't plan on using it for us." Rebekah said plainly. "I plan on using it to send Cora far, far away from our family – in a world where she can't get to us."

"Which world?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I haven't figured that out yet." Jefferson couldn't help but give into a tiny laugh. Rebekah grinned, shaking her head. "God, I missed you so much." She told him. "I know a part of you was still there but...I missed my husband."

He nodded his head, understanding completely. "You won't ever lose me again, Bex." Jefferson promised.

"I'm so sorry Cora did this to you – and Hook!" She said angrily. Even though Jefferson wanted to throttle the pirate – he couldn't help but worry slightly for the man's safety once Rebekah finally ran into him again. He was a dead man walking; not that Rebekah would ever kill someone – but he knew she was going to cause him pain. "I'm going to make sure they pay for what they did to you."

"I'm sure they will." Jefferson nodded his head. He sighed, looking at the clock on the nightstand.  "We should really get out of bed." He whispered causing Rebekah to let out a tiny groan. "We need to get you something to eat," he said causing her to perk up a little bit. "And I'd really like to see our girl." That caused her to smile.

Rebekah moved off of his lap. "She is never going to let us live down the fact that she was right about how to break your curse," she said as she got out of bed.

Jefferson chuckled. "She has my smarts," he said, watching as she grabbed a robe to cover herself.

She looked over her shoulder, raising her brow. "Your smarts?" Rebekah laughed. "I beg to differ – our daughter inherited my brains."

Jefferson chuckled, shaking his head. "She inherited your looks." He teased as he got out of bed to get dressed.

Rebekah opened her mouth to argue only to have the sound of her cell phone ringing cut her off. She playfully narrowed her eyes at him while smiling before she answered her phone. "Hello?" She said as Jefferson pulled on his pants. "Snow! Happy Birth-" Rebekah didn't get to finish. Jefferson pulled his shirt on, looking back at Rebekah to see that her eyes were widened in shock. Rebekah balled her hand into a fist, clenching it as it shook. "Are you sure?" She asked, and Jefferson felt a dread fill his stomach. "I'm on my way," Rebekah said before hanging up. She looked over at Jefferson and shook her head in frustration. "Cora and Regina are working together."

"Are we surprised?" Jefferson asked lightly.

"They're working together to find Rumpelstiltskin's dagger." She elaborated. "And Cora promised Regina that once they had it – they'd use the dagger to kill whomever she wanted." Rebekah grabbed her car keys off the nightstand and walked over to Jefferson. "Put your clothes on, handsome." She told him. "We have to go stop my mother and sister."

_x_

Rebekah was furious. How many chances had she given Regina now? How many times did she look past the terrible things her older sister had done for the sake of what? A few good childhood memories? This was it. This was the end. Regina could not redeem herself — working with Cora? That meant that Regina knew what Hook and Cora had done to Jefferson, that she took part in their plan. To what? What had they gained by taking away Jefferson's memories?

Distraction.

Rebekah had kept her focus on her husband, waiting for his memory to come back, researching and praying for some kind of cure — they had free range of the town while she was distracted. Regina and Cora were smart; they knew exactly what they were doing by having Hook push Jefferson over the townline. They just hadn't factored in Rebekah being able to break the curse with True Love's Kiss — they didn't know how strong hers and Jefferson's love was.

"I'm dropping you off at the diner." Rebekah said as they drove into town. Jefferson opened his mouth to protest but Rebekah cut him off. "You need to be with Grace, Jefferson. She finally has her Papa again."

He sighed, shaking his head. "Hasn't time proven to you that us being separated always ends badly?" He reminded her.

"I'm not letting you face them alone."

"I won't be alone. I have Snow and Charming." Rebekah tried to tell him. But Jefferson wasn't budging. She knew that it didn't matter what she said; he'd still refuse to leave her. Hell, she could make a left on the next stop and drive to the diner and her husband simply wouldn't get out of the car. He was too stubborn. "Fine," Rebekah huffed in frustration, turning right to meet Snow at the police station. "Memory-less Jefferson would have listened." She mumbled under her breath causing her husband to smirk when she looked over at him.

They pulled up to the police station just as Snow did. Rebekah got out of the car, walking to the sidewalk and watched as the young woman smiled softly at the sight of Rebekah and Jefferson now holding hands. They hadn't told anyone yet that Jefferson's curse had been broken, but somehow Snow seemed to know.

"Good to have you back, Jefferson." Snow said. "That didn't take long." She said to Rebekah with a smirk.
Rebekah simply shrugged her shoulders innocently causing both Snow and Jefferson to chuckle. For a minute, the three of them forgot about the seriousness of the situation they were all in.

"We need to go let David know what I saw. He's not answering my calls." Snow told Rebekah and Jefferson. The three adults hurried inside the police station on the search for David. When they walked into the room where the sheriff's office was, Snow's eyes widened in fear as she saw her husband face down on the ground. "DAVID!" She cried out and began to shake him awake. "David, what happened?"

Jefferson moved from next to Rebekah over to David, helping him stand. The man groaned. "Hook." He answered. "He ambushed me."

"Are you hurt?" Snow asked David in a worried tone.

"I'm fine." David answered. But Rebekah could already see a bruise forming near David's hairline. "It's not me he wants." David said in a groan as Jefferson kept him standing upright. "It's Gold." He said. "And his hook." The man shook his head in anger. "Yeah, I'm going to enjoy throwing his ass in jail."

"Hook isn't the problem, David." Snow said.

"Tell that to my head." David said, holding onto where the bruise was forming.

"Regina is the problem." Rebekah told David, causing the man to look at her in confusion. "She's working with Cora."

"She's been lying to us." Snow added. "She and Cora are trying to find Gold's dagger."

"The dagger controls him," David said, putting the pieces together. "If Cora gets it...she can force Gold and all his power to do her bidding."

"Or," Jefferson spoke up. "Use the dagger to become the Dark One herself."

"Neither one of those options sounds good." David sighed. "Lucky for us, we can call the man himself — he's with Emma." He walked over to where a phone sat on one of the desks in the room and picked up the phone, dialing Gold's number.

"We already tried that." Rebekah said, still annoyed that she had to call the man in the first place.

"Well, we can't just wait." David hung up the phone.

"No, we have to buy time until they call us back or return." Snow told David.

"How?" David, Rebekah, and Jefferson asked.

"Regina," Snow said. "She doesn't trust her mother — she never has. If we can put some doubt in her bout Cora's motives, it might slow them down."

"And you think she'll just trust you?" David said skeptically.

"No," Snow drew out the word before turning her attention on Rebekah. "But she'll trust you."

Great.

_x_

Despite what a dangerous situation they were in, Jefferson was glad they were headed to Granny's. He knew that Grace was there, waiting for them. It had been difficult not immediately seeing Grace after his curse was broken, but he wanted to spend time alone with Rebekah until Grace returned home.

"I don't want Regina knowing your curse is broken." Rebekah said causing Jefferson to look away from the road briefly as he drove them to Granny's. "If she knows; she'll tell Cora and they'll try and find another way to use you to hurt me. Or worse."

He nodded, turning his attention back to the road. Cora wanted Rebekah distracted; if she found out that Jefferson's curse was broken; she'd find a new way to distract her. Rip out his heart and control him — kill him even. Or, they would go after Grace.

"I'm going to wait in the diner for Regina and you can take Grace in the back and explain to her what happened." Rebekah said from the passenger seat as they pulled across the street from Granny's. "I don't want you two seen but..."

"You want us close by." He finished for her, understanding. Rebekah nodded, moving her hand to rest on his knee.

"We'll be close." He assured her, his hand moving to rest on her own.

Rebekah closed her eyes, sighing deeply. "I really don't want to do this."

Jefferson chuckled slightly. He didn't want her doing this either. But the risk of Cora getting Rumple's dagger was too great. "Let's go inside." He urged her.

Rebekah smiled suddenly. "You're going to have to pretend that you're not in love with me." She reminded him. "You think you can do it?"

He smirked. "It'll be the hardest job I've ever had to do." Jefferson said sweetly.

Rebekah laughed and moved her hand off of her husband's leg, getting out of the car and waiting for him. He took in a deep breath before he got out as well and walked over to where Rebekah stood, instantly reaching for her hand only to have Rebekah pull her hand away, her brows raising. "Jefferson," she said with a slight laugh.

"Right." He shook his head. "Not in love with you."

She laughed and Jefferson inhaled deeply, this was going to be hard. They walked side by side, not holding hands, across the street to get to the diner. As soon as they walked inside, Grace spotted them, a grin plastered on her face before she ran up to them with open arms. Out of habit, Jefferson lowered himself to her level, opening his arms so that she could run into them. Grace did just that, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his scarf.

"I knew it'd work, Papa," she said, causing Jefferson to let go of her so that he could look at her. He opened his mouth to ask her how she knew, but the smile Grace wore filled his heart with so much love that Jefferson couldn't get his words out. He was reunited with his daughter, yet again, and he swore he'd never leave her again.

Grace looked up at Rebekah. "Told ya," she said with a grin.

"Yeah, yeah, smarty-pants." Rebekah said playfully to her daughter. "You two go catch up in the back, alright sweetheart?" She looked to Grace, who looked at her strangely. "Papa will explain." She assured her daughter.

Grace nodded, taking Jefferson's hand and pulled him in the direction of the back room. They sat down, far enough that no one could see them, but close enough that Jefferson could keep an eye on Rebekah in case things went wrong with Regina.

He explained to Grace what was happening, watching as his daughter tried to be brave. As much as he loved Rebekah, he hated that Grace had a connection to her family — that she was part Mills. No, Hatter. He, Rebekah, and Grace were the Hatter family. Rebekah was nothing like her sister or mother.

He watched as Rebekah took a seat at a booth in the main area of the full diner. Jefferson closed his eyes, feeling a sense of worry fill him as he pictured Cora appearing. Was she nearby? Was she watching them? For all they knew, Cora already knew that Jefferson had his memory back — Cora could have seen Snow in the woods watching her and Regina — this was all so dangerous.

"We'll keep Mama safe." Grace told Jefferson causing him to look away from Rebekah and over to his daughter. She took his hand, holding it in her own. He wasn't surprised that she could tell that he was worried; it was practically radiating off of him. He took in a deep breath, letting his daughter's words calm him. She smiled at him softly, "I'm so glad you're back, Papa."

Jefferson lowered himself so that he was at his daughter's height. "I will NEVER leave you again, my Grace." He swore to her. Grace nodded her head, moving forward and into his arms again. "I love you." He told her as he held her tightly.
"I love you, too, Papa." She hugged him. She then stiffened in his arms causing Jefferson to pull away and look at her to make sure she was okay. "Aunt Regina is here." Grace answered his unspoken question.

_x_

When Rebekah had called Regina wanting to meet up at Granny's, the woman couldn't help but panic. Rebekah hadn't reached out to her since before the whole Dr. Hopper business when Cora framed her for murder — and now she wanted to talk. She didn't tell Cora, instead telling her mother that she was going home to wait on a phone call from Henry. She walked into the diner, holding her breath when she saw Rebekah sitting at a booth. She was using a spoon to stir her tea, though she wasn't using her hand. Magic. She was using her magic. Regina frowned. In the beginning, Regina too had used her magic for small things. Summon a book from across the room when she was too lazy to get up, change her outfits without having to move a muscle; she had even done the same thing Rebekah was now doing. A simple act, small, nothing drastic. But the more magic Regina used, the darker her heart became.

The more dark magic, she reminded herself. Rebekah was still so new to magic. Regina straightened her jacket and walked over to where Rebekah was sitting. "I must say, I was surprised when I got your message." She stood next to the booth.

"Regina," Rebekah said as she looked up from her tea, hand moving to stop the spoon from continuing to stir. "I didn't see you come in."

"Is everything okay?" Regina asked. She winced, what a stupid question. Of course she wasn't okay — not after what happened to Jefferson. What Cora and Hook had done. "I heard about Jefferson. I would have stopped by but I figured..." She trailed off.

Rebekah pressed her lips together, nodding her head slowly. "Regina, why don't you sit down?"

Her tone. It was odd. Regina raised her brow but took a seat across from Rebekah in the booth.

Rebekah shook her head, clenching her jaw slightly. "I was going to sit here and...I don't know, have small talk with you — bring up Cora without raising suspicion from you but..." She blew air out of her nose and laughed bitterly. "I know you're working with Cora, Regina. What I don't understand is why?" Rebekah said sadly. "After everything she's done — to the both of us! What she's still doing...how can you side with her?"

Regina crossed her arms over her chest, feeling defensive. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"No." Rebekah glared. "No more lying, Regina." She ordered. "I know that you, Cora, and Hook are working together to find Gold's dagger. Snow saw you and Mother today searching the woods for it. So don't insult me by lying to my face again — you've done that enough."

Regina glared, "What I'm doing is MY business." She stressed.

"There's a war starting, Regina." Rebekah told her.

A war of sisters, it seemed. "That much is clear, yes." She agreed.

"Lucky for you," Rebekah said, "I refuse to let Cora erase all the good that you've done in these last few months — because you have done good. I know that, you know it, as does Henry." Regina fought back a wince at Henry being brought up. If he knew what she was doing — that she was working with Cora—he'd never forgive her. "We have all given you chance, and chance, and chance again and even though my instincts are telling me not to; I'm going to give you yet another chance...to be good. To do the right thing. To be on the right side!"

Regina looked away from Rebekah, avoiding her gaze.

"Why, Regina? Why go back to your old ways when you have been trying SO hard?"

"What did that get me?" Regina shot back. "Dinner with a bunch of hypocrites who pretend they'll forgive me when in their hearts they know they never will." She stared at Rebekah for a long moment. "You have never forgiven me." Regina reminded Rebekah. "And this talk of giving me yet another chance?" She laughed bitterly, shaking her head. "Stay out of my way, Rebekah." Regina said, getting up from the booth.

"Working with Cora is a mistake, Regina."

Regina looked back at her sister. "Oh, because listening to you will work out so much better?"

"Cora doesn't care about you," Rebekah said, angering Regina. "She doesn't care about me. She only cares about power."

"Well, power is how you get things." She pointed out to Rebekah.

"And when someone stands in her way?" Rebekah asked. "She will try and destroy them..including Henry who you know will be fighting on the side of good while you stand beside our mother...breaking his heart."

Regina glared. "Screw you, Rebekah."

She left.

There was nothing left to say.

_x_

Soho, New York

This world was bloody ridiculous.

Hook had been stopped three times so far by groups of drunk lads asking for a picture with him, a light flashed in his eyes as they held up some sort of magical device that blinded him each time they used it. "You look like Captain Hook." They'd laugh.

He WAS sodding Captain Hook and they were lucky he didn't slash their throats with his hook the second they began to touch his jacket. He hated this place, the loud noises and the strange carriages that sped by at a dangerous speed. He was nearly hit by a large yellow carriage while walking across the paved path when he saw a sign that read 'SOHO' — the drunken fools pointing him in the right direction. Perhaps not killing them was the right choice.

A flash of yellow hair across the way from him caused Hook to pause, a wicked smile forming on his lips when he recognized the face that accompanied the hair. Emma Swan. Rebekah had been right; this was where she was — which meant this was where Rumpelstiltskin was. He waited until she was nearly out of sight before crossing the way to get to where she had been standing moments earlier, following far enough behind that he wouldn't be spotted; but close enough not to lose her. She wasn't alone. A man and boy were there as well. Though he had only seen the back of their heads. And wobbling next to Emma was none other than the crocodile himself.

The group disappeared into a large tower and Hook picked up his pace. He wanted to get Rumpelstiltskin alone; kill him without witnesses — but his need for revenge caused his legs to quicken their pace into a run, his only thought was giving Milah the justice she deserved by killing that monster. He gripped onto the door of the large tower Rumpelstiltskin had entered and flung it open. Emma was standing right in his way. He grimaced, hand pushing her hard onto the floor. She groaned, causing Hook to look down at her momentarily before focusing his attention on Rumpelstiltskin. He smirked, moving fast at the man, his good hand pressing against the crocodile's chest and slamming him into the bars behind him. With one quick swing, he dug his hook into Rumpelstiltskin's chest, the man yelling out in pain. "Tick tock." Hook taunted the weak man as he fell to the floor, pulling his hook out and raising it above his head to strike him again. "Time's up, Crocodile." Rumpelstiltskin looked up at him in fear. "You took Milah — my love, my happiness." He seethed. "And for that I now take your life." He was just about to slash the man's throat when something hard hit him from behind. His world growing black. I love you,  he heard Milah's voice — the last words she ever said to him and then everything went dark.