Emma shook her head a bit. "Don't worry about it. You're going to need a bigger bag."

"I noticed that," Lydia said with a sigh. "Unless I can sell them all off again." She jammed a few pearls and diamonds into the bag and gathered up the wildflowers that appeared.

Emma shook her head. "Good luck with that. Maybe set up a safety box or something? Keep them somewhere so you're not just carrying them around with you?"

"I've considered it," Lydia admitted, absently watching the wildflowers scatter. "I know I'll end up with a lot, depending on how often I need to speak." That sentence was more flowers than anything, though it did produce a few pearls. "Really, keep whatever you want."

Emma shook her head a bit but didn't actually protest.

"Just let me know if anyone starts giving you trouble, okay? Especially Hook."

Lydia blinked, but nodded. Hook hadn't given her any real problems yet, but she'd contact Emma if she needed anything. Before Emma left, Lydia jotted down a quick note on a napkin and handed it to her.

Grimm fairy tales, Diamonds And Toads, if you're curious about my enchantment. It's mostly okay.

Emma nodded as she took the note, and in return she handed Lydia a paper with her number on it. "In case you need it," she said before she tucked the note away in a pocket and left to get back to work.

Lydia nodded her thanks and slipped the number into her pocket. It wasn't a bad idea to have the sheriff's phone number.

A week or so later, two more people had gone missing, Grace wasn't happy at the other family's house, and Mai was stressed. Things were just not going well and she needed a break.

Jefferson had definitely noticed all of the above happening. He had heard about the disappearances, but his first priority was Grace. When he realized what was happening with the other family, he told them under no uncertain terms that he was taking Grace with him and that was that. Once he had Grace with him and settled, though, he started taking a closer look at the disappearances. Something about the way the people had gone missing felt familiar, somehow.

Lydia, meanwhile, was busy fending off half the male population of the town. Apparently, word of her enchantment had somehow gotten out again, and people were trying to corner her for some of her gems.

Mai was still escorting Grace back and forth to school, since she enjoyed it. Most of the time. But she was getting worried, too.

"Everything okay?" she asked Jefferson, watching Grace skip inside.

Hook had noticed, and so he kept an eye out for her. So when he noticed three guys following her, he headed after them, intent on teaching the guys a lesson in manners.

"I'm not sure," Jefferson said. "Two more people disappeared. And it's... odd, the way they vanished."

Lydia had noticed the three following her, and sped up a bit. She hoped she could make it back to her apartment before they caught her.

"Odd as in?" Mai raised her eyebrows. Because she'd noticed it was odd, but she wanted his perspective.

Hook sped up as well and caught one of them, turning him and shoving him into the wall. "Look, mates, you might want to shove off," he said, his eyes cold.

"The way they disappeared," Jefferson replied. "It's... a particular brand of magic that does that, something that shouldn't be happening, not here."

The guy against the wall made a face.

"What's it to you?" he asked. "Isn't this something your kind is famous for? Chasing treasure?"

"That... sounds bad," Mai said cautiously. "Very unpleasant, I really don't want to find out more."

"You might not, and that's fine," Jefferson said. "But I need to look into it. Because if this sort of magic is somehow in town, it needs to be brought under control and stopped before anyone else disappears."

"And what exactly are you going to do about it?" Mai asked, her eyes narrowed a bit.

"I don't go after treasure by harassing young women," Hook said, narrowing his eyes at the man. "And if I catch you doing it again..." He trailed off threateningly.

"I'll figure something out," Jefferson said. "I'm... familiar with this sort of magic."

"Heh," the guy said. "Last I checked, pirate, there's three of us and one of you." He smirked. "C'mon, we'll give you a cut of what we get and everything..."

Mai let out a quiet breath. "What do you need?" she asked. "And do you need help?"

"There may be three of you, but I don't need anyone else," Hook growled, shoving the guy into the wall again. "Do you really want to test me?"

"I'm not sure," Jefferson admitted. "Such magic shouldn't be possible in this world." He was quiet for a moment. "I've tried. There's just not enough magic here to trigger a portal."

The guy choked a bit as he was shoved back again.

"Easy, man," one of his friends said. "What's she to you, anyways? What's it matter that we want to cash in?"

Mai nodded to show she understood. "I guess you just... need to find enough magic. I mean, there are still people here who are supposed to be magic." Herself included, not that she was going to mention that to him.

Hook shrugged. "It matters because if you start, the rest of the town will follow." And even if he wasn't doing this for entirely selfish reasons, they didn't need to know that. "Now, need I tell you again or are you going to be smart?"

"I know," Jefferson said. He sighed a bit. "I've talked to Mr. Gold already, but I wasn't able to get anything from him. And I'm not about to go to the queen. So I need to find another way."

"Half the town knows about her," the man pointed out. "If it's not us, it'll be someone else. You can't keep her to yourself forever."

Mai was quiet for a moment. "What kind of magic do you need? Any magic, just something to give you a jumpstart?"

"Watch me," Hook snarled, rounding on the speaker and getting a fist full of his shirt collar, ready to punch him out.

"Pretty much," Jefferson said. "But magic feels different here, somehow, so I don't know how much." He glanced at her and noticed her unease. "What's wrong?"

"Hey, hey, easy!" the man said, holding up his hands. "I'm leaving, I swear!"

"I... may be able to help," Mai admitted quietly. "Maybe." She shifted her weight.

"See to it that you do." Hook dropped him again and watched to make sure all three of them left.