The Players

Merlin had taken Zoso in shortly after the latter's death in the Enchanted Forest and subsequent assignment by fate to this world at this time, and it wasn't long after that before the two of them met the Water Witch in search of a pure spring. She had floated out of the water like a siren, which was perhaps part of why he'd been so wary where Merlin had been attracted to the woman in the sheer white dress with the wet hair clinging to her neck and shoulders.

While Zoso learned from Merlin, he also learned from the Witch, albeit as indirectly as possible, and as time passed, it became increasingly apparent to him that she meant nothing but trouble. A desperate man wasn't the only type he could easily recognize.

OUAT

Bae and John kept watch over Robin that night while Morraine went scouting for any Merry Men that either stayed in hiding places or didn't get very far. The sun had set, leaving behind only a soft trail of light and a sky that started to speckle over with stars. "Is he going to wake up?" Bae asked.

"I hope so," John replied.

"How do we know he's not already dead?"

"Once someone's been dead for a while, you start to smell it." Bae nodded. "Take it you have an idea of what I'm talking about."

"That's something I don't discuss."

"Fair enough. Lad as young as yourself shouldn't be terribly familiar with death, let alone seen it. Time for that doesn't come until later."

"I guess that's a matter of perspective."

"You truly are a strange lad."

"I come from a strange land."

"So I've been told."

Robin stirred, and both looked at him. "Sweet relief," Bae muttered. "Sweet, sweet relief." His eyes fluttered open.

"Boy," Robin rasped. "Is it over?"

"Gisborne escaped."

"Can you feel him?" Bae shook his head. Robin looked at John. "Did they run?" John nodded. "Good, good. What happened to me? Do you know?"

"Gisborne attacked you," John said. "Knocked you clean out."

"The darkness just can't leave you alone," Bae added.

"That means we have to get to your Storybrooke as fast as possible," Robin said. "At least there, the darkness won't be able to touch me. Not if we leave in secret. Help me up." Bae looked at John, who nodded, and they both helped him into a sitting position.

Morraine emerged from the forest. "It's clear," she said. "Only Alan and Will." She gestured to the men behind her. "He's well, I see."

"And in a hurry," Bae replied. "According to him, we have to get to Storybrooke as fast as possible." His eye said far more than his voice.

"Which means the faster we find Merlin's cave, the better."

OUAT

While D rode on the motorcycle she once sold to August for five hundred bucks and a big bag of dog food, her phone rang. "Hello?" she asked.

"It's me," the man on the other end of the line said.

"Whatever your problem is, I don't have time for it."

"This town I heard about..."

"No. Hell no. Ef no."

"She's serious now," August said, though he couldn't suppress his smile.

"Listen. It can solve all of our problems. It can put your network on the map. If we can find it and prove it-"

"Shut up. The network's not supposed to be on the map. That's not how we work. Got it?"

"Do you? Someday I'm going to see something no one will believe. Someday, I'm gonna prove magic is real. We'll be rich. We'll be famous. You can move back to civilization."

"This isn't about wealth, or power. This is about helping people, Greg. This is about giving people some familiarity in a strange land and helping them get home again, or whatever they need. This was never about us. Get that through your thick skull, and get rid of this silly notion about proving to the world what we already know. And one more thing. Call me again with these silly notions and I'll call the goddamned cops." She snapped her phone shut.

"Wow," August said, whistling.

"You have no idea how I hate that guy."

"I think I have a clue."

"Good. Maybe you can learn from it."

"I don't want your gun or your dog after me." D nodded. If only Greg could think like that.

OUAT

"Are you sure he should travel?" Alan asked, taking in Robin's appearance.

"We don't have a choice," Robin snapped. "Load me into a cart if you have to. We have to leave now. We have to get to Storybrooke and get away from the evil. It still influences me here."

Morraine turned to Alan and Will, and she nodded. Alan looked at Will, who also nodded, and he said, "Okay. We have to get going, then." He helped Will and John support Robin.

"West," John said, and they started west.