Hyperion Heights, Present Day

Detective Rogers shut the door to his car and began walking toward the station, just as Victoria walked out.

With a smug smile, she greeted, "Lovely morning, Detective."

Clearly annoyed, Rogers then demanded, "How are you out of jail?"

Victoria told him, "In a word, determination. I didn't get to be who I am sitting around, waiting for others to improve my odds."

"And I didn't ask for a TED Talk. I asked how you managed to sidestep your charges," Rogers seethed, just as Weaver walked outside.

He then pointed it out, "I'm afraid that honor goes to you. You failed to get a warrant."

Rogers then walked over to his partner and refuted, "I had exigent circumstance. There was immediate danger."

"Judge didn't see it that way," Weaver coolly replied, only for Rogers to argue: "Don't you mean you made certain he didn't? You dress it up any way you want. I know you're getting something out of this arrangement. Come clean with it now, or I'll go dig it up myself," sounding fiercely determined.

Weaver then reminded him: "I'd advise against that, Detective. Or has ignoring me not done enough damage already?"

He then got into his car with Victoria while Rogers wore an angry expression. He then walked into the station.

Weaver then matter-of-factly addressed his passenger: "Congratulations. You're a free woman. Now where's Anastasia?"

Victoria then told him, "It does me no good to get to my daughter without the means to wake her. You and I have a few stops to make."

Though the detective looked slightly exasperated, he cranked up his car and began heading to her first stop.

A knock sounded on a door, and it opened to reveal Victoria. She held an envelope under her arm.

A surprised Sabine looked at the woman in question before she turned to her roommate and told her, "Uh, Jacinda, there's a fugitive at the door for you."

Jacinda looked a little exasperated as Victoria began, "What I am is a free woman in need of a manicure." She then walked into the apartment and stated, "New evidence is coming to light that will show just who the villain is in all this."

Jacinda rose to feet before she questioned, "And, uh, the first thing you do is come here about Lucy?"

"Specifically about our long-standing agreement," Victoria told her, as Sabine looked on with crossed arms and a concerned expression.

A protective and determined tone took over as Jacinda said, "If you think that you are getting Lucy back-"

"I'm here to, quite literally, do the opposite," Victoria clarified, placing a hand up in surrender, "I am removing all claims of custody and handing Lucy over to you."

Jacinda took the envelope from her stepmother and opened it. Sabine then disbelievingly asked, "Wait. Where's the catch?"

Victoria eyed Sabine out of the corner of her eye as she stated, "There is none."

She then turned her attention to her stepdaughter and told her, "I handed you that custody paperwork years ago in the hopes that you would tear it up and throw it back at me," gesturing with her hands, "The fact that you signed Lucy over told me who you were as a person."

"It was a test?" Jacinda then asked.

"One you failed," Victoria smugly began. Her voice softened as she continued, "And now one you've passed. You reached out to Nick and wisely used Lucy's lawyer of a father to clear matters up. I, for one, am glad he's back in your life."

Sabine came and stood beside her friend as Victoria then suggested, "I would have him thoroughly vet this. I think he'll find it's on the up and up."

Jacinda then couldn't help but ask: "Forgive me, but, um, where is all this coming from?"

Victoria told her, "Being locked away from the world affords one the opportunity to think about what's most important, and the answer I found was Lucy's happiness," appearing truly sincere, yet Sabine and Jacinda shared a look as though they weren't entirely sure what to make of it.

"I'm having her things sent over here, but she's rather fond of this little dolly," Victoria finished, pulling a doll from her bag and handing it to her stepdaughter.

Jacinda glanced down at the doll as she said, "I don't know what to say."

Victoria then offered, "I do. Family is worth fighting for. I'm so very proud that you never gave up."

New Enchanted Forest, Many Years Ago

Rapunzel ran along the road following the lanterns, keeping one eye on the sky above her. Her daughters are seen back at the manor as Anastasia released the lanterns one right after the other.

Drizella then told her sister: "They're serving dessert in the parlor. We should go in."

Anastasia shook her head as she spoke, "I can't give up on our mother, Drizella. One of these lanterns could help guide her back to us," a hopeful tone to her voice as she motioned to the lights.

"It's been six years, Anastasia," Drizella stated, giving her a pointed look.

Her words fell on deaf ears as her sister turned her attention to the lanterns and said, "I know it's silly to believe, but something feels different about tonight."

Rapunzel slowly came upon her daughters as her eldest spoke. With her voice thick with emotion, she then said, "My girls," and they both turned to look at her with surprised expressions.

"Mother?" Anastasia astonishingly stated. She and Rapunzel then ran and wrapped each other in a hug.

"You're so grown up," Rapunzel observed as she took her daughter's face in her hands before she hugged her once more. A joyous tone then took over, and she told her, "I saw the lanterns, and I knew it was you."

A door then opened and closed as someone stepped outside. Marcus then spoke, "Rapunzel?" with surprise and shock overtaking his expression and his voice.

Rapunzel then ran over to him and wrapped him a hug. While still embraced, he began, "I thought you were dead." He then pulled away from her and continued, "I searched for weeks. All I found was your tattered cloak," looking at her as though he didn't believe she was actually there.

She then explained, "It was a trick. A witch promised me you'd all thrive, but my side of the bargain required me to be locked away in a tower. But the love of my family," looking at her daughters, "helped me survive all this time."

She then took his face in her hands and told him, "I'm so happy I'm finally back to share it with you," wearing a bright smile.

A teenage girl then stepped outside and questioned, "Who is that, Father?" Marcus glanced back at her as he spoke, "Go back inside, Ella."

"What does she mean, ''Father"?" Rapunzel asked him, her elation giving way to confusion and hurt.

Marcus then began to explain: "She's my stepdaughter. - I had no idea that -" only to be interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching.

A woman then stepped outside and called out, "Marcus?" He then told Rapunzel, "This is my wife, Cecilia."

Cecilia then curiously questioned, "Now who might you be?" as Rapunzel only wore an expression of sadness and shock.

Hyperion Heights, Present Day

Mother Gothel and Ivy sat in a parked car before the witch began running her fingers over the tree-shaped air freshener. She then posed, "Why is it you people work all your little lives in locked rooms only to re-create nature's greatness?"

"It's air freshener," Ivy pointed out with a roll of her eyes before she looked out her window.

Gothel then told her, "Your mother's entanglement with Rumplestiltskin is going to prove meddlesome."

With an air of condescension, Ivy replied, "She can team up with all seven dwarves for all I care. If we follow her, she will lead us to Anastasia."

"It's a mistake to underestimate her," Gothel cautioned the young woman. Ivy looked back at her as she said, "Are you speaking from experience? Because in mine, she always takes the wrong path."

Across the street, she then noticed Weaver and Victoria climbing into his car, and she stated, "She made her choices, and now she'll have to deal with mine," as though issuing a warning to her mother.

New Enchanted Forest, Many Years Ago

Anastasia and Drizella sat at an outside wicker table as Rapunzel poured tea for them. She then said, "Looks like the kettle's run dry," looking a bit disappointed.

Anastasia then reassuringly began, "It's your company we came for, not the tea, Mother," smiling at her. She then looked toward her sister and continued, "Right, Drizzy?"

"Actually, I am thirsty," Drizella stated, looking up at Rapunzel, who in turn took on a saddened expression. The young girl then noticed Marcus walking over and exclaimed, "Daddy!" before she ran over to him and hugged him.

Marcus then addressed both his daughters: "Hi, sweeties. You ready to head back to the manor? I need to speak with your mother."

Inside her living quarters, Rapunzel fretted, "I'm losing them, Marcus."

"That isn't true. The girls love you. Anastasia doesn't stop talking about you," he tried to reassure her, only for Rapunzel to point out, "Drizella slips further away every day."

Marcus then reasoned, "You have to give it time. She was so young when you left." He then placed a satchel on a nearby table and began, "Here," clearing his throat.

He then continued, "I brought you something," untying the satchel. He then pulled a yellow cloak from it.

Rapunzel sounded pleasantly surprised as she surmised, "That's my old cloak." Marcus then explained, "I mended it."

"You kept it all these years?" Rapunzel asked him, an air of disbelief and awe in her voice. They then walked over to the mirror, and he placed the cloak around her shoulders.

Marcus then told her, "Rapunzel, had you not made that deal that stormy night, I'd likely be dead and our girls in the streets. Our family owes all its happiness to you."

She then questioned, "Do you still love me?" a vulnerability echoing in her tone.

Marcus spun her around to face him as he assured her, "Of course I do. And our girls mean everything to me." She looked elated until he added, "But so does Ella. And Cecilia. I have to go."

Rapunzel placed the cloak aside before she let out a sigh. She then heard the door open and close.

Just then, Mother Gothel told her, "You're too strong for tears." Rapunzel jerked around in surprise as she saw the witch, who sat on the sofa.

Rapunzel then began, "If you're here to put me back in your tower-" but Gothel cut her off as she clarified, "I'm not. In fact, I admire your resourcefulness in escaping."

"I was surprised to find my family like this," Rapunzel then spoke, and it sounded like an admission of sorts.

"The deal was honored. They sleep every night in their cozy manor," Gothel matter-of-factly pointed out.

With hurt in her voice, Rapunzel replied, "And yet I, myself, may as well still be locked in your tower."

Gothel then coolly stated, "That was the deal."

A realization overcame the blonde as she posed, "You knew that I would escape eventually, didn't you?"

"I had hopes," Gothel confirmed, a small, yet smug, smile on her face. Rapunzel then demanded, "Why?"

Gothel answered, "You proved pure enough to sacrifice yourself for your family's happiness. And now I'm curious to see if you'll sacrifice someone else's for yours."

She then rose from the couch and walked over to Rapunzel. A red mushroom with white spots then appeared in her hands before she shared: "Just a little something I unearthed in Wonderland," as a curious Rapunzel lightly touched the mushroom and looked at it.

The witch then offered, "Squeeze it into Cecilia's drink when she least expects it. You can make her go away. You can have your family back."

Rapunzel took the mushroom and threw it on the fire before she turned back to Gothel. She then argued, "Cecilia's an innocent in this. I won't hurt her. I'm not that person."

"If you're truly who you believe yourself to be, then perhaps, over time, your path will bend towards happiness," Gothel cryptically began. She then continued, "-If not -" as a whoosh was then heard throughout the quarters, "There's always my way," nodding toward the mantle.

Rapunzel then looked at the mantle and saw the mushroom sitting on it. She then looked back and found that Gothel had vanished.