Rose's POV
In the morning, the phone rang and I answered it. "Hello?" I asked. "Hey, you there?" August's voice asked. "Yep," I said. "Good. This is taking too long; we need to accelerate the plan," August's voice said. "Okay. I'll be there in soon," I said and hang up.

I left the house and to Mr. Gold's shop. I saw August there and we hid behind a bunch of crates. "It's almost nine," August said as he looked at the shop. He turned to me. "You all set? You know what to do?" He asked. "Operation Cobra is always ready," I said. "I just ..."

"You just what?" August asked. "I don't understand what this has to do with getting Emma to believe," I said. "Sometimes other priorities assert themselves. Can you handle a little improvisation?" August asked. "Yeah. Can you?" I asked with a smile. August smiled. "We're a go," He said. He pat me on the back as I ran across the street, into the shop.

The bell of the front door rang as I walked inside. I saw Mr. Gold coming out from the back room. "Good morning, Mr. Gold," I said with a smile. Mr. Gold smiled as he walked over to me, "Good morning, Rose. What can I do for you?"

"I want to get a gift for Miss Blanchard," I said. "Oh, I see," Mr. Gold said. "Since she didn't kill Kathryn," I said. "Good thinking, that's very kind of you," Mr. Gold said.

"Are these bells? Cool," I said as I picked up one of the bells. "Do you like it?" Mr. Gold asked. "I think it should be something special," I said. Mr. Gold smiled at me. "Well, I think you should gave her the bells."

"How much?" I asked. "On the house," Mr. Gold said. I smiled. "Really?" I asked. Mr. Gold smiled and nodded. "Can we wrap it?" I asked. Mr. Gold nodded. "I have something. Just a moment," He said and he walked to the back room. Oh no.

After a moment I saw August come out of the back room. He walked out of the front door after he shook his head slightly at me. Says the plan didn't go as well as we both thought. Mr. Gold came back and wrapped the bell in a box and I left after I thanked him.

... ...

I was invited to a Welcome Home party for Ms. Blanchard. I was sitting with August. I looked at Mr. Gold and then at August. "How bad was it?" I asked. "Getting caught in his office? Not bad. I played it off," August said. "What were you looking for? Did you find it?" I asked with a smile.

"Nope," August said and then leaning a little. "But I have a feeling it's going to find me. There she is," He said and I saw he was talking about Ms. Blanchard. "Why don't you give her your present?"

I picked up the box and the card off the table and stood in front of Ms. Blanchard. "Hey, I have something for you," I said and handed the card to her. "Well, thank you Rose," She said. She opened the card and read it. "We're so glad you didn't kill Mrs. Nolan."

Everyone laughed. "It's from the whole class," I said and showed the box. "And I got you a bell," I said. "Thank you. Tell everyone I'll be back soon," Ms. Blanchard said as she smiled at me. "Okay," I said. "Rose, we should get you home before your mom finds out," Mom said. "That won't be pretty."

We walked to the door and I grabbed my backpack as Mom opened the door and David was there. "Hey," I said with a smile. David smiled. "Hey Rose. Leaving already?" He asked. "Yeah. Gotta get home and do homework," I said. David nodded and looked back at Mom. "She's kinda tired. I think if you just give it some time," Mom said.

"I just wanted to-" Mom cut David off. "Hey Rose, why don't you head home with David?" She asked me. "Okay," I said with a smile. "Sorry," Mom said to David. He gave a small nod. "Okay."

Mom closed the door as David turned to looked at me. He smiled. "Come on, hon. Let's go," He said. I smiled and we both walked downstairs and David took me home.

Third person's POV
As Emma closed the door, Mr. Gold come over to her. "Hard to let her go, isn't it?" He asked. Emma turned around to face him. "Your daughter."

"Yeah. Pretty much the hardest thing. Speaking of something we weren't talking about, was it you?" Emma asked. "Was what me?" Mr. Gold asked. "Did you make Kathryn suddenly materialize? 'Cause it sure played that way to me. Was that the magic you were going to work? Because if you kidnapped that poor, innocent woman just to let her go-" Emma said.

"Are you proposing I'm working with Regina or against her?" Mr. Gold asked. "I don't know. Maybe diagonally," Emma said. "Well you keep working on that one. My question's about something else. What do you know about him?" Mr. Gold asked as he gestured towards August, who talking to some people. "Goes by August. He's a writer. Typewriter wrapped in an enigma wrapped in stubble," Emma replied and then looked back at Mr. Gold. "Why?"

"He was poking around my shop today. August Wayne Booth, clearly a false name. There's one thing I know about, it's names," Mr. Gold said. "Writers go by pseudonyms. What does it matter?" Emma asked. "You trust him?" Mr. Gold asked. "Yeah. A lot more than I trust you," Emma said. She walked over to August and talked to him. Mr. Gold watched them.

...

Two days after, in the Sheriff's office, Regina awaited for Emma. Emma walked in and see Regina. "Congratulations, Sheriff Swan. There's about to be a big break in your case. You just got yourself a confession. But, I want you to listen to the whole explanation, so you understand why this happened," Regina said. "I'll hang on every word you say," Emma said.

"Sidney, you can come in now," Regina said. Emma looked at the door and see Sidney walking in. "Tell her what you told me," Regina said. "It was me. I confess," Sidney said. "I abducted Kathryn, and I held her in the basement of an abandoned summer home by the lake. I bribed a lab tech to get me the heart from the hospital, and I used that same person to doctor the lab results."

"And the other thing?" Regina asked. "I ... borrowed some skeleton keys from Regina and ... planted the knife in your apartment," Sidney said. "My keys. Can't help to feel personally violated by that part," Regina said. Emma looked angry. "I am supposed to believe you did this for why now?" She asked as she put her jacket on the chair.

"I was going to find her after the conviction, be a hero. Then, get the inside track on the biggest story to ever hit this town. I'd get my job back. Plus, a novel, and a movie, and ... I don't know. It sounds crazy now," Sidney said. "I don't know about crazy. But false, yes. False as hell," Emma said as she walked closer to Sidney. "I have maps to where the house is. You'll find chains in the basement. Lots of fingerprints, I'm sure – hers and mine. But, I didn't hurt her," Sidney said as Regina walked closer as well.

"The man has obviously suffered some kind of mental break. He clearly hasn't been himself for a while," Regina said. "Yeah. It's like his words aren't his at all," Emma said, know that Regina was responsible for it. "Wow. You are so sold on your own rush to judgment that you can't even see the truth anymore," Regina said.

Emma turned to Regina. "A word in the hallway, please," Emma said, angrily and she walked out to the hallway. Before Regina followed Emma, she locked eyes with Sidney and slightly shook her head.

"Well, that's the biggest load of crap I've ever heard," Emma said. "I'm pretty sure that's not true," Regina said. "That poor man. I know, you're behind all this. I understand that you own the game, and you've set the boards so that no one else can win. But I am about to start playing an entirely different game," Emma said. She took a step towards Regina as she spoke again, "I don't care about what happens to you. I don't care about what happens to me. All I care about is my kid. And you are going to leave her alone."

"Am I?"

"Uh-uh. I'm talking. You're a sociopath, lady. You tried to take away someone that I love. And now, I'm going to take away someone you love. I am taking back my daughter," Emma threatened.