Thank you all for the amazing reviews!
Heavy rain is falling against a dark wooden house. The house is quiet, not a whisper to be heard, and not a light to be seen except a small, barely lit nightlight that is plugged into the outlet in the hallway. Inside a room lies several children, all asleep in a peaceful slumber except for one.
Lightening strikes outside causing five-year-old Avia Swan to shoot up in her bed wide awake. Her dark long curls are sprawled around her face as she pants heavily, looking outside the window where the rain is pouring. She jumps out of bed and runs across the hall and into another room where there are several other kids, older. Avia jumps into a bed where her big sister Emma is laying asleep.
"Emma!" Avia whispers, shaking her sister awake. "Emma!"
Twelve-year-old Emma Swan opens her eyes to find her little sister hovering over her. She looks out the window, hearing the rain, and realizes what's going on. "Avia, it's just a storm. Go back to sleep."
"I had a bad dream, Emma. Can I please stay with you?"
Emma looks around the room at the other girls who are asleep. She and Avia came into this foster home almost a month ago. So far it has been one of the better ones, and Emma didn't want anything to happen that could possibly mess that up. She knows if she lets Avia stay with her she'd definitely hear it from the other girls, but Emma can see the terrified look upon her sister's face, and she knows if she sends Avia back to her room then she'll never get back to sleep. Plus, she did vow to always protect Avia, and that's what she is going to do. Emma lets out a long sigh and throws her blankets back, allowing Avia to slip in. "Come on, kid."
Avia smiles gratefully and immediately sinks into her sister's side. "Thanks, sis."
Emma turns to face Avia. "What was your dream about?"
Avia shrugs, sadly. "Mommy and Daddy."
Emma furrows her brows, puzzled by this. "But we don't even know our parents, Avia. How can you have a dream about them?"
"I didn't see their faces, Emma, but I know it was them. They were holding us really close in their arms and running away from bad people."
"How do you know they were bad? Maybe our parents are the bad ones."
Avia shrugs again. "But then they put us in a room and told us they know we will take care of each other. Then they left us and bad people came after us."
Emma sighs, wiping away the stray tear that had managed to make it out of her sister's green eye. "I'm sorry you had to dream that, Avia. Maybe they did leave us, but they do have one thing right."
"What?" Avia's curious eyes look up at her sister's.
"Well, we take care of each other, don't we?" Emma asks, tickling Avia on her side just enough to make her giggle.
"Yes." Avia laughs.
"Because Swan sisters never give up, remember, especially on each other." Already feeling comforted by Emma's words, Avia lets herself fall deeper into Emma's side, allowing Emma to wrap her arms around Avia's small frame and bring her close. "I'll never give up on you, Avia." Emma whispers into Avia's hair as she watches the rain drops fall down her window. "I will always protect you."
Storybrooke / Present...
"Emma, slow down." David tells his daughter as he, Snow, Regina, Robin, Nick, and Karley follow her down Main Street. "We need to talk about this. We need a plan."
"The plan is to find Avia before she resurrects all of the Dark Ones." Emma informs her father. "You think dealing with one is bad."
The dwarfs run up, overhearing. "There's more than one Dark One?" Leroy exclaims, confused.
"It's a long story." David tells him.
"Well, no matter. There's seven of us."
"Six." Happy reminds him. "Dopey's still a tree."
"We may be down a dwarf, but we're ready to fight." Leroy says, confidently.
"We won't have to. I'm going to take care of Avia." Emma tells them.
"Avia's a Dark One!? She's fifteen!"
"You really think you can talk Avia out of this?" Nick asks.
"There's no talking." Regina scoffs. "We have to hit her with everything we've got. Even without dark magic, Avia is powerful. Now, she's just more powerful than before."
"It's not Avia's fault." Snow argues. "She didn't want to become the Dark One."
"But she did because of me." Emma states, painfully. "None of that matters anymore." Emma stops walking and faces the group. "Regina's right. We need to hit her with everything."
"Emma, this is Avia we are talking about. She is our daughter, your sister." Snow reminds her. "She is just a little girl."
"That little girl died back in Camelot. Now all there is is the Dark One. Avia wants you both dead for what you started, and she wants me for what I put back inside of her. No matter how hard this might be we can't think about her being a daughter, a sister, or a friend." Emma says, regretfully. "We need to split up, find her, and stop her no matter what it takes."
Regina and Robin take another street on the search for Avia. "Come on, This is the fastest way to the harbor." Robin tells her.
"And you think we'll find Avia just lying on the pier?" Regina asks, sarcastically.
"It doesn't hurt to try." Zelena suddenly appears in front of them in a puff of green smoke causing Robin to immediately aim his arrow at her. "Careful who you sneak up on."
Regina lets out a sigh, clearly annoyed by her sister's presence. "Get out of our way, Zelena. We don't have time for this."
"I'd like to have a little chat about my daughter." Zelena tells them.
"Our daughter." Robin makes clear.
"About that. I've worked up a teeny alteration to our custody arrangement. I've decided to grant myself sole custody. See, I'd like to raise her by myself without you two getting in the way. I'm going to teach her how to be wicked." Zelena smiles.
Robin aims his bow back at her. "You try and take my daughter from me - "
Zelena lets out a laugh. "Oh, come on. There's no point in us fighting over our darling baby girl because, soon enough, you'll both be dead, and then I can just take her."
"What do you mean we'll be dead?" Regina glares.
"Ask them." Zelena nods.
Regina and Robin turn around to find the resurrected Dark Ones approaching them. "Dark One, stand back!" Robin warns, aiming his bow.
But the two Dark Ones continue to walk towards them, unaffected by Robin's threats.
"Come on." David urges his wife as they walk to the truck. "We can cover more ground in the truck." He opens the driver's door and looks into the mirror only to find two Dark Ones following Snow. "Behind you!" He shouts, pulling Snow closer as they stare in shock.
Meanwhile, the six dwarfs are searching the town like the rest of the heroes, but Dark Ones soon approach them, too. Six Dark Ones form a circle around the frightened dwarfs, moving in.
Emma walks into the back room of Gold's shop, looking around.
"No sign of Avia!" She shouts. "I think the next stop's the pier.
"Emma! Help!" Karley yells from outside.
Emma rushes outside to find Nimue and another Dark One approaching the two kids. "Nick, Karley, don't move!" But before Emma can use her magic, Nimue and the other Dark One walk through Karley and Nick both.
"Too late for that." Nimue says before disappearing on the other side of the street.
Emma runs to their sides. "Nick, Karley, are you okay!?" She asks as the rest of the group begins to approach them.
"I think so." Nick says, shakily.
"What just happened to us!?" Regina demands to know as she grabs onto Karley to steady her.
"I think I may have the answer to that." Rumple says, walking up. "Check your wrists."
All those who were attacked by the Dark Ones check their wrists seeing that they now have been emblazoned by glowing symbols. "What is that?" Emma asks.
"That is the mark of Charon."
"Charon?" Nick questions. "He was the ferryman in the old myths. He navigated a boat to the Underworld."
"Smart lad." Rumple commends. "You see, the Dark Ones only have a temporary pass into this world, like a - like a Tourist Visa." He explains. "The only way for them to stay is to trade places with living souls."
"Meaning us." Killian realizes.
"Exactly. And when the moon reaches its peak, the ferry from the Underworld will arrive and drag us down there."
"That doesn't sound good." Karley says.
"Speaking as one whose died and been there, it's not."
"So, how do we stop it?" Regina asks.
"We can't. The Underworld is worse than you can possibly imagine." Rumple tells them. "It's gonna make you wish the old stories of fire and brimstone were true. It's gonna make you wish for death. And then the realization will hit - that death has already come, and this fresh torture is all that's left."
"Mom." Karley begins to panic, grabbing onto Regina.
"Gold, you're scaring them." Emma scolds.
"Good, because we should all be scared. This is death itself." Rumple says, sternly. "This is a fight we cannot win."
"No. I'm not marked." Emma protests. "I'm not going to give up. There has to be something we can do."
"You're right. This is something. Use this time wisely. Use it to say goodbye."
They all watch as Rumple turns away and walks into his shop, leaving the others fearing of what's to come.
The resurrected Dark Ones are next seen making their way through Storybrooke, being led by Nimue.
Meanwhile, Avia is sitting at the pier, staring out into the open water, when Nick and Karley walk up.
"We thought we might find you here." Karley says. With her back towards them, a small grin comes across her face. "After all, this is your favorite place."
"You're right." Avia stands, still with her back towards them. "It is my favorite place to be, and soon enough - " Avia turns to the siblings. " - this entire place will be my favorite, too, because I'll finally be in control of it."
"You can't go through with this, Avia." Nick pleads.
Avia gasps. "He speaks." She chuckles. "The boy who suddenly grew some well - " Avia chuckles again. " - I, at least, hope that's what he grew when he decided to kiss me back in Camelot. But he's finally speaking. What, Nick? Are you here to kiss me again and hope I'll turn back to sweet Princess Avia?"
Nick shakes his head in disbelief. "Yeah. I did kiss you back in Camelot, Avia, because I did feel something for you. I always have. But now - " He grimaces. " - I don't even know you."
"Well, I'm the Dark One, Nicholas." Avia smiles. "I'm who I was born to be."
"No, Avia." Karley steps forward shaking her head. "You were not born to be the Dark One. Sure, your parents did something stupid. We already know that, but you had proved that you could get past that and bring out the light magic that was always inside of you."
"Yeah, well, thanks to my big sis, I no longer have that light magic you speak of. So - " Avia shrugs. " - might as well embrace the darkness she put back inside of me."
"I understand you think Emma betrayed you, but do you really think dragging your family to the Underworld is the answer that will solve all your problems?" Nick asks.
"This from the son of the Evil Queen who enacted the Dark Curse to punish my mother for telling a secret. A curse that effected my entire life."
"Regina's not that person anymore, and you know that."
"Tell yourself whatever you want. Everyone once believed my parents were good and look what they did to their own children. They put a curse inside of me and then placed Emma and me into a box and sent us to a world that treated us like we were nothing!" Avia shouts.
"Avia, you may be the Dark One now, but we all know you aren't the girl you used to be back in those foster homes." Karley tells her. "Your life changed the second you were brought into Storybrooke to stay with your mom, who you didn't even know was your mom at the time. You stopped being nothing three years ago and you know it. Emma came here for you. If it wasn't for you being placed with Snow, you and Emma would still be looking for your - " Karley suddenly gasps.
Nick looks confused, seeing that Karley is struggling to breathe. He looks back at Avia who is holding out her hand. "Not another word."
"Avia, let her go!" Nick shouts.
"No! My life may have changed, but my parents still lied to me! They watched me as I struggled to figure out who I am. They watched as I researched every foster home, every story in that stupid book! And it took them months later to finally tell me the reason why I have darkness inside of me! Because THEY put it there! They did it to save their precious savior. They did it to make sure their lives stay good! And Emma put it back inside of me just to make sure I stay alive! I'm only ever saved for selfish reasons, and I'm through with making sure everyone's lives are great! What about my life? What about what I want!?" Avia finally releases Karley and she backs away, gasping for air. "You didn't know me back then, but now - " Avia raises her hands up with a wide smile. " - here I am."
As Nick helps Karley stay up, he watches as a furious Avia walks past them, down the pier. "Mom's right." Karley coughs. "We have to hit her with everything we have. She's too strong."
Down in Regina's vault, Emma is rifling through Regina's magical ingredients while David and Killian look through books and Snow cradles Neal in her arms.
"Maybe Gold's right." Snow says, sadly. "Maybe this is a fight we can't win."
"Mom, you're Snow White." Emma reminds her mother, shocked by her defeat. "You don't know how to give up. Hope is in your blood."
Snow walks over to her daughter. "And I do hope, Emma, but I don't want to spend what could be my last moments with my nose in a book." She says with tears glistening in her eyes. "You may have turned Avia into the Dark One, but we - " David looks up at his wife. " - placed the darkness inside of Avia a long time ago. We deserve what she has planned for us. She's held onto so much anger. It's just time for us to let it happen. I love Avia - I love all my children so much." She says, caressing Emma's cheek. "I can't hurt her, Emma. I can't destroy my daughter. It's time for us to pay our price."
Emma looks down at her brother. "What about Neal? He'll be left here all alone."
David steps up behind Snow, placing his hand on her shoulder as they look at their daughter. "He won't be alone, Emma. He'll have you, and I know in my heart Avia won't hurt him."
"I will not give up on my own family." Emma refuses. "I can't give up on Avia. I never have, and I promised I never would."
Snow quickly gives Neal over to David before bringing her full attention to her daughter, both locked with tearful eyes. "Emma, we're almost out of time. And time is what's most important - time with those we love." Snow holds her daughter's face and places a gentle kiss onto her forehead. "I know you won't stop trying. You are the reason we placed Avia in your arms that day. We knew you would always protect her, and you have proved that to us everyday. I hope you succeed, Emma, but promise you'll come meet us at Granny's and say goodbye."
"I promise." Emma cries as she allows her mother to wrap her arms around her and bring her into a strong hug.
"I love you, Emma."
Emma sighs, nodding into her mother's shoulder as she looks at her father. "I love you, too."
Killian steps up to Emma, taking her hand. "I hate to say it, love, but your mother is right. If this is my last night to be with you, I'd rather spend it holding you than fighting along side you."
Emma sighs, allowing a tear to fall. "I know. I know. But - "
"You will find a way to save your sister, Emma. You always do. Come to Granny's?" Emma nods before Killian places a soft kiss to his love's lips, only causing her to cry harder.
As the Charmings and Killian walk out of the vault, Regina comes down, having overheard. "So, I hear we're giving up." She says, bewildered.
"No. Not tonight." Emma tells her. "Not ever. If I can destroy the Dark Ones, no souls will be owed, and you will all be spared."
"How?" Regina wonders.
"Do you remember the promise you made in Camelot to do whatever was necessary to get rid of the darkness?"
"I don't like where this is going." She says, looking suspiciously at Emma.
"I need you to keep that promise now. And I need you to swear not to tell anyone else."
Regina narrows her eyes wearily at Emma. "But to get rid of the darkness, you still have to put it in someone and sacrifice them. Who?"
Emma takes a long pause as more tears fall. "Me."
Over at Gold's shop, Rumple is pacing through the shop, holding tight to a vial when Belle enters.
"You got my message." He says, relieved.
"Look, I told you that I - "
"Okay, here, here." He quickly interrupts her, placing the vial in her hand. "This will save you from harm when you're crossing the town line."
Belle looks confused. "Am I going somewhere?"
"Well, that's up to you. You've always wanted to see the world." Rumple reminds her. "Well, all of it is right out there, the other side of that town line. Go when you can. See all the wonders you've dreamt of, and when you've tasted it all, maybe one day you'll come back. Go today and have a life." He urges.
"Is something wrong?"
Rumple laughs lightly, bringing her into a hug. "No. No, no, no, no. Nothing's wrong. I just want you to live out your dream." But Belle could feel that he's lying. "Okay, look - " Rumple pulls out of their hug and grabs his car keys, handing them to her. "You take the car. Say goodbye to your father, and then start living."
Belle smiles. "I knew there was hero in there."
Rumple stares back with tears in his eyes. "Goodbye, Belle."
Belle nods and walks away with the vial in tow. But once Belle is out of the shop, Rumple's cries become worse causing him to sit down and look at his wrist. He, too, has the Mark of Charon which means he is being dragged down into the Underworld with the others.
But Rumple's moment is soon interrupted when he hears the door open from the front of the shop. "We're closed." He says, walking into the front only to find Emma and Regina. "Please, go away."
"No." Regina refuses. "We're not going down without a fight. I bet there are a lot of people in the Underworld who would be thrilled to see you and me."
"We deserve it." Rumple tells her. "And it doesn't matter. There is no alternative."
"There might be, but I will need Excalibur." Emma says.
"The only possible way Excalibur would be of any use would be if - "
"If Emma takes all the darkness into herself and uses the sword to destroy it." Regina finishes.
"And herself." He adds, realizing what Emma's willing to do to save everyone. Rumple then turns around and heads to the back leaving Emma and Regina feeling uneasy. Rumple then walks out with the sword. "Excalibur was always destined for the hands of a true hero." He says, handing it to Emma.
"That's it?" Emma questions. "You don't want to make a deal or something?"
Rumple shakes his head. "No." Emma takes the sword. "You're a brave woman, Emma Swan." Emma stays silent and starts to walk to the door. "But it might not work." He then points out, stopping her.
Emma turns back to him, confused. "What, why?"
"Well, that blade, it chooses who it finds worthy. And it chooses its miracles."
"It doesn't matter. Right now all that matters is I need to be with my parents while I can be. Come to Granny's with me." She says to Regina.
"No, I can't." Regina tells her. "Robin and I need to protect Roland and the baby from Zelena. I'll catch up with you later."
Regina barges into her office with Robin and immediately spots Zelena sitting at her desk with her feet propped up.
"Gina! Robbie!" Zelena happily greets the couple. "Come on in."
Regina looks around at the newly decorated office. "What do you think you're doing?" She asks, approaching her desk.
"At the moment, I'm trying to decide what color would look best on your walls." She says as she looks down at the paint samples in her hands. "I mean, my walls." She shows them several different swatches of green colors. "Kelly? Hunter? Pistachio? Oh, wait." She gasps, lightly. "I just realized that all three of those work as baby names." She laughs. "It's all just coming together."
Regina grabs the samples and tosses them into the trash. "You're not moving in, sis."
"Well, perhaps I'm slightly premature, but in an hour you'll both be dead. Then everything that's yours will be mine. And, of course, I get the baby."
"No." Robin declares. "You see, our child deserves her best chance."
"And that's not with you." Regina smiles, taking out the Apprentice's wand from her pocket.
"Oh, yes." Zelena remembers. "The withered knob of that sad old man. Uh, if memory serves, the last time you tried to use it, you weren't powerful enough to make it work."
However, Regina holds it up, and it glows purple with her magic, surprising Zelena. "If my memory serves, last time, I didn't believe in myself. But now I do, as does everyone in this town." She says, smugly. "So, let's go somewhere, just the two of us." She proceeds to wave her hand and teleports herself and Zelena into the clock tower.
Zelena frowns. "Oh, such a letdown. I thought you were gonna use the thingy."
"Oh, I am." Regina smirks, assuring her. "So, you better hang on." She uses the wand to summon a twister that begins making its way down Main Street, towards the clock tower. Zelena looks on, afraid, when suddenly the face of the clock shatters and begins to attempt to suck her in while Regina watches on, happily.
Zelena quickly grabs onto a piece of the clock tower. "I am not done!" She shouts. "You will see me again!"
Regina watches excitedly as the twister finally pulls Zelena in. "Somewhere over the rainbow!" Regina shouts back. "Enjoy Oz, witch."
The cyclone disappears into the clouds sending Zelena back to her home realm.
As Belle says goodbye to her father, Rumple watches in complete sadness as his wife prepares to leave town. Belle's father helps her place her belongings in the trunk of Rumple's car before giving her a hug. Soon enough, Belle climbs into the driver's seat and begins to drive off down Main Street, unaware of what is about to happen to the town.
Meanwhile, inside of Granny's Diner, sad music is playing from the jukebox as Emma sneaks in through the back, holding an envelope. She walks up seeing her parents, Killian, and Avia's best friends, Nick and Karley share one last meal together. David kisses Snow on the forehead as she cradles Neal in her arms while Killian sits on the opposite side of the table having a conversation with the teens.
Emma watches sadly, only wishing she and Avia could be apart of it. She then places the envelope addressed 'To my family,' securely against the jukebox before taking one last look at them, with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry." She whispers. "It's the only way I can make up for what I've done."
Emma slowly turns back around and walks out of the diner, unseen, unaware that Avia is watching her from across the street. Nimue is standing behind her. "You know what you need to do." She tells Avia.
With determination, Emma bursts into her home and uses her magic to open the door that leads into the basement. She reaches in and grabs Excalibur.
"Sorry, sis." Avia says from behind just as Emma shuts the door. She turns around to find Avia sitting at the table in her living room. "But I can't let you use that sword." She stands, walking closer to Emma.
"Why? So you can get your revenge?" Emma asks. "If I do not do this, everyone I love - that you love - will die."
"Exactly. And if you do, you'll die." Avia points out. "Now, give it to me, Emma. I don't want to hurt you."
"Now you care?"
"Well, believe it or not, I owe you."
"For what?"
"Well, if it weren't for what you made me, I would never have become the girl I was always meant to be." Avia smiles.
"This is not who Avia wanted to be." Emma assures her. "Avia forgave our parents. Avia trusted me. Revenge did not matter to her."
"Oh, it did." Avia scoffs. "My family and friends and all their hope just distracted me. But now I can finally make everyone who wronged me pay."
"Even if it means becoming the thing you hate?" Emma questions. "The thing you spent fifteen years fighting off and running away from?"
Avia narrows her eyes furiously at her sister. "If you didn't want me to change, Emma, you should have let me die."
As a tears slowly falls down her cheek, Emma whispers. "I'm sorry. I couldn't watch one more person I love die, especially not you."
"And now, because of that, you get to watch everyone you love die."
"No!" Emma begins to run towards her sister with the sword, but Avia disappears and appears behind Emma instead. "I will protect my family, and that includes you, Avia, even if I have to kill you to do it!" She takes another lunge at Avia, but she disappears again, and when Emma turns around to attack, Killian is standing in front of the sword instead.
"Love, wait!" Killian exclaims.
Emma is taken aback to see him there. "Killian." She utters. He takes Excalibur from her with ease, but then disappears in another flurry of red smoke, reappearing as Avia. "Avia. Do not do this." She pleads.
But Avia just stares up coldly. "It's too late, Emma. Enjoy the time you have left with our parents."
She then teleports away, leaving Emma left feeling completely defeated.
Back at Granny's, while Karley and Nick are attempting to entertain baby Neal, Snow gets up to clear the plates from the table. But as she walks to the back, she spots Emma's letter resting against the jukebox. Snow puts down the plates and picks it up, reading it.
"Oh, no." Snow panics. "David?"
David walks over. "What's wrong?"
"It's Emma." Snow shows David the letter and he begins to read it.
"We got to stop her." He exclaims.
But before they can make it even a few steps to the exit, Nimue and two other Dark Ones appear. "You don't have to worry." Nimue says, surprising the teens and Killian who quickly stand to their feet. "Our young Dark One's already seen to that." As Killian stands from the stool at the bar, Karley and Nick back up closer to David and Snow. "Which means there's no way to stop your trip to the Underworld."
The first Dark One then outstretches her hand and activates the marks on their wrists, causing them all to cry out in pain as a bright white light emanates from the marks.
When the glow dissipates, Snow, David, Killian, Nick, and Karley find themselves standing before Storybrooke's pond, with dark magic apparently having altered their attire to better suit them to the cold weather. Robin, Regina, and Rumple then appear behind them.
Regina gasps, seeing her children. "Nick? Karley?" She grabs them both, looking them over. "Are you both alright?"
But they are both confused. "I think so." Nick tells her.
"Neal's back at the diner." Snow begins to panic.
"Roland and the baby - " David asks Robin. " - where are they?"
"They're safe." Robin tells them. "They're with the fairies. They'll take Neal as well."
The group then looks around at all the Dark Ones surrounding them, being led by Nimue. "So, this is really it." Karley says, shocked.
"I'm afraid so, old friend." Avia walks up with Excalibur in tow. "Look. Your ride is here." They all turn to the misty pond to find a boat ready to take them to the Underworld.
"Mom, Dad!" Emma appears, running into her parents' arms, crying. "I'm sorry! I tried!"
"We know." Snow assures her. "It's okay."
"Oh, look. The happy family." Avia shrugs. "Wish I could have been apart of it."
Regina storms over to the young Dark One. "Okay. It's time to drop the act. You can't just sit back and watch your family be destroyed to get your revenge. You've all been through too much to be broken apart again."
"Well, you would know."
"You're right. I broke up your family the first time. But I spent the last three years earning my forgiveness. If you do this, Avia, you cannot come back from this. You will regret this for the rest of your life. So, you need to ask yourself, Miss. Swan, what kind of daughter, sister, and friend do you want to be?" Regina asks, leaving Avia to really think deeply about this.
Avia begins to think about her past. She remembers her time in foster homes with Emma protecting her and putting herself in Avia's place instead to be beaten by foster parents. She remembers walking into Mary Margaret's home for the first time and the first hug from her mother that immediately felt like home. She remembers the safe arms wrapped around her after the first curse was broken. She remembers opening her eyes back in Neverland and seeing her parents worried and relieved faces looking back at her the moment Regina placed her heart back into her chest. She remembers the missing year and dancing around the apartment in New York with Emma as they cooked, laughing hysterically. She remembers watching as everyone placed their life on the line to save her and baby Neal inside the barn from the Wicked Witch. And she remembers Emma saving her from the darkness, the first time, placing the darkness that was once inside of Avia and into herself.
"It's time." Nimue says, breaking Avia away from the memories.
Nick and Karley stand in between Robin and Regina while Snow and David hold onto one another, and Killian stands off to the side near Emma, with Rumple standing off to the side of the group.
"No, you're not taking the people I love!" Emma exclaims, attempting to approach Nimue. But Nimue simply holds out her hand and with her magic begins strangling Emma.
"I might not be able to kill you, but I can stop you from interfering."
Along with the rest, Avia begins to look worried for her sister who is gagging, trying to breathe. Emma slowly looks at Avia, and this apparently gets to her. "That's enough!" Avia orders Nimue to stop.
But Nimue refuses to listen. "What do you think you're doing?" She asks once Avia turns to her.
"Being the girl I want to be."
"You can't stop us."
"Yes, I can." Nimue appears frightened when Avia holds up Excalibur and uses her magic, making it so Nimue and the other Dark Ones are sucked into it in multiple swirls of darkness. Emma is released from Nimue's hold once the Dark One disappears into the sword, filling it with an unlimited supply of dark power. The metal of the sword turns black, while the former black markings turn silver, glowing red under Avia's magic. Emma watches in shock as her sister is struggling to contain the sword.
"Avia, you can't do this." Emma begs, knowing what Avia will have to do.
"We both know there's no other way." Avia strains. "The darkness won't stay trapped in Excalibur much longer." Avia tries to hand the sword to Emma. "Take it."
"No!" Emma refuses, backing away.
"Emma, you have to!"
"I can't. It should be me. It should have always been me."
Avia looks behind Emma at Snow and David who are watching with tears streaming down their faces as they watch their daughters. "Mom and Dad need you. I have to go. I deserve it. I am weak. I've always been weak. That's why you were made to protect me. You're strong, Emma. You've always been the strong one. But you can't take my place this time." Emma begins to cry harder, knowing what Avia is speaking about.
"I don't want to lose you, Avia. You're my baby sister."
"And you're my big sister. I don't want to lose you either." Avia cries. "But you have to let me go." Avia looks back at her parents and friends. "You all have to let me go now. Let me finally be the hero. You've always protected me, Emma. Now, let me protect you."
Emma slowly approaches Avia and reluctantly takes hold of Excalibur, removing it from Avia's grip. The sword continues to shake from the weight of the darkness stored inside. Emma brings Avia into a hug. "I love you, Avs."
Hearing her nickname only makes her cry harder. "I love you, sis." Emma then places a gentle, loving kiss onto her sister's cheek as Avia looks at her parents. "I love you Mom and Dad." This only causes Snow and David to cry harder with Snow struggling against David, desperate to bring her daughter into her arms. "I'm sorry." Emma begins to lift Excalibur, preparing to do what she has to do to stop all this. "It's okay." Avia assures her.
They stare longingly at one another before Avia closes her eyes and Emma finally runs the sword through her sister. "Avia!" Snow cries out.
Avia screams as the powerful sword goes through her belly and out of her back. The others struggle to watch as the blade remains inside of her, forcing Avia to absorb all the darkness as she slowly dies. Emma pushes herself against Avia, crying into her hair as Avia begins to faint, looking right at her distraught parents as she does so.
Emma begins to emanate a bright flash from within and, soon enough the Dark Swan is gone forever, and Emma is back to her old self - blonde hair and red leather jacket. Eventually, Emma removes the sword, and the bloodstained Excalibur turns to dust with the darkness having been filtered out of it. Emma sees that the wound on Avia's shoulder from Camelot has returned and her crying worsens when Avia collapses in her arms.
The group watches in sadness. Regina and Robin are holding Karley and Nick close as they cry, having watched their best friend die right in front of them. Killian watches helplessly from the side, as does Rumple, who tried for so long to rid of Avia Swan. But the worse of all is her parents. Snow is still struggling to keep it together as David holds her up in his arms. He, himself, is trying to keep it together for his family, but he is having trouble holding it in, allowing his own tears to fall.
Emma lowers her sister down to the ground and cries loudly over her body. Snow manages to get out of her husband's arms and runs over to her daughters. She falls to her knees and rests her head against Avia's forehead, crying out for her daughter.
Paramedics have arrived and have now placed Avia's dead body on a gurney, covering her body with a sheet. Emma and Snow are crying profusely as they watch the paramedics roll Avia away. David and Killian step up and grab them both, forcing them both to let go of Avia's hands. David finally begins to let everything out once Snow is back in his arm, crying into his chest. However, Snow keeps her hand linked with her daughter's as Emma falls into Killian, allowing him to comfort her.
Later that morning, in the backroom of his shop, Rumple is having a drink when he hears the front door open.
"Get out." He bellows. "We're closed."
"Rumple!?" Belle calls out. Rumple is surprised to hear his wife's voice after he had watched her not too long ago drive away.
He stands once Belle walks in. "What are you doing here?"
"Nick called. He told me everything." She tells him. "You lied to me - again."
"Belle, I - "
Belle interrupts by kissing him passionately on the lips. "For the first time, you were truly selfless. You know, I don't need to see the world to know what I want anymore. What I want is to be with you."
Happy and relieved by this, Rumple brings Belle back into his arms and they share another kiss, finally reconciling as husband and wife.
Meanwhile, back at her home, Emma is struggling to keep it together as she lies down on the couch inside her house. She clutches Avia's blanket close to her chest, staring stoically up at the ceiling, grieved by what she had to do just hours ago.
But, suddenly, once again, Emma finds herself able to hear the whispers of the Dark One's dagger calling to her from afar. She sits up, startling Killian who had been sitting nearby watching her in case she may need him. "What is it, love?"
Over at Rumple's mansion, Rumple is redressing himself as Belle remains sleeping peacefully in the bed nearby. But he is soon distracted by his phone buzzing. He picks it up and sees that he has a message from Emma urgently telling him to meet him at his shop now.
Still hearing the whispers, Emma is already waiting inside Gold's shop when Rumple enters.
"Now, you see, this isn't the library or Granny's or some bus station, Miss. Swan." Rumple tells her as he approaches. "This is my shop. Unless the sign says 'open' you're not invited."
"Shut up, Crocodile." Killian glares. "And listen to her."
Rumple rolls his eyes and looks at Emma. "I think I was invited." She tells him, dismayed. "I hear whispering. It's the dagger. It's calling to me."
"You're upset, imagining things." Rumple assumes.
"No, I'm not." Emma argues. "It's here, isn't it? You have it, don't you?"
After a moment of silence, Rumple finally leans down and retrieves it from under the counter. "Yes, I do." He removes it from its covering and lays it on the counter, showing her the engraved name - Rumplestiltskin.
Emma gasps. "Bloody hell." Killian utters, surprised by this.
"You are the Dark One." Emma realizes. "Again."
"Yes." Rumple confirms. "Had hoped to keep that secret. Wasn't expecting you to hear it. But then, most ex-Dark Ones are dead."
"How is this possible?" Emma asks.
"When you came to me, asking for the sword, I seen an opportunity." Rumple begins to explain. "A chance I had never imagined would present itself again. As fate would have it, a small vial of magic was close at hand. One sprinkle, and I knew I could get it all back. I turned the sword into a conduit. So that while Avia thought she was destroying the darkness, she was actually moving it. Channeling it someplace safe."
"Into you." Killian exclaims, furiously.
"She had no idea. And now things are as they should be."
"Avia sacrificed herself, and you took that from her!" Emma exclaims, attempting to use her magic against him, but he uses his own to freeze her hand in motion. Killian stands defensively, glaring down at the imp.
"Do you honestly think that you can hurt me?" Rumple asks. "I now have the combined power of every Dark One who ever lived, including yours."
"You found a loophole, betrayed us all again. All you ever wanted was Avia's magic, and now you have it."
Rumple shrugs. "Not all of it, but it's what I do, Miss. Swan. It's what I've always done and will always continue to do. It's the man I am."
"Well, then, Dark One, now that you have your power back you're going to do something for me."
"And why would I do anything for you?"
"Because I still have magic. And I'm willing to bet I can get to Belle and tell her everything before you can kill me." Emma threatens.
"Emma." Killian warns.
"Don't test me." Rumple smirks.
"Don't test me." Emma scowls, furiously. "You really want to take that chance? That she will, once again, know the kind of man you really are?"
"I'd take the deal...mate." Killian sneers.
Rumple stares down at the dagger, contemplating. "What do you want, Miss, Swan?"
"You're going to Hell?" Regina questions Emma as they stand in the apartment with David, Killian, Nick, Karley, and Robin.
"The Underworld." Emma says.
"That's quite a distinction." David tells her.
"I'm getting her back. This isn't fair to Avia. Gold tricked her. Everything she gave up was based on a lie."
"Emma, you know how this works. It's a one-for-one trade. To get her back, someone else will have to die."
"And you just got back from being the Dark One, love." Killian reminds her.
"I won't." Emma assures them. "I'm going to do this right. I learned my lesson and I'm taking a page out yours and Mom's book." She tells David. "You and Mom share a heart. Avia and I are sisters. We will, too."
"It could work." Regina tells them.
"It will work."
"Then, let's do it." They turn to find a disheveled Snow, who had been crying upstairs in Avia's bed. "Let's get our daughter back." She says to David. "Let's get Avia back to where she belongs."
"Really?" Emma asks, surprised that her mom is in agreement.
"You're right, Emma. Avia doesn't deserve what she went through. We owe her to be the family she's always deserved."
Emma smiles at this, happy to have her mom on her side. "Okay. Wait." Karley interrupts. "How are we supposed to even get to the Underworld?"
Later that night, over at the pond which is the portal to Hell, Rumple stands over it with Emma, David, Snow, Killian, Robin, Regina, Nick, and Karley standing nearby.
"Do it." Emma orders the Dark One.
Rumple raises the dagger and uses it to slice into his palm. "Are you sure about this?"
"Do it."
Rumple squeezes his blood into the pond, activating the mist as the portal opens. David and Snow wait apprehensively for the Charon to emerge aboard his ferry, while Emma appears somewhat excited, and Rumple just looks afraid. Killian steps up to Emma placing an encouraging hand into her's. She looks at him with a small smile. Robin, too, is apprehensive about what is about to happen while Regina places her hands onto her children's shoulder, protecting them from what's to come.
Emma turns to her parents for reassurance and that's what she gets. Snow and David smile and nod, genuinely supporting their daughter's decision because they, too, are desperate to get Avia back.
Rumple wipes away the blood from the dagger while Emma and Killian approach the pond's water, the Charon and his boat coming to a halt. They both begin walking atop the surface towards the boat, and Snow and David follow with Regina, Robin, Nick, and Karley following closely behind, and Rumple being last.
"Avia - " Emma vows. " - I will find you and I will protect you. I will always protect you."
Emma Swan opens her eyes, waking up inside her yellow bug. She sits up, looking around in confusion since the last thing she remembers is heading to the Underworld. She sees that she is in an abandoned amusement park during the day. It looks somewhat familiar to her, though.
"Hey, Emma."
Emma gasps at the appearance of Neal Cassidy sitting in her backseat. "Neal?"
"Yeah." Neal smiles. "It's really great to see you."
"Where are we? Am I dreaming?"
"Nah. If this were a dream, there'd be, like, talking donuts or something weird like that." He jokes as he makes his way into the front seat. "Think of this as a long-distance call from an old friend."
"It's really you." Emma says, happily.
"How's your family?"
"I - I don't know." Emma says, sadly, remembering what she had to do just hours before to Avia. "I'm trying to find Avia. Is this the Underworld? I was on my way to the Underworld."
"Yeah, I know that's where you're headed. That's kind of why I'm here." Neal tells her. "Don't go, Emma." Emma is taken aback by this. "Once you get there, it is not an easy place to get out of. I know you're trying to save Avia. But trust me on this. This won't end the way you think it will."
"I would have come after you, too." Emma tells him. "I didn't know I could do this."
"You couldn't have. I'm not there. I'm not in limbo." He reveals.
"Does that mean - " Emma realizes. " - that Avia is there? I can get her back?"
Neal nods. "Yeah, she's there."
"Then help me. I can split my heart and give it to her. We're sisters. We're family. It could work."
"The Underworld's for people with unfinished business, and that isn't me. That's why I'm not there."
Emma stares longingly at Neal. "Where are you?" She wonders.
"Someplace." Neal smiles. "Someplace where I'm happy." Emma smiles at this, relieved to hear Neal is doing well. "I only came here because I care about you, Emma. I care about Avia, too. I hate to see something happened to the both of you. Stop what you're doing before it's too late."
Emma scowls at this. "I can't. She's my sister, Neal."
Neal smiles. "I figured. But I had to try." He kisses her softly on the forehead and she takes some time to memorize his face.
"Neal." Emma breathes sharply, caressing his face softly.
"I love you, Emma. I always have, and I always will."
Neal gives her no time to react, though, before finally stepping out of the car and walking away. "Neal?" Emma reaches over to grab the door, not ready to say goodbye.
But it's too late.
A sudden bright light flashes and Emma gasps, jumping awake, seeing that she is still on the boat on her way to the Underworld. Her parents are hovering over her, worried. "Emma." Snow caresses her daughter's face. "Are you okay?"
"You passed out." David tells her.
"Yeah. I'm fine." Emma assures them.
"Good." Rumple says from the front of the boat. "Because we're here."
Those who were aboard the Charon's boat are now stepping off and walking along a wood deck that leads out of the misty, mystical pond. Rumple is leads them into a mist so thick that it is almost hard to see through. But they soon come out of the other side only to discover... Storybrooke. But it's the demented version of the town. Fog surrounds every turn and the skies are burnt orange. The clock tower is broken in the middle of the street, and the no-longer living pedestrians are walking around in an eerie silence.
"I don't think we're in Maine anymore." Karley comments.
"How is this possible?" Emma asks. "How does the Underworld look like Storybrooke?"
"Your questions are pointless." Rumple tells her as they walk passed a charred car. "All that matters is, all these people in this Underworld are dead and trapped because they have unfinished business."
They then stand in shock to hear an engine revving up and a vintage car drives across the main street. "Cruella." Emma utters the name of the woman her sister killed.
"That's right. And she's here because of Avia. I hate to see if they found each other."
Emma and her parents look at the Dark One with worry. "Watch it, Crocodile." Killian warns only amusing Rumple.
"I imagine there are many here because of all of us. What do you think, pirate?"
Killian starts to lunge at Rumple, but is held back by Emma. "No. We are here for Avia. That's it."
"Then let's not lollygag." Rumple says, leading them down the street once again.
"Split up." Emma suggests. "We'll cover more ground."
"Agreed." Regina says, though her attention is elsewhere. "The sooner we get out of here, the better." They watch as a man who just finished graffiting the ice cream shop looks back at her.
Enchanted Forest...
An army of Black Knights march forward, parting down the middle to reveal the Evil Queen in all her glory.
"Greetings, my subjects." Regina smiles menacingly at the peasants.
"Your majesty." A girl walks up with a pie. "Happy birthday, my Queen." She bows.
Regina scoffs, walking closer to the girl, gasping at the pie. She proceeds to dip her finger into the pie to try the filling. She grimaces at the taste. "Blueberry. Not bad. But I prefer apple." She glares, pushing the girl back. "Luckily for you, I'm not here for the pie." Regina then begins to walk intimidatingly up and down the line of the peasants. "The present I want, none of you have. But you will get it for me - Snow White's heart on a plate. I know she's been here. And if someone doesn't start talking - " She walks back to the girl with the pie and attempts to lunge her hand into the girl's chest to retrieve her heart.
"Wait." A voice calls out, stopping her. Regina turns around to face the man. It's the same man that was staring at her down in the Underworld. "I think I can help you." He tells her. Regina is intrigued by this and walks towards the man who chuckles. "I can tell you where Snow White is."
"Then tell me."
"I want something in return."
Regina laughs. "How's this for a deal? Tell me, and I'll kill you quickly instead of slowly." With that, Regina raises her arm and begins to choke the man with her magic. "Tell me where that wretched girl is." She demands.
"Behind you." Snow calls out. Regina breaks the man's neck and he drops to the ground, dead, as Regina turns around to see Snow aiming her bow and arrow. The Black Knights draw their swords, ready to match Prince Charming and the dwarfs, who also have their swords drawn. "I'm right here, Regina, and I won't let you hurt anyone else."
Regina summons a fireball in her hand. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Grumpy suggests.
"We're got you surrounded." Charming exclaims.
Regina's face falls warily. "So, what do you say?" Snow asks. "Shall we end this ridiculous conflict?"
Regina blows out her fireball. "You're lucky it's my birthday, and I'm feeling benevolent."
She then vanishes in a cloud of purple smoke.
"Is this really the way you want to spend today?" Henry, Regina's father, asks as he follows her in her bed quarters inside the palace. Regina begins pacing, dismayed by the fact that she let the opportunity to kill Snow White slip through her fingers. "Perhaps it's time for a change. Perhaps it's time to give up on revenge and move on."
"I will never give up." Regina growls, adamantly. "Not until Snow White's heart is in one of these boxes." She clutches the box on her dressing table.
"I know you loved Daniel, but if anyone is to blame, it's your mother. She ripped out his heart so you would become the merciless queen that she always wanted. Don't let her win! Don't let her control you."
This, however, stirs something inside of Regina. "Mother does not control me." She says, looking back at her father. "I banished her to Wonderland, remember?"
"Until you give up this quest for vengeance, Cora will always have a hold on you." Henry tells her, saddened by this.
Underworld / Present...
Inside the mayoral office of the Underworld, the villager from Regina's past enters the room.
"Your Majesty." He says to the person who is sitting in the chair with their back turned. "She's here."
The chair spins around, revealing the person to be Cora, Regina's mother. "Thank you for bringing me this information." The villager bows his head. "Now tell me - How's my daughter?" She asks, eagerly.
Snow steps into Granny's Diner, seeing the ghoulish figures who work there. She then spots the Blind Witch behind the counter.
The Witch sniffs the air as Snow approaches, realizing based on her scent that she knows who she is. "Is that - I know you. Aren't you Snow White?" Snow is taken back by this as the Witch gasps, delighted. "Can you imagine? Uh, well, what can I get you? Do you like gingerbread or children? Oh, of course you like children." Snow looks back at the Witch in disgusts. "Well, the gingerbread's actually not bad."
"I'm actually looking for my daughter." Snow tells her.
"A child." The Witch says, excitedly.
"She would have gotten here recently. Long dark and wavy hair, green eyes."
The Witch gasps. "Avia Swan. The young Dark One."
"No." Snow says, firmly. "She's not the Dark One anymore. She's my daughter. Do you know her?"
"No, no. But you description's pretty complete. I heard there was new child here, but I didn't know she was yours. How exciting."
David then enters, relieving Snow. "David." She then frowns at his new attire. "You changed. What happened? Is everything okay?"
"Everything's fine." He tells her.
"Good, because I'm not. This place is creeping me out, and I'm afraid Avia is in more danger than we realized."
David suddenly grabs Snow by her coat and kisses her passionately on the lips. He then pulls away, smiling. "I see why my brother likes you."
This shocks Snow, causing her to jump back, away from his touch. "James."
"Indeed." James, David's twin brother, grins. "So, Snow White's in town. I'm guessing that means my brother is, too." He reaches for a cup of coffee with a chuckle. "When you see ole' Dave, tell him there's a new sheriff in town."
As James walks away, Snow stares at him, discomforted by the interaction. Then the actual David walks into the diner, seeing James walk further into the backroom. "Was that - my brother?" He asks Snow.
"Yeah." Snow frowns.
Emma walks in with Killian and Rumple. "Mom. Dad." She looks around the eery diner. "You find anything?"
Snow, who was still trying to recover, shakes her head. "There's no sign of Avia here, the park, or the town hall."
"This is hopeless. We don't even know if Avia's here. What if she has no unfinished business?" Emma worries.
"She died a Dark One, Miss Swan." Rumple reminds her. "Trust me, she's here."
"And, anyway, the Witch said she heard a new child has come into the Underworld." Snow says. "I can only assume it's Avia."
"Okay, well, look, I'm finished being a team player. If you want things done, let me do them my way." Rumple suggests, opening the door. "I may have something down here that can help us."
As he walks out, Karley and Nick walk in from the back. "Karley. Nick." Emma says.
"No luck?" Nick asks.
"Not yet. What's that?" She asks, seeing the room keys in their hands for the B&B.
"We were just checking the rooms." Karley shrugs. "Thought maybe Avia could be hiding in one of them."
"But she's not." Nick says, defeated.
Back on Main Street, Robin and Regina are walking, looking around at the destruction.
"It's uncanny." Robin comments. "It's so similar, yet so...off."
"Well, when I conjured Storybrooke, it was with the Dark Curse." Regina recalls. "Whoever created that curse, looks like this is where they got their inspiration."
"Or vice versa." They then walk passed the old villager from Regina's past, causing Regina to suddenly stop walking. Robin turns to her, confused. "What is it? What's wrong?"
Regina turns to the villager who is staring back at her. "You. You've been following us. Why?"
"Someone wants to see you." The villager reveals, catching the former Evil Queen off guard.
Enchanted Forest...
"I hate her pasty complexion - " Regina complains as she tears up a black rose, listing all the things she hates about Snow White. " - her insufferable sincerity - and her puny army of sweaty little child-beasts."
Henry, Regina's father, steps in. "I believe they're dwarfs."
"I don't care what they are." Regina exclaims, annoyed. "They're disgusting." She turns to her father. "And I asked to be alone, Daddy. So, if you've come here to talk about Mother again, I'm not interested." She starts to head out of her room. "I just want this birthday to be over."
Once alone in his daughter's bedroom, Henry turns to the magic mirror hanging on the wall. "Mirror, Mirror on the wall, we must do something about my daughter."
The former Genie of Agrabah a.k.a Sidney appears within the frame. "How can I be of service?"
"I need you to summon - " Henry takes a moment, knowing he'll regret it as soon as he says it. " - her."
"I'm sorry. No." The Mirror refuses. "I don't have a death wish."
"If you care for my daughter at all, you will do what I ask."
The Mirror takes a moment, eventually conceding. "As you wish." He then disappears from behind the glass in a cloud of blue smoke and Cora then appears from behind inside her own mirror in Wonderland.
She looks around in confusion before seeing her ex-husband, Henry. "Oh. Hello, Henry." She says, disappointed that it is he she is seeing.
"Cora, are you aware of what day it is?" Henry asks.
"Of course. I'm well aware it's our daughter's birthday. Let me guess - she's wasting it tormenting herself over Snow White."
"You have to talk to her. She listens to you. Tell her to let go of this feud."
"She doesn't need to let it go." Cora tells him. "She needs to finish it. If Regina won't be happy until she crushes Snow White's heart, then we must help her do just that."
"This was a terrible idea." Henry realizes.
He turns away from Cora, but she reappears inside the looking glass. "Where do you think you're going?"
"To talk to Snow White. Goodbye, Cora. I don't need your help." And with that, Henry walks away.
"No." Cora agrees. "But Regina does." She grins.
She then takes advantage of Henry using magic and figures out that the looking glass is tangible, allowing her to step through, successfully crossing realms from Wonderland to the Enchanted Forest.
Underworld / Present...
Cora is waiting for her daughter in the mayoral office of the Underworld. "Mother." Regina walks in, shocked to see that her mother is there. "You're here."
"Yes." Cora confirms, happy to see her daughter.
"I had hoped you were okay."
Cora nods. "I know, darling." She then tightly embraces Regina. Both are happy to be reunited, each crying tears of joy. They pull apart, but continue to hold onto one another, looking each other over. "But I do have unfinished business." Cora reveals. "And that would be you."
"You don't have to worry about me." Regina assures her mother.
"I'll always worry about you. I want you to be happy."
"Then help me find Avia and get out of here."
"It's too dangerous. You need to leave - now." Cora warns her.
"I promised my children and my friends I would help."
"Your friends." Cora says, caressing her daughter's cheek. "Your family. They're what's holding you back. Sweetheart, you must do what's best for you."
Regina smiles. "I am."
"No, you're not." Cora says, sternly. "And if you won't, I'll see to it that you do. It wasn't easy, but I've arranged for a boat to take you home. It departs in one hour. Take Nicholas and Karley, take your thief, and go before it's too late."
"Mother - " Regina insists. " - I can't."
"You must. I know it's hard to - to put aside all suspicion after how I raised you, but, Regina, do you remember the last thing I said to you before I died?"
Regina nods, trying her best to keep her tears at bay. "That I would have been enough."
Cora nods, smiling. "You would have been. It just took me too long to realize it. Don't make the same mistake. Go." She urges.
"What would happened if I stayed?" Regina wonders, curiously.
"Sometimes a mother has to do what's best for her child, even if it's reprehensible."
"Are you threatening me?" Regina asks.
"Oh, no." Cora chuckles. "No, of course not. I never. But there's something I have to show you."
She then waves her arm and causes herself, her daughter, and the villager to poof away.
The three of them then reappear in a dark, underground set of caves that overlook a pit of raging fire down below. The villager is on the very end of a long, outstretching ledge, looking down at the flames with fear.
"Mother - " Regina says, concerned. " - where are we?" Cora remains silent, using her powers to make the fire reach up. "What are you doing?"
The flames then absorb the man and he screams as it consumes him. "Showing you your fate if you don't return to Storybrooke." Cora tells her. The flames continue to whirl around them and he continues to scream until finally he's pulled from the ledge and into the pit of damnation.
Regina gasps, horrified by what she's witnessed. "You - You killed him."
Cora turns to her daughter. "'Killed' is, um, a relative term down here. This underworld, most can only leave it in two ways - to a better place or a worse one." She traces her hands down Regina's baffled face. "But you, my sweet daughter, have another option. However, not for long. Go home, or there will be a cost. Someone will suffer."
Regina breaks away from her mother's grip. "Who?"
"Your father." Cora reveals.
Regina gasps, horrified by the thought of her father in a place worse than this, realizing that he too has unfinished business.
Over at Mr. Gold's Pawnbroker & Antiquities Dealer, or at least the Underworld's version, Rumple walks up seeing the battered up sign hanging above.
He walks into the front door and finds a spinning wheel in the middle of the room continuously turning, along with replica objects from his shop back home. The chipped cup being one of them. It's resting atop a more extravagant, miniature podium with its plate leaning against it. Seeing the cup gets Rumple thinking about this relationship with Belle, and how things were left between them.
Storybrooke / Hours Before...
"The Underworld!?" Belle exclaims as she and Rumple stand in the backroom of the shop.
"I'll only be gone for a day." Rumple assures her. "Just long enough to retrieve Avia."
But this worries Belle. "I don't understand. Why you?" She asks, bewildered.
"Because, Belle, I'm the only one who's been there. Plus, my blood can summon the ferry."
Belle sighs, gently placing a kiss to Rumple's lips. "Just come back to me."
"I always do."
Underworld / Present...
Rumple picks up the chipped cup, staring down at it sadly before carefully placing it back on top of its podium. He then proceeds to walk through his shop and notices a straw doll that was given to him when he was a boy. The same straw doll that we seen back in Neverland.
But not following through with his emotions, Rumple ignores it and goes behind the counter instead, pulling back the painting that's attached to the wall, revealing his safe.
"Looking for something?" A familiar voice calls out.
Rumple turns to see his father, Peter Pan, standing there in a black suit. "Peter Pan. I certainly wasn't looking for you." He says, continuing his search through the counters since what he is looking for isn't in his safe.
"Oh, come on, son. Don't be like that. Aren't you glad to see your dear old father?"
"Just because you sired me, that doesn't make you my father." Rumple says, walking up to the boy. "Step aside."
Peter Pan steps aside. "Keep looking for as long as you like. But down here, this is my shop. And you won't find anything unless I want you to."
"Be careful with your threats." Rumple warns as he continues to look around.
"Or what?" Peter Pan asks, amused. "You'll kill me again? Maybe it's time to put the past behind us. This what you're looking for, right?" Rumple turns to see Peter Pan holding a small flask which he places down on the same podium as the straw doll. "Go on. Take it."
"How generous." Rumple says, sarcastically. "How many strings are attached?"
"No strings. Rumple, I meant what I said before I died. I do want to start over."
"Never gonna happen. I sent you here for a reason."
"I miss the world above - the tastes, the smells." Peter Pan exclaims.
"Sorry." Rumple says, unsympathetically. "You can't go back."
"Not unless I trade places with a living soul." Peter Pan says, knowingly. "And those people you came down with - they are not your friends. And they are living - for now. Maybe one of them doesn't make the trip back, but your dear old dad does."
"Not interested."
"Not yet. But - " Peter Pan takes the vial. " - this one's on the house for today." He holds it out to Rumple. "A gesture of goodwill, from a father to his son."
The two villains stare each other down intensely.
"She'll really do that?" Snow asks Regina as they all stand inside Granny's Diner. "She'll throw your father, her husband, into the fire?"
"Of course she will." Regina says without a doubt. "She thinks she's giving me my best chance. I can't let my father suffer because of me."
"Regina, it's alright." Robin tries to assure her.
"No, it's not. He's here because I killed him. The only way I've been able to deal with that is by imagining he went to a better place, but he didn't." She sighs, considering her mother's offer. "Maybe I should get on that boat."
"Yes, you should." Emma agrees, surprising them.
"Absolutely not." David disagrees. "We're not leaving until we find Avia together."
"It's dangerous here."
"Which is why we're not leaving you, or Avia, alone." Snow tells her daughter.
"Perhaps I can cut through this little family squabble." Rumple says, coming out from the back, holding up a vial.
"What the hell is that?" Killian asks.
"This is the way we find your deceased daughter. The Ale of Seonaidh from the land of DunBroch." Rumple tells the Charmings.
"That's a mouthful." Regina comments.
"It lets you communicate with the dead." Rumple explains. "Pour this over Avia's grave, and we can stop guessing where she is and simply ask her."
"You're saying Avia has a grave here in the Underworld?" David asks, surprised.
"Everyone down here has a grave. You'll find the cemetery right where you remember it."
"Well, if this works, we could find Avia before the boat leaves." Snow says, eagerly. "We could all get out of here together."
"A fine idea. I suggest you all get moving."
"No way." Emma refuses, seeing that Rumple is pushing them away. "You're coming with us."
"You can do this part on your own." Rumple says, handing Emma the vial. "There's a boat that's leaving soon. You want to find your sister? Fine. But I have no interest in exploring this world further. You can meet me there. But that's entirely up to you."
As Rumple walks away, Emma starts to stop him, but Snow steps in front of her daughter. "Emma. There's no time to argue. If there's even a chance that will work, we have to risk it."
Enchanted Forest...
Prince Henry stands nervously in the middle of the woods as Snow White emerges from behind with her bow and arrow.
"I got your message." She says, aiming her bow at the old man. Henry is startled, turning around to face her. "Are you alone?"
Henry raises his hands. "Alone and unarmed, as promised."
"Well, I'm alone, but I don't go anywhere unarmed. Sorry."
"I'm here because I care about my daughter. And if the war continues, it will destroy the kingdom, but more importantly, her soul." He explains as he approaches Snow.
"Snow White." The real Prince Henry calls out. Snow gasps, and turns around aiming her arrow at him.
The first Henry then plunges his hand into Snow's back and rips out her heart. She gasps painfully and shocked by what just happened. She turns to face the first Henry only to find that he is Cora in disguise. "You see? The only way to truly achieve peace is through war." Cora tells her as she places Snow's heart into a box.
"Cora." Henry says, surprised. "How - How are you here?"
"Why, because of you, Henry dear. You played with magic you didn't understand. And I never let a good mistake go to waste." She smiles.
"Please, I beg you. Don't do this."
Cora ignores him and opens the box, speaking into the heart. "Now, forget this ever happened and go enjoy your last few hours." She closes the box and Snow has no choice but to walk away. "Come along, Henry. Regina needs her birthday present." She announces, excitedly, walking away, leaving her husband at a loss of what to do.
Underworld / Present...
Inside the graveyard that goes on and on for miles, accounting every single lost soul that's trapped there, Emma and the rest of the group are standing at the center of it all, looking out at them, feeling intimidated.
"Alright." Emma says. "Let's do this."
After a while of searching, they find the grave that belongs to Avia Swan. Emma stares longingly at it, as Snow and David have trouble even looking at it.
Killian steps up to Emma. "Are you okay, love?"
"I just hope she is." Emma tells him. Emma looks back at her grieving parents before looking back at the grave. She pops open the vial and pours the contents over the ground beneath her sister's grave. There is a flickering sound but nothing happens. They look at each other in confusion. Suddenly a holographic version of Avia appears. But it's not the Avia we know. She is swollen all over and dripping blood. She is bruised with cuts around her face. She looks so bad, Regina stands in front of her children to shield them from that memory while Snow and David stare in shock. "Avia." Emma says, hopeful. "Avia, we're here to help you. We just can't find you. Where are you?"
"Oh, Emma. The spell's not steady." Regina realizes. "She can't hear you."
Snow then steps up, desperate for her daughter. "Avia, I'm here. Your dad and I are here for you. Just tell us where you are so we can come to you."
But the flickering continues, and Avia doesn't respond. "Something happening." Killian says.
"It's not holding." David says.
"Talk to us." Emma begs. But she can't. She doesn't even seem aware that they are contacting her. The vision grows weaker until, finally, it's gone altogether. "Avia!" Emma and Snow shout.
"She doesn't know we came for her." Snow says, distraught.
"She doesn't even know we're here." Emma says.
Killian slowly helps Emma back up from the ground, as does David with Snow. "She does." Killian assures his love. "We will find her."
"Will we?" Emma questions, doubtfully. "Did you not just see that? She's in pain. She's suffering - again. And look at this place. We have half an hour." Emma turns to her parents. "You have half an hour." Snow and David look perplexed by this. "Cora has a boat coming." She reminds them. "You have to take it, or we might all be stuck here."
"If she can arrange a way out, so can we - " David points out. " - after we find Avia." He says, sternly. "We are not giving up on you and Avia."
Emma walks over to Regina. "They're staying, but you should go. You should take Nick and Karley and Robin back with you."
"No!" Nick and Karley refuse in unison.
"Regina, whatever you father is going to face - "
"It probably looks a lot like what - " Regina sighs, deeply worried. " - Avia is facing."
"So, it's settled."
"What? Mom, no!" Nick argues, stepping up with Karley.
Emma brings both kids to face her. "We have no idea what we are going to face. But I'll make sure Avia knows that you both came back to help. She'll understand. She would want you to both be safe." Emma looks up at Regina. "Get them out of here. Get yourself out of here."
Regina looks down at her distraught children, not wanting to do what she knows she has to.
Enchanted Forest...
Regina stares intensely down at the black, extravagant frosted birthday cake with a single lit candle sticking out of its tops tier.
A jester rattles on the other side of the cake, jingling. "Make a wish! Make a wish!" He smiles widely. Regina narrows her eyes, annoyed by his overenthusiastic presence, but she blows the candle out, allowing the smoke to drift into the jester's face. But he continues to smile. "What did you wish?"
"That you were amusing, Jester." Regina says, eerily. "And it didn't come true." She waves her hand, killing the jester instantly. "Let's wind this up. I've had enough revelry."
"Oh, don't go yet." Cora says, surprising her daughter.
"Mother." Regina says with venom in her voice. "How did you get out of Wonderland?" Her face soon drops with worry. "Where's Daddy? Did you do something?"
Cora walks closer to her daughter, standing in front of her. "Oh, I lost track of him hours ago when I had him wrap - " She holds out a box to Regina. " - this. Happy birthday, darling.
Regina scowls down at the gift. "I don't want anything from you."
"Oh, you'll want this. I did what no one else could do, Regina." She uncovers the box which Regina immediately recognizes. "I've brought you your revenge." Cora opens the box, revealing the beating heart. "Snow White's beating heart."
Regina smiles, staring intently at the heart. "Really?"
"Crush it, and she dies at last." But Regina's face suddenly falls. "You don't believe me." Cora realizes. "Let me show you. Bring the Magic Mirror." As the Black Knights roll the Magic Mirror towards them, Regina picks up the beating heart, laughing evilly. "Show us Snow White."
The image in the mirror shows Snow White drinking in a tavern with Prince Charming and the seven dwarfs, all bellowing out in laughter. "To my stepmother!" Snow raises a toast. "May she spend the rest of her birthdays searching for me."
"To the Queen!" Grumpy toasts.
They all clink their tankards together before drinking.
Regina's lip snarls in anger as she stares at the heart in hand that belongs to the girl in the mirror, and squeezes it. Snow stands up from her seat in pain, gasping as she feels an intense sensation in her chest.
Prince Charming stands, comforting his true love. "Snow." He worries.
Snow quickly begins to attack her clothes in attempt to get to the source of her problem. But she doesn't know what's going on. She doesn't remember her encounter with Cora, and this just pleases Regina more as she takes great joy in squeezing the heart harder. Knowing that everything is soon coming to an end, Regina gives the heart one last, big squeeze before - Jiminy Cricket pops out from Snow's bosom, having somehow found himself down her top. This causes everyone to bellow out loudly in laughter as the cricket falls to the table.
Regina, however, appears confused. Obviously, her squeezing the heart was doing nothing to Snow's pain, and when she crushes the heart to dust all that happens is one of her Black Knights falls dead to the floor.
"Someone switched the hearts." Cora realizes.
Regina's breathing becomes rapid, filling with nothing but venom and anger. "Who?"
Later, after the guests have left the party, Regina is sitting at the table playing with her bowl of apples to distract herself from the anger she is still feeling. Prince Henry then walks in.
"You gave Snow White her heart back." Regina accuses her father.
"I had to for your own good." Henry tells his daughter, somberly.
"How could you say that?" Regina argues. "She'd be dead right now, and all this would be over. Don't you want me to be happy?"
"Of course, but not like this. If you crush her heart, you could be dark forever, Regina. You'll be just like her - your mother. That's what she wants." Regina turns away, fuming. "Please. Please, Regina. Please, you have to listen to me. You can be happy."
"Killing Snow White is the only way I will ever be happy."
"I'm sorry you think that."
"You betrayed me, Daddy. And you know what that means."
"Do what you will, dear. It matters not, because Snow White lives. And now so does your chance at redemption. Whatever happens to me was worth it." Henry looks down at the box that once contained Snow White's heart. "This box is a empty as your pursuit. I pray it stays that way."
"It won't." Regina tells him. "Until Snow White dies I will never be what you want, let along what I want." She yells, snatching the box from him. "And this box was made to hold something precious." She opens it, looking at her father. "And that's exactly what it's going to do." She uses her magic causing Henry to be consumed by purple smoke and then redirected into the box. He stands within, a shrunken version of himself. "Don't worry, Daddy. You're safe in here. I just can't let you stop me. But I would never do anything to hurt you."
"Regina, please." Henry begs. "Don't. No!"
Regina closes the lid of the box. She's already regretting what she has done to her father, but she doesn't attempt to take it back. She can't have him in her way anymore.
Underworld / Present...
Upon Prince Henry's gravestone, Regina pours the last of the Ale of Sinead over his resting place, wanting to speak to him. She remains sorrowful, looking apprehensively down at her feet.
"Regina." Her father's voice is heard.
Regina's breath shakes, as she continues looking down. "Daddy." With tears streaming down her face, she finally looks up at her father. "I'm so sorry." She cries.
"It's okay, dear." Henry steps up, wanting to comfort his daughter. "It's okay." He brings Regina in a hug. "It's okay. It's okay."
"Is it?" She asks, sobbing into her father's shoulder. "Am I really forgiven?"
"Of course. I love you no matter what. That's what fathers do."
Regina furrows her brows at this. "I'm not sure they do." She says, looking at her father. "I think you're very special." Henry smiles at this. "I don't understand how you can be so good."
"Oh, I'm not perfect. I have many regrets. I don't even know which one is keeping me in this place."
"Well, it doesn't matter. Your suffering will not get any worse. I'm going to see to it." Regina promises.
"No, Regina. That's what I came to tell you. Your mother is using me to get you to leave. But I want you to stay. You've got a job to do - helping Snow White find her daughter. She needs you. They all need you. They need your strength. You finally put vengeance aside to be a hero. I'm not gonna stand in the way of that."
"But Mother's going to send you someplace worse." Regina points out. "I can't cause you pain again. Mother made her decision. We both know we can't change her mind." Henry sighs, knowing that's true. "But she's given you a way out. Both of us."
"When you tore my heart out, it was driven by the worst motives." Henry tells her. "But if you stay, you spread hope. That's the best thing anyone can do." Regina smiles softly and lovingly down at her father. "Let your old man see you doing the right thing. Then I truly will not have died in vain."
He gives Regina one last comforting smile before the ale's magic wears off and a silver mist comes to take the vision away, leaving Regina with nothing but her father's grave and his advisement.
Enchanted Forest...
The Evil Queen is sitting sullenly in her bed quarters when Cora walks in.
"Where's your father run off to?" She asks her daughter. "I still owe him a thank you for spoiling your birthday surprise."
Regina stands up and grabs the box that contains her father. "I've already dealt with him." She smiles as she walks over to her mother. "Say hello to Daddy." She opens the box revealing Prince Henry's shrunken form.
Cora gasps. "Oh. You've impressed me, sweetheart."
Regina pulls the box away, shutting it, her smile fading. "You know, Daddy may have been wrong to ruin my revenge, but he was right about you."
"When are you going to get it in that thick head that I do everything for you?" Cora asks. "Especially the things you can't do, like Snow's heart. How long have you been trying to get it? Because it only took me a day."
"And it only took you an hour to lose it." Regina retorts. "When I get my revenge, it will be my victory. You won't be around to steal it away." She smiles.
"You don't have the power to push me back to Wonderland." Cora says, sounding certain.
"I don't need it. There's someone who'd be happy to lend a hand."
"Hello again, Cora." The Magic Mirror greets from within his frame. "Ready for your trip?" And with that, an arm bursts forth from the looking glass, wrapping itself around Cora's waist.
"Don't do this!" Cora exclaims, struggling against the attack.
"It's done." Regina says. "I've already cast a spell to seal this portal once you're through. Not even I can reopen it. And you'll be out of my life forever."
"Without me, you'll fail. And even worse, you'll be alone."
"Better alone than with you."
"You think you're better alone?" Cora asks, amused. "Let's see how you really feel." She then magics the box containing Prince Henry into her hands.
"No!" Regina yells as she runs towards the looking glass. "Daddy!"
But the Queen of Hearts is yanked through the glass and back into the land that she belongs in. Regina lets out a loud, frustrated grunt. "Well, you always have me." The Magic Mirror tells her.
But the Queen is less than pleased.
Underworld / Present...
As the hellfire of the Underworld rages within its pit, Prince Henry stands scared at the very edge, with Cora standing behind him.
Regina, Nick, and Karley run into the caves. "Let him go, Mother." Regina orders.
Cora turns to her daughter and grandchildren. "You should be on that boat."
"I can't turn my back on those I love."
Cora sighs. "I know that seems like the right choice, but life doesn't work that way. I implore you, leave this place."
"No, Regina." Henry says from where he is standing. "Stay here. Help your friends. She's trying to bait you."
"I didn't come back just to help my friends." Regina tells him. "I came back to help everyone."
"That's not possible." Cora tells her. "You have to trust me."
With tears in her eyes, Regina begs her mother. "Let him go."
"Oh, please listen to reason. Listen to me. Either way, my time in the Underworld is done. Yours can be, too. Just do what I say."
Regina turns to her children. "Nick, Karley, stand back." She says, stepping forward.
"Please don't force my hand." Cora says, stopping her. "I don't want to do this."
"Then don't." Regina utters.
"I'm sorry." She waves her arm and uses her magic to draw the hellfire upwards, consuming Henry.
"No!" Regina shouts, running towards her father, but a barrier of flames blocks her path and all Regina can do is watch her father be dragged into a worse place.
Regina turns to her mother. "One day, you'll understand." Cora says before disappearing.
Regina looks back at her father. "Daddy!" She cries out. "I'm so sorry!" The fire soon stops, getting sucked back down into the pit, causing Regina and the kids to become confused. "Daddy?"
"Stop." Henry tells her. "Stay there."
A bridge then starts to form from magic, meeting the outstretched ledge at the center of the pit and creating a path across. "What happening?" Regina asks.
"I don't know." He looks down, over the edge. "There's something down here." Birds are heard chirping as paradise awaits. "It's so - " They all look on, amazed. " - it's beautiful." Regina smiles. "It's where I belong." He turns to his daughter as Nick and Karley walk to her side. He walks closer to them. "I know what my unfinished business was now. It was you."
"Me?"
"For so long, I let your mother get in the way of who you really are. It was the biggest regret of my life. But now you're free of her. And I've never been more proud."
Regina smiles, sobbing happily at her father's words. Nick and Karley then step up, having heard the stories of Prince Henry. "Hi." They both say.
Henry is surprised to see them. "Is that - "
"Your grandchildren." Regina says, happily. "Nicholas and Karley."
"Nicholas Henry Mills." Nick tells him as the man stands proudly.
"Thank you, Grandpa, for believing in her like we do." Karley tells him as Regina looks at her children in awe.
"Thank you, Karley and Nicholas, for being there when I couldn't." Henry tells them. "You children take care of your mother." He then turns towards the heavenly light. "It's time for me to go."
"Daddy, no." Regina says, unable to bear saying goodbye.
"I love you, Regina. Never forget who you really are."
Regina nods, grabbing Nick and Karley's hands. "Okay."
They watch as he slowly walks the length of the bridge and the afterlife takes him in. The white light intensifies as his soul is greeted into eternal bliss, and Regina is finally able to come to terms with what she did, accepting this happy fate for her father.
It's nighttime in the Underworld and Regina, Karley, and Nick make their way down Main Street where the rest of the group are waiting by the fallen clock tower.
"Tell me your father's okay." Snow says, hopeful.
Regina smiles. "He's better than okay."
"He's in a better place now." Nick tells them.
"Wait." Snow says. "That means everyone here - "
"Can be saved." David finishes.
"Every soul in this town has unfinished business." Killian says. "And chances are, for a lot of them, we're that business."
"You've all deluded yourself if you think these people are worth your time." Rumple says, appearing unhappy about this. "They're not the dearly departed. They are dead, wretched souls, and I want no part of it."
"What you want doesn't matter." Emma scowls. "I wasn't bluffing - I'm happy to tell Belle about your return to Dark One-ness."
"Our agreement was to find your sister and get the hell out of here." Rumple reminds her. "If you want to distract yourself with this other asinine pursuit, be my guest. I'm out."
He proceeds to walk away, but the others don't care. They soon walk the opposite way, on their mission to continue their search for Avia, and willing to do whatever it takes to get her back to them.
However, the former Evil Queen takes a moment to stop and look at the clock tower that's lying in the street. Its hands are positioned at 8:15, but then the big hand gives a magnificent tick, and 8:16 becomes the new time. Knowing what this means, Regina smiles, comforted by the fact that Prince Henry has successfully passed over, and with much more determination to find Avia Swan.
But as Regina continues to follow the others, someone appears behind the clock. It's Cora, and she heads into the library which pretty much looks the same as it does in Storybrooke, except for the fact that there are no books. She walks to the elevator and raises her hands, using her magic to open it. The gears start to turn as it begins to descend to the town mines, but it moves quite fast than it does in Storybrooke. Cora has to grab onto the walls to steady herself as it only gets faster as it nears the bottom.
Finally, it comes to a stop, and the doors open. Cora takes a few cautious steps through the underground caves, walking closer to where music can be heard playing.
Inside another cave, five rivers, all consisting of different colors are emanating from the center point as Cora approaches. One blue, one yellow, one green, one lava, and one black. The circle in the middle includes a polished floor and several luxuriant artifacts, not to mention a distinguished man in an extravagant chair getting his feet massaged by a pretty blonde girl. He is dressed in a suit and holding a glass of wine.
"Did you hear that, Cora?" He asks as she approaches him.
"The music?" Cora asks. "Yes." She smiles, awkwardly. "But I've never been very fond of the violin."
The man chuckles. "I wouldn't expect a miller's daughter to appreciate a virtuoso like Paganini, but, no, I didn't mean the music. I was talking about the clock. Did you hear that little tick up there? It was the sound of your incompetence."
"Why do you want my daughter gone?" Cora asks. "What threat could she pose to you?"
"Ah. Tick, tick, tick." He says to a nervous Cora. "You see, each clock tick means a soul has left my domain. Do I look like I like to lose anything?"
Cora shrugs. "I did what you asked. I didn't want to. I - I jeopardized my relationship with her."
He chuckles. "Yeah, because you thought you could get her to do what I wanted, which you couldn't. If it makes you feel any better she's going to regret her decision."
"Don't threaten her. Or me." Cora glares. "Now, I want what I was promised."
"Ah. Really, Cora. I'm surprised you care so much about Regina especially after what you did to your other daughter."
"How do you know about Zelena?" She wonders.
"Oh, I know about everything. Including why you gave her up. All so you could claw your way out of a miserable peasant life. Which - " He chuckles. " - suggests the perfect punishment." He flicks his wine glass so that Cora's mayoral suit is transformed into the rags she grew up wearing. "Look at that!" He laughs. "A miller's daughter once again. Hurry now, Cora. You have flour to deliver. That's what they do at mills, isn't it? I never paid much attention. It seems like dull work."
"No." Cora cries out. "No, you promised you'd save us."
"And you promised not to fail." He then stands from his chair. "Something to think about for eternity." He waves his hand, forcing Cora to leave, sobbing as she goes.
As he revels in Cora's punishment, his blonde hair is replaced entirely by blue flame, revealing himself to be Hades.