Chapter 38: The White Queen
Hook and the others joined the party at Granny's while Will and Anastasia went to his old home to look for his heart. Hook was displeased by the sight of Emma with Neal. He thought that he had made some progress with her when they kissed in Neverland, but it seemed that her heart would always belong to the boy Hook rescued from drowning all those years ago. Regina scorned at Marian and was determined to find someway to get rid of her. Eventually, Anastasia and Will returned to Granny's, but they looked disappointed.
"What's wrong?" Alice asked.
"My heart isn't here." Will asked.
"What?" Regina asked. She had overheard Will's statement.
"We searched his entire house." Anastasia said. "It wasn't there. I even used a locator spell, but we still couldn't find it."
"Well it must be here somewhere." Alice said.
"If it is, I'll find it." Will said.
"But I won't be here with you." Anastasia said. "I can't afford to stay here any longer. I need to get back to Wonderland. My people need their Queen."
"What about me?" Will asked.
"You don't love me." Anastasia said. "You forgive me and I'm thankful for that, but you can never love me without your heart. I don't want you to spend the rest of your life with a woman that you don't love. Anastasia wants to help you find your heart, but the White Queen has a duty to her people. The White Rabbit is going to dig a hole to Wonderland and I'm going with him."
"What if I do find my heart?" Will asked.
"If we truly are meant to be together, then I'm sure we'll find each other again." Anastasia said.
The White Rabbit and his family walked over to Anastasia, Will, Alice, and Regina.
"Are you ready to go to Wonderland yet Anastasia?" The Rabbit asked.
"Yes I am." She replied.
They went outside to dig a hole in the street and travel back to Wonderland. The Rabbit dug up a swirling blue vortex on the ground leading that special world. He and his family jumped through. Anastasia turned to look at Will.
"Goodbye Will." She said.
"My heart belongs to you Anastasia." Will said. "It always has. Even if I don't have it with me. Just being with you will make me happy. Let me go with you."
"No." Anastasia said. "We can't have the life we want without your heart. You can't love me again without it and I've come to terms with that. I hope I see you soon. Next time you go to Wonderland, it'll be a new world."
Anastasia then jumped through the vortex in the ground and it closed after her, leaving Will heartless in Storybrooke.
The hole brought Anastasia back to the white room at the top of her castle. The White Rabbit and his family showed themselves out. Anastasia went to lay down in her bed and sleep. She was determined to start her new reign as the White Queen the very next day. However, she felt a lump in her pillow. She then moved the pillow and found a red beating heart under it.
"No." Anastasia said.
She realized that this was Will's heart. She remembered that he said his heart belonged to her. Pan's curse took it away and when Regina undid the curse, her spell returned the heart to its owner. Anastasia began to cry because she knew that Will would never find his heart in Storybrooke and she couldn't ask the White Rabbit to go back now. She decided to ask the White Rabbit to go to Storybrooke and return Will's heart in the morning. She wanted to let the rabbit enjoy a night with his family first. She was determined not to let anything stand in the way of her reforming Wonderland. Will would come back to Wonderland and spend the rest of his life with her, but she had work to do in this magical world and she couldn't be distracted tonight by her emotions. She put the heart in a special box on her table and went to sleep.
The next morning, Anastasia tried to find the White Rabbit only to discover that he had dug a hole to another world where he would spend a nice vacation with his family. She decided to postpone giving Will his heart back until after the Rabbit's return. However, the White Rabbit was gone for an entire month. By the time he returned, Anastasia had her hands full with trying to get the people on her side, ensuring the Jabberwocky couldn't escape her prison, and dealing with Wonderland's criminal underworld lead by the Caterpillar and she forgot to give the box with Will's heart to the Rabbit.
In Storybrooke, the next nine months were rather peaceful, yet uneasy. There were no evil threats plotting to destroy the town. Regina grew increasingly jealous of Marian. Regina knew she had to be careful with her jealousy. After all, jealousy is what drove Zelena to do whatever it took to make her happy and even turned her skin green. Zelena remained a statue in Regina's vault and her green pendant had its own special box there as well. Amara and her sons got jobs and bought homes in Storybrooke. Hook watched Emma from a distance while she started dating Neal again. He was afraid to get close to her even as a friend, for fear that it would hurt too much. Belle and Mr. Gold enjoyed their first few months of marriage. Belle gave Mr. Gold his dagger, which he returned to her in an act of faith. However, the dagger he gave Belle was a false one, he kept the real one, awaiting for his opportunity to kill Zelena. He was the only one with enough power to break into Regina's vault and he knew that Belle would never forgive him. So, he kept waiting. Dr. Hopper officiated Alice and and Cyrus' wedding. They had also grown to like Storybrooke. Will looked tirelessly for his heart to no avail.
After nine months, Alice gave birth to a baby girl, whom she named Sophia. Mary Margaret gave birth to a baby boy. Her and David refused to reveal the child's name until the upcoming coronation ceremony at Granny's Diner. Jafar was largely forgotten about, but back in the past, Jafar's anger was brewing.