Lady of the Lake:


Buffy stares at Cora, who is knelt by Snow "You sure she's gonna be okay?"
Cora nods "Don't worry. She'll be fine."
As Cora stands Buffy looks around the cave "So what is this place? Where are we? Cause honestly, this is kinda reminded me of that stupid graveyard hole Willow trapped me in."
"It's a little island our captors like to think of as their Haven."
Buffy turns to Cora confused "Haven? Why do they need a Haven?"
"The world's dangerous. What's left of it, anyway."
Buffy shrugs "Well, it's not like they can keep us down here forever, and if they try I'm going to get testy. I don't like being accused of things I haven't done."
Cora nods in agreement "Neither do I."
"So how comes your in this little hole of hell?"
Cora hesitates "I'm here because of something...my daughter did. The curse that ravages this land—she cast it."
Buffy's eyes widened "Regina. You're Regina's mom?"
The woman nods ashamed "Yes. But you've nothing to fear from me. The apple fell very far from the tree. You're from over there, aren't you?" Buffy watches the woman suspiously as she continues "How'd you get back? And how did you break through those chains, they're enchanted." Cora says gesturing to the broken chains on the floor.

Before Buffy can say anything a voice interrupts the two "Buffy." Buffy turns to see Snow staring at Cora, fear in her eyes "No." The princess whispers.
Cora smiles "Oh, Snow. You're awake. I'm so relieved."
Snow grabs Buffy "As bad as you think Regina is, this woman is worse."
"Oh, Snow." Cora sighs "Sweet Snow, please. Believe me, whatever she told you isn't true. I just want to help you."
Snow steps in front of Buffy blocking her from Cora. Buffy rolls her eyes "What's with the human shield thing? You do realise I could bench press like 20 of her, one handed, while doing my nails right?"
"Buffy." Snow hisses in warning.
Buffy shrugs "What, I'm just saying. Anyway maybe, just maybe we should hear her out."
"Buffy." Snow repeats this time very sternly.
Buffy sighs "Okay, think for a sec. Me and you, stuck in the bottom on a hole and only one of us can leap out of here in a jump. And let me give you a hint, it's not you. Plus what other choice do we have, bat ears Regina is back in Storybrooke with Henry."
Cora looks at the two confused "Who's Henry?"
"My son. Me and Regina kinda of share him, it's complicated. Kinda of like that show Lost."
Snow turns to Buffy "Don't talk to her."
Buffy rolls her eyes just as a male voice comes from above "Enough!" Suddenly a rope drops into the middle of the hole "Our leader requests an audience."


"Why can't you just listen to me?" Snow asks Buffy as they are led to their captor's leader.
Buffy shrugs "Why couldn't you have just trusted me? I was trying to find away back. I could have handled her, I've handled worse."
"Cora? Don't be so sure. I've lived here, Buffy. I know this world and its dangers."
"Wait here." The guard orders before walking off.

Buffy turns to Snow "Okay, no offence but you have no idea what my live was like. You think Cora is bad, well when I was 20, I had to battle a God from a hell dimension, who was trying to kill my sister. I have spent majority of my life fighting dangers you cannot even comprehend, I have been in more wars than anything. I have died not even once, but twice. That's the kind of world I grew up in, where everything can turn on you. which meant it could end in a painful death. Hell, you couldn't even have anything normal in your life. Not family, not friends, hell the love of my life was a freaking vampire. So I'm sorry if you think that I can't handle this world, but I can guarantee that mine was a literal hell, my town was literally on the mouth of hell. So I can handle anything, even a witch, 'cause I can guarantee I have seen worse, I watched my best friend, also a powerful witch get hooked on dark magic and try to end the world. That's the kind of danger I come from, from my world." Buffy stops and takes a deep breath "I'm sorry." Buffy says before looking away trying to control her anger.

Snow stares at Buffy stunned "Buffy, I—"
Before Snow can respond Buffy raises a hand "No, don't please, just don't. So...is that why you jumped through the portal then, cause I'm not getting it, did you think I would be helpless here? Cause you saw me and those demons, so you should know that I can handle anything."
Snow smiles "No. I came through to be with you."
Buffy looks at the woman not knowing what to say, luckily Snow's attention was drawn to the leader as he appears "Lancelot?"
Lancelot turns to the teacher "Snow." He says, before running over to her and pulling her into a hug. Once he pulls away he looks at the two women "If I had know you were the two prisoners Mulan had brought back, I never would've locked you away. Please forgive me."
Snow smiles "Of course."
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Lancelot, seriously? Guess Giles was wrong, that's a first."
Snow turns to Buffy "He's an old friend. We can trust him." Snow turns to Lancelot "This is Buffy."
Lancelot smiles and goes to shake her hand "Nice to meet you."
Buffy smiles and shakes his hand. Lancelot stares at her stunned "You are rather strong."
Buffy chuckles "Yeah, you will learn in time, that I'm stronger than all your men."


Buffy stares at the meat in front of her "What the hell is that? It reminds me of the insides of that Queller Demon that tried to kill my mom."
Buffy who was still staring intently at the meat doesn't notice the sad look that crosses Snow's face. "I do not know what a Queller Demon is, but that is Chimera." Lancelot says as he walks over "An acquired taste, but all our hunting party could bring back. One part Lion, one part serpent, one part goat."
"Sounds more like Adam. Just less human and robot bits." Buffy says as she continues to inspect the food.
Snow turns to Lancelot "I don't understand. We were told this land didn't exist anymore. How did you all escape the curse?"
"It is a mystery." He replies "The curse struck, and when the smoke cleared, most of us had been torn from this land. But some of us here, in this particular region, were left behind. We don't know how and we don't know why."

Buffy stops filling her plate full of food and turns to the knight "It could have been a protection spell, in my world there are specific spells, they can prevent against curses. Hell even reverse them."
Lancelot shakes his head "We are not sure, there is no one here with that power that we know of. Anyway finding this safe haven wasn't easy, it took spilt blood. But worry not. You're safe here."
Snow shakes her head sadly "Doesn't matter, we can't stay my husband's back there, Buffy's son, my grandson—"
"Huh?" Buffy asks having blocked the news from early from her memory "Grandson—oh. Really got to start remembering that." Buffy looks away and back down at her food.
Snow sighs sadly and turns back to Lancelot "We have to get back to them. Can you help us find a portal?"
"Leaving is unwise." He informs them "The Enchanted Forest is not as you remember it. The ogres have returned."
Buffy moans "Uh, I hate ogres, they were bad in Sunnyhell, I guessing they're not much better here."
Lancelot nods in agreement "That's why we live here, on this island, where it's safe. Please, Snow. Stay here. There are no more portals left."
"I might know of one." Snow tells them.
"Say what?" Buffy asks confused
"You do?" Lancelot asks equally as confused "Where?"
Snow hesitates "Cora's near. I don't feel comfortable voicing my plans. She's powerful."
"Not anymore." Lancelot informs her "The curse stripped her of her powers. But given her reputation, we've kept her locked up as a precaution."
"Nevertheless, I'm not taking chances. Just trust me. I may have a way. Let us go."
Lancelot gives the two a soft smile "I'll allow it. But on one condition...take my bravest warrior with you. Allow Mulan to defend you."
"We can defend ourselves." Buffy argues.
"Deal." Snow says, Buffy turns to her stunned "Thank you, Lancelot. For always looking out for me."


Buffy and Snow watch as Mulan opens the weapons chest "Choose wisely. We must be vigilant if we hope to survive the journey."
Buffy reaches into the box and pulls out a knife set placing them in the Knife Sheath attached to her thigh. She then turns to Mulan "Where's my Scythe? I want it back."
Mulan turns around and walks over to a separate box and pulls out the Scythe "I have never seen a weapon like this before, it is an interesting weapon. You must be a great warrior yourself to weld something like this."
Buffy smiles as she takes the Scythe "Thanks."

While Snow takes a bow and arrow set out of the box Mulan continues with her rules "Follow my lead, step where I step, do exactly as I say, and we might survive."
Buffy shrugs "Thanks for that inspirations pep speech, but I think we're good. Hell I killed a dragon last week. And I have spent that past ten year battling demons, hell gods and monsters from hell."
"Have you ever seen an ogre?"
Buffy nods "Actually yes, killed a couple bout 2 years before Henry showed up on my door step. Plus I'm pretty sure I dated at few."
Mulan looks at her stunned as does Mary Margaret, Buffy shrugs "What? Some bitch witch locked me in a demon fighting ring, and there happened to be a couple ogres who got caught up in the mess."
Mulan stares at the blonde rather impressed before starting to walk "Let's walk." She orders them.

As they turns to follow Mulan, Snow turns to Buffy "Don't let her rattle you."
Buffy chuckles "Yeah. Not of the rattled here. Trust me I can handle her, if I can handle my ex turning into a psycho, I can handle her."
Mary Margaret nods, worried by the more she learnt about her daughter's past "I won't let anything happen to us. Stick to the plan."
Buffy nods "Yeah about said plan. I'm still on the out with that I mean come on what's the plan."
"The wardrobe."
Buffy looks at Snow confused "Wardrobe? Wait what? Does this have something to do with the end of Henry's book, because Henry never let me see it."
"The wardrobe that we used to send you to this world."
Buffy's eyes widen "So your saying I travelled through a wardrobe, does that make my world Narnia then?" Buffy pauses "So you think it could get us back to Storybrooke?"
"I don't know. First we have to see if it survived the curse then we'll worry about making it work."
Buffy nods "So where is this mystical Narnia wardrobe?"
"My place. You wanna see where you're from, Buffy? That's right, we're going home."


"This will do." Mulan says as she comes to a stop "We'll make camp here for the night. We just need to find water, collect some firewood."
Buffy nods, she looks up at the trees then back at Mulan "Might be a good idea to get up high, check exactly how safe this place is."
Mulan looks at her confused "And how are we supposed to do that?"
Buffy smirks "I can do that." Buffy quickly takes a few steps back before running at the tree she grabs onto one of the branches and flips herself up. Once she was standing in the tree she looks down at the two of "You guys get firewood and water. I'll make sure we're good. A higher view will give me a lay of the land."
Mulan smiles "Impressive. I will retrieve the water."
As Mulan heads into the forest Snow looks up at her daughter "I guess that means I'm on firewood duty." Snow watches Buffy as she continues to climb up the tree, before following Mulan into the forest.


Buffy runs towards Mulan, Snow and Aurora who Buffy was slightly stunned to see "We have to move now!" Buffy yells. "Buffy what is it?" Snow asks.
"Ogres! Run!" Buffy yells
"Aurora. This way." Mulan says as she pulls the brunette to her feet running in the opposite direction to Buffy and Snow. "Over there." Snow says before running into the forest. As they run Buffy trips "Dammit." She's quickly back on her feet and turns to face the Ogre now standing above her. The ogre tries to squish her with it's hand but Buffy blocked his arm using all of her strength to push his hand away. She quickly pulls the scythe off her back and cuts off it's hand. It tries to swing at her with it's opposite arm but Buffy ducks and rolls away "I hate Ogres." Buffy mutters.

Buffy was about the swing the scythe again when a voice stops her "Back away from my daughter!"
Buffy turns to see Snow pull out an arrow and aims it at the Ogre's eyes. Once the Ogre falls dead Buffy walks over "The eye huh? That's a lot easier than slicing and dicing. So when was the last time you shot an arrow, cause—damn."
Snow shrugs "26 years ago. Guess it's like riding a bike."
The two stand there for a moment before Snow turns to Buffy "We should get going."
Buffy nods "A world of yes." Snow smiles at her daughter and the two of them then head off.


"We're getting close." Snow says as the four of them continue to go through the woods.
Mulan calls back to Aurora, who is beginning to fall behind "Aurora, you've gotta keep up."
"Sorry" The princess responds "But I'm not exactly dressed for the woods. It's cold out here."
"Then maybe you should've listened to me and stayed back."
Buffy takes off her leather jacket and holds it out to the princess "Here."
Aurora looks at the slayer confused "But I tried to kill your friend."
Buffy shrugs "Well, as of about 48 hours ago I learnt she's my birth mother. Plus I have a feeling she can take care of herself."
Buffy walks over to try and catch up with Mulan and Snow while Aurora looks at the jacket confused "What kind of corset is this?"
"Up here!" Mulan yells to the group.
Buffy heads up to the small hill where Mulan and Snow are now standing staring at the castle "Is that it?"
Snow nods "Yeah. That's our home."


Buffy, Mulan and Aurora follow Snow into a complete burnt room filled with destroyed toys. "Oh, my god." Buffy breaths as she enters the room "I recognise this from Henry's book. From the pages he hadn't destroyed with his pen, to keep the little secret." Buffy says as she walks over to the wardrobe "I just didn't know it's how I was—you know." As Buffy and Snow walk around the room Mulan turns to Aurora "Come. We'll stand watch at the gate."
As they leave, Buffy walks onto the balcony and looks over the land.

As she does Snow picks up one of the stuffed animals off the floor "I never thought I'd see this place again. This room. It was your nursery."
Buffy walks over to the woman "Seriously, this room is bigger than my apartment in Boston. And you're telling me I lived here?"
"You never even got to spend a night. This is the life I wanted you to have. I was going to teach you how to walk in here, how to talk, how to dress for your first ball. You never got to do any of it. We never got to be a family."
Buffy sighs and put on her jacket "I had a family. And now we have one—in Storybrooke. And right now we need to focus on getting back." Buffy pauses "Plus I need to figure out how to explain to my sister, that I was adopted. Oh that's gonna be fun." Buffy says sarcastically before turning to the wardrobe "So...how do with get this mystical all mighty travel unit going?"

Snow opens the wardrobe and Buffy pokes her head inside "So the on switch is where?"
Snow shakes her head "It's more complicated than that. We'll have to get it back to the island. Hopefully, someone there has access to enough magic to make it work again."
Buffy sighs "Your gonna make me do the heavy lifting aren't you." Snow smirks causing Buffy to moan "I sometimes hate having super strength."
"Well, why not try using the help of an old friend instead of using your daughter as a butler."
"Lancelot." Snow says surprised "What are you doing here?"
"We heard about the ogre attack, I came to make sure you were alright."
"Oh. Where are Mulan and Aurora?"
"I sent them to find food. Tonight we'll make camp, and in the morning, we'll head back."

As the two old friends spoke Buffy listens with interest, she couldn't help but get the feeling that there was something very off about Lancelot. Buffy clutches the Scythe in her hands as she listens to Lancelot "So..." He says staring at the wardrobe "This is it—the portal you were after."
"The same one Buffy went through." Snow tells him "It's how she escaped the curse."
"Remarkable."
"Geppetto carved it from an enchanted tree, but...there's no magic left."
Lancelot smiles "A portal this powerful...there must be another way to recharge it." As Buffy listens she starts to become more suspicious of the knight, so as the two friends talk Buffy silently moves around the room so that she was standing closer to Lancelot, prepared for an attack, just in case.
Snow watches Buffy knowing she senses the same odd feeling about Lancelot; Snow then turns to her friend "Why are you so interested in the wardrobe?"
"Well, I just want you to get home to your husband and your grandson, Henry. They must miss you."

The moment the words leaves Lancelot's mouth Buffy steps up behind him and kicks the back of his knees forcing him to the ground, she then grabs him and holds the blade of the Scythe against his neck "You slipped up, man. It's a shame too, you were doing so well."
As Buffy holds him Snow grabs his sword and points it at his chest. Snow looks up at Buffy "There is only one person you told Henry's name."
Buffy smirks "The bitch from the hole."
Suddenly Lancelot morphs into Cora "Clever girls." Cora looks up at Buffy "You know, I expected that from Snow but you, you have power, I can feel it."
Buffy rolls her eyes "I preferred you the other way. At least Lancelot was a hottie."
Snow glares at Cora "Where's Lancelot?"
Cora smirks "He's dead. I killed him a long time ago."
Buffy moves the blade on Cora neck slightly so she can look down at the woman "And you've been what, playing dress up in his skin?"
"Well, they'd never listen to me. And besides, every kingdom needs a hero, don't you think?"
Suddenly a rug wraps around Buffy and pulls her away from Cora, while Cora stands she uses her magic to pin Snow to the wall. Cora looks over at Buffy who was still clutching the scythe "Interesting weapon, powerful, much like you. I can feel the darkness in it."
"Bite me." Buffy spits out as the rug wraps itself tighter around her ribs.
Cora walks over to Snow "Thank you, Snow. I've been looking for a way over for so long. I never thought the person to help me fond it...would be you."
"Why?" Snow asks in a strained voice "What are you doing this?"

While the two talks Buffy pulls out some of the left over bullets she had in her jacket, which she had forgotten to take out after her last shift at the station. "Thank you Spike." Buffy whispers as she remembers one of the conversations they had when they were drinking, where he told her an easy way to start a fire with a bullet.
As Buffy works, Cora continues to talk to Snow "I want to see my daughter. It's been too long. And you know, I would love to meet my Grandson Henry."
Once Buffy set fire to the tree she rips apart the rest of the rug and silently makes her way towards the two "You can forget about that fantasy." Buffy says to Cora before punching the woman in the face. Cora flies across the room and smashes into the door. Cora struggles to stand and as she does, she looks over at the burning wardrobe "No!" She screams, she raises her hand using her magic to send Buffy crashing to the floor, she then aims a fireball at the slayer however before it can hit her Mulan dives in front of Buffy, using her sword to deflect the magic.
Cora looks around and glares at the women "We're not done." She says before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Once Aurora helps Buffy stand, the slayer goes over to Snow "You okay?"
Snow nods "You saved me."
Buffy nods "Part of the job description. So let me guess the wicked witch of the west is gone and poof?"
Snow nods "Yeah. She's gone for now."
Buffy turns to the wardrobe "And it looks like the same for our shuttle home."

"Lancelot was one of the most noble knights I ever knew." Snow says as she stares at the remains of the wardrobe.
Mulan paces in frustration "How could I be so blind? How could I not see that it was Cora?"
Buffy shrugs "Because she's a manipulative bitch. But a smart manipulative bitch."
"What are we going to tell the people on the island?"
Snow turns to Mulan "The truth—that Lancelot was cut down by a terrible villain. He died an honourable death."
"Cora's still out there. We need to find her. We need to defend what's left of the kingdom."
"Who's going to lead us?" Aurora asks "You?"
Mulan shakes her head "No. Her." She says turning to Snow.
Snow looks at the warrior stunned "I'm honoured, but Buffy and I still have to find a way back to Storybrooke."
"We'll help you. We'll find a way, won't we?"
Aurora nods in agreement "Yes. Perhaps it'll help me channel my anger."
Mulan gives Snow a smile before turning back to Aurora "Come." She says and the two of them leave the room.

As they leave, Buffy turns to Snow "I'm sorry I went all fire happy on our ride home. I couldn't let her get to Henry. I just-"
Snow interjects "You had to put Henry first."
Buffy nods, she was about to head for the door but quickly turns back to Snow, her voice breaking as she talks "I'm gonna say this before I lose my nerve and go back to being anti-emotion Buffy... Everything I have ever known has been a lie, a lie the powers forced me and my family to believe. For the past 26 years I thought my mom, was my mom. And now I find out that your my—and I don't know how to process this because, my mom was everything to me and now all I can think about is the fact that she didn't have a choice in raising me—I can't help but question everything now, my entire childhood. If I had learned that you hadn't wanted me it would be easier, but then just seeing all this...you gave up everything for me. And you're still doing it. And I—sorry I suck as this mushy stuff...I can't help it, I can't think of you as my mom, because to me, my mom was Joyce Summers, a woman who sacrificed so much for me, and when I try to see you as my mom...all I feel is guilt, cause I feel like if I even admit it for a second, I'll be letting a part of my mom go. And I—I..."
Before Buffy can have a complete break down Snow wraps her arms around the younger woman "Hey, it's ok. I understand that you're not ready and that you need time. But know this I'm not going to leave you."
Buffy pulls away and Snow wipes the tears from Buffy's eyes, Buffy chuckles before quickly exiting the room. Snow watches for a moment as Buffy leaves then turns back to look at the destroyed nursery, Snow holds back tears as she imagines the life they were supposed to have. She closes her eyes blinking back the tears, after a moment she turns and exits the nursery, closing the door behind her.