Emma returned to the castle and burst into the council's meeting room. Snow and Charming turned to look at her. As usual, Red Riding Hood sat to the right of Snow White. She stood up.

"Princess Emma," she said. "Perhaps you should let us finish our session?"

"No," Emma said. "As the princess, I have every right to be here and as future Queen of this kingdom, I have the right to be heard."

"Emma," Snow said, "the matters of what happens to the evil queen have already been decided. Now it is a matter of when and by what means."

"You cannot kill her!" Emma shouted. "She is not evil!"

"That woman has done unspeakable evils to so many people in this kingdom," Snow said. "She needs to pay."

"If you would have seen the physical and emotional pain she was in when I found her," Emma said, shaking her head. "I think she has paid enough."

Now Pinocchio rose from his seat, two chairs to the left of Charming. "Emma, come with me."

"Why?" Emma asked, pulling away as he approached her. "So they can decide how to kill her?" I don't think so."

"You do still have a seat at this table," Charming said.

"You do have a vote, too," Snow said.

Emma eyed her mother angrily. "So you expect me to vote on how you kill the woman I love?"

Stunned silence filled the council room. No one knew how to respond to Emma's confession.

"I don't think so," Emma added before storming out of the room.

Upon finding his legs, Pinocchio ran after her. "Emma!" he called.

She didn't stop or even acknowledge he was following her.

"Emma!" he called again. "Emma! I get it. I do. Will you please just stop and talk to me?"

Emma stopped and angrily turned to him. "You get it?" she spat. "You know the pain of having your parents try to kill the woman you love?"

"No," Pinocchio said. "But I do know what it's like to love someone you can't be with."

Emma visibly softened to him.

"I loved you for a long time, Emma," Pinocchio said. "But I knew you would never be with me, so I accepted that and just became the best friend to you I could be. I've seen how happy she seems to make you."

"She makes me very happy," Emma said. "And that's why I can't let them execute her."

"What do you need form me?" Pinocchio asked.

"I need to see her," Emma said. "Can you take me to her?"

Pinocchio nodded. "Come on. She's in the dungeon."

Down in the dungeon, Regina paced back and forth. She was weighing her options. If she tried, she was sure she could use magic to get out of this cage. But if she did, she might lose Emma.

Regina approached the bars. She put her hand out to try to magic it open.

"That won't work dearie," Rumplestiltskin's voice came cackling from down the hall. "These bars were made by the dwarves and fairy magic. Our magic doesn't work."

"Hello, Rumple," Regina said. "How's captivity been treating you?"

"Obviously a lot better than my curse treated you," he said. "Rumor had it you had returned. But no one knows how."

Regina pressed herself against the bars, trying to get a look at her former mentor. "You know something."

"I'm the Dark One," Rumple said. "I know everything."

"So how did I get here?" Regina asked.

"The prophecy, dearie," Rumple replied. "28 years after the curse is cast, the savior will come along and break the curse. But this isn't the way it was supposed to happen because you messed up."

"I did everything you told me to do," Regina said. "It should have happened properly."

"Emotion," Rumple said. "You killed your father for this curse, but you began to regret it. Your regret in killing dear old dad caused everyone else to get stuck here while you live up in a cloud for 28 years." He shook his head. "I had such high hopes for you."

"It was your curse," Regina said. "If it failed it's because you designed it faulty."

Rumplestiltskin practically climbed his bars, shouting: "It only failed because of you!"

"Regina!" a man's voice shouted. It was Pinocchio.

"Who are you?" Regina asked him.

"A friend of Emma's," Pinocchio said. He reached through the bars of Regina's cell and shackled her. "I'm sorry about this."

"I take it Snow has decided how she is going to execute me," Regina sassed.

"Just don't ask questions," Pinocchio said. He unlocked the cell door and threw a hood over her head.

Pinocchio lead Regina down the hall. He took her up a flight of stairs, counting out each one for her. Once on level ground and two left turns later, he told her to sit down. Standing behind her, he removed the hood from her head.

Regina blinked a couple times, trying to readjust to the bright light. "Where am I?" she asked, looking around the room.

"Don't ask questions," Pinocchio said. "It's safer for all of us." He moved in front of her. "I'm sorry, I have to keep you shackled."

Regina didn't respond, she just looked at her hands.

"She'll be here soon," Pinocchio said.

"Who?" Regina asked. She paused. "I forgot, no questions."

Pinocchio smiled. "You're learning."

He looked up as the door opened. Emma entered the room quickly and shut the door behind her.

"I'll give you two a minute," Pinocchio said, moving away from the chair.

Emma rounded the chair and squatted down in front of Regina. "I'm not sure what to say to you right now."

"I understand," Regina said. "I'm sorry I lied to you."

Emma nodded. "I'm sorry too." She took Regina's hands in hers. "How's your shoulder?"

Regina tried to shrug, but winced at the pain. "Your mother used to be a better shot. I hope you're better with the bow."

Emma shrugged. "I'm better with a sword, but I manage."

"They're trying to execute me," Regina said.

"They won't," Emma said. "I won't let them." Now she took Regina's face in her hands. "I may not know much about the real you, but the only think I know for sure is that I love you."

Regina was taken aback. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Regina, I love you," Emma said. "I told the whole council that I love you and they cannot execute you."

Regina reached out and pulled Emma closer to her. "I love you too." She pulled the blonde into a kiss.

In the corner, Pinocchio was stunned. At one time, he would have given anything for Emma to profess her love to him. But he knew she was not meant for him. So he decided he would do anything to help her find the person she was meant to be with. Even if that was Regina.

Pinocchio looked out the window. "Ladies," he said. "I hate to break this up, but we've got guards on the move. I need to take Regina back to her cell."

Again, Regina was shocked someone called her by her name, not by the Evil Queen moniker Snow White had saddled her with.

"I promise I'll get you out," Emma said. "I'll find a way." She kissed her brunette love again before looking at Pinocchio. "I'll go distract them. Take care of her?"

"Of course," Pinocchio said. "Now, go!"

Emma rushed out of the room to make sure the guards weren't going near the dungeon entrance.

"I'm sorry," Pinocchio said. "I hate having to put this sack over your head, but I do it for two reasons. One: its protocol and two: if someone sees us, there is a chance that they'll think I'm just moving another prisoner."

"I understand," Regina said. "Thank you for letting me see her."

"Anything for her," Pinocchio said.

Regina stood up to look at him. "You care about her a lot?"

"I do," he replied.

"Then you have to do something for me," Regina said. "If she fails and I'm executed, you need to make sure she doesn't become a monster like I did."

As Pinocchio threw the sack over Regina's head, he tried to process what she said. Love turned her evil? The death of a lover?

"I promise," he said.

Regina squeezed his hands. Even though she couldn't see his face, she could feel he was sincere. "Thank you."