Ghostwriter: thanks! And thanks for the alert.
Paulaa90: Rumple will reveal that he remembers eventually. I'm going to rewrite some of my current chapters so the conversation he has with Regina is a while off unfortunately. I'm going to fix a mistake I made in the beginning where I put Belle instead of Lacey and lengthen at least one chapter.
I realised a plot hole while going over this episode. Henry's helmet and bike disappear after Regina calls him, he should have picked up his helmet from the sand and ran to get his bike so it could be secured to the back of Regina's car but it's like the writer and prop department just forgot those were even there.
Henry was on his bike, heading towards the castle playground. Emma and Graham were on the road nearby waiting in the squad car. Emma saw Henry in the rear view mirror and got out of the car, Graham got out after her.
"Hey, kid." Emma said while Graham said "Hello Henry." Henry rode past them. "Nice to see you, too," Emma said.
"The storm!" Henry called out. He abandoned his bike and ran to the castle.
They run down into the castle playground after him. The roof of the structure with the ladder to climb onto the castle had been blown to the ground by the storm and there was wood on the ground. Wood was damaged and missing in parts but it the castle was mostly standing.
"We can fix it," Emma said. "I'll talk to Marco."
"Do you think it's still here?" Henry asked Emma. He took his helmet off and started to dig in the sand near the base of the playground. Emma and Graham knelt down near Henry.
"What are you looking for?" Emma asked.
"My book."
"Why'd you bury it here?" Emma asked. Graham knew the answer before Henry said it.
"So my mom doesn't find it."
"Hiding it under your mattress wasn't good enough?"
Graham wished that he could explain to Emma that there was no being too careful where Regina was concerned, that he had buried his own heart near the town line. Henry uncovered a red metal box under the sand and started to unlock it.
"That's the first place the Evil Queen would look."
"How about leaving it with me?"
Henry looked up at her. "That's the second place." Henry opened the box, revealing the book inside.
"It's still here. Good."
"So, your mom doesn't know about the castle?" Emma asked.
"No. This is our secret." He looked to Graham. "Just the three of us, like the three Musketeers." Henry closed and locked the box, then he reburied it. They stood up.
"Henry! Henry! I've been looking everywhere for you." Regina walked down to the castle from her car. "You know you have a session with Archie this morning." She looked at Emma and then Graham, glaring at both of them. "I should've known he was with you. Henry – car. Now." Henry ran to Regina's car.
"You let him play here?" Regina asked Emma.
"The storm hit it hard, but we can fix it," Emma said.
"Well, can you fix a cracked cranium?" Regina demanded. "Because that's what you'll have on your hands if one of these boards collapses under his weight. You're not thinking about Henry or his safety. Just ways around me. Miss Swan, Mr Humbert, don't let your feelings cloud your judgment. People can get hurt."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Emma asked.
"People have gotten hurt," Graham said, gritting his teeth. Regina and Graham glared at each other.
Emma looked at Graham, studying his face.
Regina pushed her finger into Emma's chest. "You wanted to be deputy so badly – it's time to be responsible."
Emma and Lacey were eating breakfast at a table in Granny's diner.
"Don't let my feelings cloud my judgement?" Emma said. "That's all Regina ever does."
"She's just upset because you and Henry have a special place and she doesn't."
"How'd she find out about the castle in the first place?
"She knows everything about this town, she's the Mayor." Lacey took a sip from her mug. "Look, if it makes you feel any better, I think you're right. I see the effect she has on Henry."
"I wish everyone else did, too."
Lacey finished her drink. "I have to go to work. I'm sure that you'll figure it out."
She touched Emma's arm briefly as she passed her. Sidney made his way over with a drink in his hand and took Lacey's place.
"I can grant your wish."
"Oh, Sidney, you want a side of bacon with that whiskey?"
"You wanna show this town who the Mayor really is? I can help."
"It's gonna be kinda hard to do from inside her pocket."
"The Mayor and I are done."
Emma chuckled. "Sure you are."
"She got me fired from the paper. She made a fool of me in the election. So I started working on an expose' on the Mayor's Office, and I found something she didn't want found."
"Sidney, you're drunk. Go home, sleep it off. Be grateful that you don't have to answer to her anymore."
Sidney reached over the table and held out a card. "Call me. Storybrooke deserves to know the truth about her." Emma took the card and got up. Sidney watched her leave.
Back in the Enchanted Forest before he was cursed to live as Sidney Glass in Storybrook, he was a different man, a genie. He sat on a round seating area that would be a complete circle if there wasn't the opening to walk out of it, it is covered with plush and fancy pillows. The walls and ceiling have intricate designs. Despite the beauty surrounding him he is miserable. He heard breathing up above and saw the face of man through the holes in the ceiling peering down. The genie can tell from the crown on the man's head that this man was a king.
"Here we go," the Genie said to himself already resigned to however this would end badly before he was once again trapped in the lamp. The lamp made a creaking sound as the king picked it up.
Along a lake's beach King Leopold picked up the lamp and rubbed it to clean off some plant matter. Black smoke emerged from the lamp and the Genie appeared. "You awakened the Genie of Agrabah. You're entitled to three wishes—no more, no less. But, you must know that magic has its limits. You cannot wish for life, nor death. You cannot wish for love. You cannot wish for more wishes. And, once spoke, a wish cannot be undone, no matter what the consequences. So... tell me your first wish."
"Hmm. Uh..." He laughed. "Hmm. I cannot think of a single thing I desire. I have everything I need. I seek nothing more than the happiness of all who set food in my kingdom."
"Eurgh." The Genie walked over to some nearby driftwood and sat down. King Leopold chuckled before walking over to him. The Genie harrumphed.
"You are in my kingdom, and yet you seem unhappy."
"I have served as Genie of the Lamp for longer than you've been alive. Life as a genie is not as magical as it may appear."
"So you wish to be free?"
"More than anything."
"Then I know my first wish. I wish you to be free."
The golden shackles around the Genie's wrists glowed and fell off with a sound of wind and music. The genie slowly stood up, staring at his arms in disbelief. "Can it be? Am I truly free?"
"You're the genie. You tell me."
"There are two more wishes left in the Lamp, what will you do with them?"
"For my second wish... I wish to give my third and final wish to you." He offered the Genie the Lamp.
The Genie took the lamp. "In my time, I have granted 1001 wishes, and I have seen them end poorly 1001 times. Making a wish comes with a price, and that is why I will never... use... this wish." He put the lamp in a purse at his belt.
"You are a man of wisdom, Genie. Now tell, what will you do with your freedom?"
"Find the one thing I've always desired, that my prison has kept from me... true love."
"Then you must come join me at my palace. I am certain you will find it there. Come. Meet my family." They walked away from the driftwood down to where they came from and turning away.
At the King's palace King Leopold and the Genie walked along a garden path.
"Your palace is as lovely as you are kind."
"Oh, it's more than kindness, my friend." They approached Snow White, who was picking flowers. "This is my beautiful daughter, Snow."
"How do you do?" She curtsied and the Genie bowed.
"And Regina, my wife, the Queen."
Regina picked an apple from an apple tree. As she walked near them she brushed the apple off on her glove. She looked up at the Genie and slowly her face turned into a smile. "Hello."
She was the most beautiful woman that the Genie had ever seen.
The roof of Henry's castle is crushed by a crane. The crane moved and dumped the roof down on the ground. Henry watched it from a distance, Emma ran up to him.
"Hey," Emma said. "What happened? I came as soon as I could."
"The castle—she's tearing the whole thing down!" Henry ran over to a hole near the castle where his book used to be. "My book! I-It's gone!"
Emma walked over to Regina. "Congratulations, Madame Mayor, you destroyed the thing he loves."
"A dangerous thing," Emma crossed her arms, "that can only hurt Henry and others. You see me as a villain, Miss Swan. But that's just your perception, and you're wrong. Learn your place in this town, or soon enough, you won't be in it." Emma side eyed Regina as she walked away.
Emma took out Sidney's card and her cell phone. She phoned him. "Sidney, hi. I'm in. I want everyone to know who she really is."
Emma and Graham were at the Sheriff's station.
"How do you know that you can trust him?" Graham asked. "We were in competition with him not that long ago."
"The situation is totally different now. Regina's screwed him over."
"So he says."
"I can tell when people are lying and he wasn't."
"There are other ways to fool someone. You aren't looking at this objectively."
"And you are?" She got right up in his face. "You were willing to do whatever it took when it came to the election and now what? You're too scared of Regina to make a move, is that it? I know all about the tricks people use. Don't forget that I was a bails bonds person."
"I was wrong then," Graham said. "Coming clean about what Mr Gold did won us the election."
"Well we might not always be able to avoid fighting dirty."
Emma drove the squad car through a tunnel and stopped it before reaching the end. Her and Graham stepped out of the car. Sidney walked into view. He looked at her and then Graham and clearly annoyed Sidney walked over to her.
"Alright," Emma said. "We're listening. So, what do you know about her?"
"You were supposed to come alone," Sidney said.
"I have as much stock in taking Regina down as she does," Graham said. "I may be able to help in fact given how close we used to be."
Sidney scowled at him. "$50,000."
"I'm sorry?" Emma asked.
"Fifty grand out of the budget is missing," Sidney explained, "and Regina is responsible."
"That's it?" Graham demanded. "That's all you have on her? As the mayor she would have plenty of reasons to secure city funds."
"The money is just the tip of the iceberg. We figure out what she's doing, and it all falls apart. It all crumbles, and we'll finally learn her secrets." Sidney smiled. "You see what she is. I see it. All we need is a crack in the mirror to show everyone. I'm telling you, this is it."
Sidney looked at Emma throughout his impassioned speech and Graham knew that whether or not he was on board didn't matter to Sidney. This was solely about Emma.
"All right," Emma replied, "what's your plan?"
"Tap her phone," Sidney said. "GPS her car. Hack into her email, dip into your bail bonds person bag of tricks."
"No," Emma and Graham said simultaneously. They shared a look.
"If we're caught doing something illegal we could both lose our jobs," Graham said. "How are we supposed to help anyone then?"
"She's gonna know that you're on to her sooner than later," Sidney said. "Are you prepared for her wrath?"
"Oh yeah," Emma said.
"I'm prepared for her worst," Graham said.
"Good," Sidney said. "Because I wasn't."
"That really doesn't inspire confidence," Graham deadpanned.
Sidney started to walk away.
"If you thought she was so terrifying," Emma started. She waited for Sidney to stop and turn around. "...how did you allow yourself to end up in her pocket?"
"I used to think she was a different person."
So did I, Graham thought.
Sidney walked off. Graham and Emma got back into the squad car.
"Did you notice how he focused entirely on you during that conversation?" Graham asked as he buckled his seat belt.
"I should have told him that you were coming," Emma said. "I would have been wary in his position too."
"It was more than that. It was all about what you could do like I wasn't even there. I've known Regina much longer than you have and I know about security surveillance as well. He didn't ask if I knew anything personal about Regina that could help us or address me at all. He barely even acknowledged that I was there after you assured him that it was fine. If you have two cops helping you, wouldn't you want to utilise them?"
"He just doesn't trust you yet. Before I got here, did you ever actively go against Regina?"
Before I got here I couldn't actively go against Regina, he wanted to say. You broke the curse on me even if only partly. But she wasn't ready to hear any of that.
When he didn't answer Emma said "If you want out you better get out now."
He shook his head. "I'm with you all the way. I just think you should be more cautious."
At the castle the royal family, the Genie, and many guests had gathered to celebrate Leopold's birthday. There was clapping throughout the room. Regina was sitting alone at the centre of the dining table, Leopold's place empty beside her. Leopold and Snow were at the other side of the room near the thrones. Leopold stood on the dais that held the thrones.
"Happy birthday, your Majesty!" a man called out.
"No gifts are required to mark this special day," Leopold announced, "for they all pale in comparison to the greatest gift of all—" he gestured at his side with one arm "my daughter, Snow."
Snow White sighed. "Father." She stepped onto the dais. "Father. You make me blush." Leopold took Snow's hand.
"Every day I look upon your face, and I am reminded of your dearly departed mother... who, like you... truly was... the fairest in all the land." Snow hugged Leopold and he hugged back. Clapping sounded throughout the room but Regina didn't join in. Leopold still held Snow's hand when they parted. The Genie watched Regina walk away from the party. He followed her into garden and found her near the apple tree they had met at.
"Not in a festive mood?"
The sound of his voice startled Regina. She turned to look at him. "No one seems to notice my absence."
"I noticed." He walked up to at the apple tree. "Such a lovely tree." He touched the leaves hanging down.
"Yes, it's from my childhood garden." Regina went to stand beside the Genie. "The tree and I share something in common. Neither of us can leave the palace and neither of us truly belongs." Regina looked back at the palace. "No matter how hard I try to please the King, he will never love me the way he loved his first wife. I'm trapped by the memory of the life they used to share."
"I know about being trapped," this caught Regina's attention and looked at him, "more than anyone. Maybe this will lift your spirits." He gave her a mirror from his bag. "So you... can see yourself the way I see you."
"And how do you see me?"
"As the fairest in all the land."
At Emma and Lacey's apartment Emma, Graham and Sidney were pouring over boxes of documents.
"When did that transfer go through?" Emma asked. "Does just three weeks ago sound right?"
"Yeah," Sidney said. "Why?"
"Because those records are missing," she answered.
Lacey opened the front door and walked into the apartment. "Hey, Emma." She noticed Sidney and Graham. "Hi, Sidney. Hi, Graham."
"Hey," Graham replied. "We're doing some important work. We may have found something on Regina."
"Oh, we definitely found something," Sidney said.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Lacey asked. "What if she finds out? What if it turns out that there's nothing?"
"We're doing everything by the book," Emma said. "It'll be fine."
"You wanna go by the book?" Sidney asked Emma. "Let's get a warrant."
"On what grounds?" Graham asked.
"And what judge are we gonna find that she doesn't own?" Emma asked. "We're screwed."
"Or... there's my way," Sidney suggested.
"I wanna do this right, Sidney," Emma said.
"And what's right is exposing her," Sidney said. "Sometimes, doing a bad thing for a good reason is okay, right?"
Graham shook his head. "We can't risk Regina finding out. Emma and I could lose our jobs. God knows who she's going to replace us with if that happens."
"I agree with Emma and Graham," Lacey piped up. "You guys have to be as careful as possible."
"But look what she's done to you, to me," Sidney said, "to your son, and it's not gonna stop so whatever you do, you gotta do something."
"Okay," Emma said. "Let's start by talking to her."
At the Mayor's Office Emma, Graham and Sidney stood before Regina. Regina sat behind her desk.
"..And just what are you two and the... disgraced ex-reporter accusing me of?"
"Fifty-thousand dollars was transferred out of the city account by you," Emma stated.
"Well, as Mayor, I'm involved in many transactions. Check the public records if you have questions."
"That's the thing. They're missing from three weeks ago. You have any idea what happened to them?"
"Well, if they're missing, I probably checked them out, as my job often requires me to do. And if they were checked out three weeks ago, well, that means they burned... in a fire." Regina added to Graham, "In a fire that, if I recall, got you elected Sheriff. I have nothing to hide."
"Isn't that convenient?" Graham asked.
Emma stepped forward and leaned over Regina's desk while putting both of her hands on Regina's desk. "Okay. There's nothing for us to do, let's go."
Graham looked at her in surprise while Sidney said "Emma."
Emma walked away from Regina's desk. "No, she's right. We have nothing." The three of them walk out of the room. Once outside Sidney spoke.
"That was your plan?" he asked. "I thought you were gonna do something."
"I did. I planted a bug."
"Emma!" Graham said. "We can't sink down to her level. That's what she'll be expecting. We need to go back in and get that bug out."
"No. Doing things the right way was getting us nowhere. She didn't leave any clues behind." She looked and Sidney and said, "You win, Sidney. Let's do whatever it takes."
The Genie pushed apart two large doors and entered the King's bedchamber. He approached Leopold who was seated with a book in his hands. Leopold's had his fingers inside the book stopping him from losing his place even when the book was closed.
"You called for me, your Majesty?"
"I have reason to believe... my wife's heart belongs to another man."
"Well, certainly, the Queen would never stray, your Majesty."
"And yet her diary suggests otherwise." He walked up the Genie and handed him the diary opened to a page.
The Genie read it. The page read Last night, a man gave me a gift, and though it was but a simple mirror, it awakened feelings in me that I abandoned long ago. Hope for love and companionship, even though I am trapped in my husband's court. The Genie kept his expression blank despite how much reading the passage meant to him.
"Sadly, the diary does not name the man who gave her this mirror. I am not a fool. I realize that the Queen is unhappy and yearns for someone to love her in a way that I never can. And yet I never imagined that she would betray me like this."
"Well, certainly, the Queen would never act on these feelings."
"Love makes people do foolish things."
"And why have you called upon me, your Majesty?"
"I need someone with your wits to learn the identity of the man who has stolen my wife's heart."
"And what will you do to him once I have found him?"
"That is my concern, not yours. Now... tell me, Genie, can you find the man who gave the Queen this mirror, or not?" He held the mirror out, the Genie bowed his head and took it. Leopold walked away.
At the Sheriff's Office Sidney and Graham were listening in on Regina using a radio as Emma walked in.
Regina's voice sounded over the radio. "Miss Ginger, I really don't have time for more complaints about working conditions. The air temperature is not one of my areas."
Emma sat down next on the other side of Sidney. "Scintillating." Sidney turned off the radio. "Find anything good yet?"
"Found something great," Graham answered.
"Yeah, better than good," Sidney said. "She made this call a little over an hour ago." He played a tape. Regina's voice sounded over the tape. "I'll meet you tonight at Access Road 23 with the rest of your payment. Yes, it will all be in cash. A-And I don't need to remind that no one can know about this. Yes, I know it has to be tonight." Sidney stopped the tape.
"Who's on the other end?" Emma asked.
"You bugged the office, not the phone," Sidney said.
"Well, we're just gonna have to find out," Emma said. He looked over at Graham. "One of us should stay here in case someone calls in a crime."
"You stay here then," Graham said.
"I can't sit back while she hurts Henry. Besides you wanted to do things by the book and if we're not caught together then you can have some deniability."
"I care about Henry too. I'm just as culpable now as you are. Even if I claimed that I didn't know what you were doing there's no guarantee that a court would be believe me." There was no guarantee that Sidney wouldn't rat him out either but he didn't want to waste time starting an argument with the two of them. "Especially since Regina has all of the judges in her pocket. You don't know who she's meeting or that this isn't a trap. I'm going with you."
Sidney sighed. "We should go soon."
Regina was driving in the woods with Emma, Graham and Sidney following Regina in the squad car. Emma drove, Graham sat next to her and Sidney was in the back.
Being in the woods felt different now for Graham. Will we see the wolf tonight? I could sure use some guidance these days. Graham looked at Emma.
Regina turned onto Access Road 23. As she approached the turn, Emma applied her foot to the brake. Nothing happened.
"Emma?" Graham asked. His heart sunk.
"It won't stop." The squad car crashed into the road sign, sending it flying.
"Ow," Sidney said.
"Is everyone okay?" Emma asked.
"Are you okay?" Graham asked. His eyes ran over her, searching her for any sign of wounds.
"I'm fine," Sidney said.
Emma looked him in the eyes. "I'm good." The three of them exited the vehicle and looked under the front of the car. "We're gonna miss that hand-off."
"Emma," Sidney said.
"What?" she asked.
"You know that bug you planted?" Sidney asked. "I think Regina found it. Someone's been tampering with the brakes. She's on to us."
Emma stormed towards Exit 23. The men followed after her.
"Wait!" Sidney called after her after they had been walking through the woods for a while.
"The bitch tried to have me killed," Emma said. "I'm finding her!"
"She's probably gone by now," Graham said. "We have to be cautious."
"To hell with caution," Emma said. "I'm gonna find out what she's doing and why she's out here."
Mr. Gold came up from an embankment, carrying a briefcase. "She was meeting me."
"What are you doing out here with her?" Graham demanded. If Mr. Gold told him that he was gardening again, he wasn't going to believe him this time.
"Just a little business transaction," Mr. Gold replied.
"What's in the briefcase?" Sidney asked.
"Everything comes at a price," Mr. Gold said. "Land is no different."
"That's why you're meeting her out here?" Emma asked. "Regina bought your land?"
"The very ground you're standing on." Mr. Gold walked towards them.
"What does she want it for?"
"You know, in business, I find it's best not to ask too many questions." He stopped a short distance in front of them. "Hurts the bottom line. Question is, Emma, why are you standing out here, in the middle of the night, with Mr. Glass and Graham?"
"You don't know what Regina did to me," Sidney said. "You don't know what she did to her son. We can't just sit idly by."
"Of course you can," Mr. Gold said with a smile. "Be careful." He started to walk away. "Emotional entanglements can lead us down very dangerous paths." He walked past them.
The Genie cut an apple from the apple tree in the gardens. As he sliced the apple he heard foot steps behind him.
"I was beginning to worry you wouldn't come."
"You were expecting the queen?" A man was carrying a large wooden box.
Genie turned around. "Who are you? What have you done with her?"
"The king has locked her away in her chambers. My daughter is a prisoner in her own kingdom."
"You are the queen's father?"
The man presented the box to the Genie. "Please, take this to her. The palace guards won't allow me into her chambers. They know I'd die for her. But you-" The Genie took the box, "The King trusts you. He doesn't know that you have my daughter's heart. The guards will allow you in. Give her this box."
"Wait. I don't understand. What is in it?"
"This is the only thing that can free her from that wretched life. If you truly care for my daughter, I know you'll do whatever it takes to set her free." He placed a key on top of the box before leaving.
The Genie picked up the key and studied it. At the end of the key there a skull inside a circle. He didn't want to dare think of what might be in the box.
Emma parked her car outside Town Hall. She, Sidney and Graham got out of the car and walked towards the entrance.
"What are we doing here?" Sidney asked.
"We know she bought land from Gold," Emma said. "We don't know why. I'm willing to bet it's for personal reasons but we have to know for sure. We need documents that officially link her to that land."
"So, you wanna break into her office. It's locked." He trailed after Emma and Graham as they walked towards the Town Hall. "And she's got a state of the art security system and alarm."
"If we don't show this town who Regina really is who will?" Emma asked.
"Sidney has a point," Graham said.
"Do you think you can crack her code?" Sidney asked. He had caught up and was now by her side.
"Yep." She picked up a brick stone and she smashed the window. The alarm blared. She reached her hand through the window, unlocked the door and opened it.
"Emma!" Sidney exclaimed in a hushed tone.
"Who does the alarm system alert? The police. We're," Emma gestured between her and Graham, "the police. Two minutes for her to get a call from the alarm company, one minute to get her coat and keys, three minutes to drive here. We got maybe six minutes."
"What if someone stayed back at the office?" Graham asked. "What if Regina's still here?"
"We'll have to take that risk."
They entered the building. The glass made a crinkling noise when they stepped on it, Sidney tried and failed to sidestep the glass. There was a laptop on the desk when they entered Regina's office. Sidney grabbed the laptop and opened it up on the desk. Emma went to the laptop and plugged in a USB. She started typing. Sidney and Graham looked over her shoulder. She hacked into Regina's laptop with surprising ease.
It was surprising for Graham at least. But then he thought that maybe she usually had a lot of luck with hacking. He remembered how she recovered Henry's deleted internet history when they first met.
"I just uncovered every file that references the tract of land she bought from Gold." The files started printing. Emma went over to the printer. "Nice." She put the papers into her coat. Emma looked into the first drawer of the filling cabinet the printer sat on top of and discovered a key ring with several keys. "What the hell do these open?" She put the keys back and closed the drawer. She opened the next drawer. It was empty.
"What are you looking for?" Graham asked. He and Sidney walked after her when she walked away.
"Looking for Henry's book," Emma answered as she walked over to the other side of the room.
"We didn't come here for Henry," Sidney said.
"Some of us did," Graham said. Emma smiled at him.
The light is switched on and Regina entered. She switched off the alarm through a keypad near the door. "What are you doing?"
"Some kids broke in," Emma said. "We heard the alarm so we're checking it out because we're the police."
"Well, that was an awfully quick response time." Regina walked towards them. "And the both of you?"
"After the fire we thought it would be best," Graham said. "In case this turned out to be someone targeting you and one of us wasn't enough."
Regina scowled at him. "Thank you so much for your concern, Mr Humbert." Regina looked at Sidney. "And you brought him?"
"Oh," Emma said, "well he saw it while he was on a walk. He's a witness."
"Hm. And what did you see, Sidney?"
"Some kids with a, uh..." Sidney started.
"Rock," Emma said.
"A rock," Sidney repeated.
Regina turned away from them and walked towards her desk. "Did they take anything?"
"We still have to do a through sweep to find out," Graham said, walking in front of Emma. Emma raised an eyebrow at his action.
Regina turned around. "It appears to me it was all just a prank."
"You're sure you don't want us to take the place apart?" Emma asked.
"Your services are not wanted nor needed."
"Okay," Emma said. "Well, you know where to find us."
Once outside Graham spoke. "There's no way she brought that. We wouldn't bring a witness into a crime scene. And she didn't look at all convinced."
"Then we need to work faster," Sidney said.
Regina sat at her dresser table. The doors to Regina's bed chamber opened. She saw the Genie's reflection in the mirror and went over to him. "It's you."
The Genie set the wooden box down on a table. They embraced. Regina held his face in her hands when they parted moments later. She took a deep inhale before looking into his eyes. "My love for you grows stronger with every beat of my heart. But the king has read my diary. Found my mirror." She took a sharp inhale. "Soon he will discover the truth about us. There is no escape." Regina lowered her hands, brushing against his shoulder and chest before holding both of his hands.
"There's always an escape." He let go of her hands and stepped back towards the table. "Your father said what's in this box," he gestured towards the box he brought with him, "would give you your freedom." He held out the key. Regina hesitated- her eyes downcast- before she took the key.
"Yes, I believe it will," she said as she unlocked the box. She opened the lid to reveal a two-headed snake. "The Agrabahn Viper. A snake so deadly it can kill anything."
"With a single bite. This serpent is from my homeland. I know all to well of its poison. But why would you have it brought here?"
"There's no happiness left in this life. One small bite and I shall be free from this prison forever." Regina turned to him, taking his hands and standing so close that she was touching his chest. "I'm sorry that we couldn't be together, my love. Perhaps in another life we will find each other again." Regina slowly reached for the box. When her hand came into the snake's reach, the Genie grabbed her hand.
"There is another way. What if." He paused. "The King didn't live?
"You would do that for me?"
"For you I would do anything." She threw her arms around him and he returned the embrace.
"I don't know what I'd do without you."
"You'll never have to find out." He took a deep breath, breathing in her scent before he closed the lid of the box.
At Granny's Diner Henry was sitting at a booth, writing down characters who appeared in his book. The stranger was watching him.
"What cha working on?" the stranger asked.
"No time to talk. I got to write it all down before I forget."
"Yeah, I hate it when great ideas slip away from me."
"They're not my ideas. They're stories from a book that I lost."
The stranger sat down beside Henry. "Must be a hell of a book. What's it about?" He tried to get a look at the paper.
Henry didn't look up from his drawing. "Stuff."
"Sounds exciting."
Henry looked up at him. "You seem awfully interested in me and my book."
"No, I'm just being neighborly."
"What are you doing in Storybrooke?"
"I'm a writer."
"You can write anywhere. What are you really doing here?"
The stranger leaned in and whispered "Stuff." He stood up and walked away. He stopped to say "Good luck with the stories" before walking out of the diner.
Sidney, Graham and Emma were at the Daily Mirror's office going through files.
"Blue prints," Sidney said. "Bank statements."
Emma held two pages of a construction plan up. "What is she building out there? A mansion?"
Graham looked over at the pages. "Doesn't really look like a house but I don't know what it is."
Sidney read a file. "Well, whatever it is, it doesn't matter, because these escrow statements have her name all over it." Sidney handed a page over to Emma and she held it up so Graham could read it too. "You were right – personal use. She's done – we got her." Emma put the paper down and leaned back in her chair. "What's wrong? Didn't you hear me?"
"We stooped to her level. That's exactly what I promised Henry I wouldn't do."
Graham suddenly felt guilty too. He hadn't made Henry any promises but he hated the thought of disappointing the boy all the same.
"Emma," Sidney said, "we got her."
"It's fruits of the poisonous tree. Illegally obtained evidence. It'll get thrown out in court in a heartbeat." Emma sighed and Graham put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I should have listened to you," she said to Graham. "All of this work for nothing."
"No," Sidney said, "we don't need her to go to jail."
"Then what are we doing here?" Emma demanded.
"What you wished for: Get everyone to see who she is," Sidney said. "What she did to Henry she does to everyone. She destroys what people love." Sidney sighed. "Let me show you something."
Sidney gestured for Emma and Graham to get back so they moved back in their office chairs. Sidney took a box out of a drawer of the table they were using and placed it on the table. He opened the box revealing photographs. Emma and Graham started looking through them. Emma picked a handful of photographs. The first photograph which showed Emma and Henry sitting together at his playground castle. She flipped put the photograph at the back of the pile to look at another. Graham flipped through the photographs that were still in the box.
Sidney sighed. "She made me follow you. She made me tell her everything. She knew about your secret place weeks ago. She just waited to destroy it until it would hurt you and Henry the most." She continued to look through the photographs as Sidney spoke. He sighed again. "It's all my fault. If you don't do this I have to."
"Okay," Emma said.
All of the photographs were of Emma and Henry. Graham wanted to snap at Sidney for ever agreeing to taking those photos but he knew that Sidney was under the effects of the curse.
"There's a town meeting soon," Sidney said. "Let's go."
At Town Hall Regina sat in front of six members of the town's castle, behind them, an audience is assembled. Regina banged a gavel to start the meeting.
"This session of the Storybrooke City Council will come to order. We will begin by reading the minutes from our last meeting."
Sidney stood up from his seat and stood in the aisle. "Uh, excuse me, um, Madam Mayor. I have something I'd like to bring to the council's attention." He held up a folder.
"This is not an open forum, Sidney. And no one on this council's interested in hearing the boozy complaints of a disgraced reporter. Now sit down."
Emma stood up and Graham after her. "He's not the only one who has something to say." She took the folder from Sidney and walked closer to the well of the court.
"Miss Swan, this meeting is to discuss issues facing Storybrooke."
"Like the Mayor stealing thousands of dollars from the city to build herself a second home?"
The audience murmured. Regina banged the gavel to silence them.
"Miss Swan, you will sit down immediately or so help me—"
"What?" Emma walked closer. Graham followed after her. "You'll punish me? You'll bully me like everyone else in this town?" Emma stopped walking and Graham nearly walked into her. "No. Not today." She turned around to face the audience to show a paper with a construction plan. "In my hand, I am holding documents proving that this woman, your mayor, stole funds from the city to build herself a lavish home in the woods. And this disgraced reporter – you want to know why he was really fired? Because he stood up to her. Because he questioned her. We all know what happens to people who question the Mayor." Emma turned around. "You claim that you act in the best interest of all of us, but that isn't the truth, is it? The truth is, you are a thug that doesn't care about anyone, or anything, but yourself. That is who you really are. And it is time for the people of Storybrooke to know that."
The audience who had been intently watching Emma now turned their attention to Regina.
"You're right, Miss Swan," Regina said calmly. "I am building a house." She stood up. "A play house." She turned to the screen behind her and clicked a remote control. The projector behind her shows an image of a playground. She turned around and looked around the audience. "The accusations are true. I did take city funds. I wanted to build a playground so my son Henry and all the children of Storybrooke could have a special place to play. Safely. As for the sketch in your hands—it was inspired by a drawing in one of son's books. So, there you have it. Miss Swan, Mr Humbert, you've exposed me for who I really am. I hope you're satisfied."
"You can't just take city funds," Graham said. "There's paperwork that has to be submitted first."
"Well if I failed to submit any paperwork it's probably because it got burned up in the fire," Regina said. "The fire that you and Miss Swan think was started by Mr Gold, a supporter of your campaign to be sheriff."
King Leopold was asleep. The Genie stood at the foot of the bed holding the box.
The Genie whispered "Forgive me."
He took the key out of his pouch and unlocked the box. When he opened the box the snake rose and faced the Genie. He pointed towards to the king. The snake turned its attention to Leopold. Slowly the snake slide out of the box and slide under the sheets. The Genie walked to side of the king. Leopold awoke and looked at the Genie. Then the snake heads arose from beneath the pillow and both snake heads bite the king in the neck. Almost immediately King Leopold's skin turned bruised and purple, he gasped for air.
The Genie took the king's hand. "The pain will soon pass." Leopold made a choking sound, struggling to breath. "You asked me to find the man who gave the mirror to your queen. I did—I am that man. You gave me my freedom. You gave me a chance to find love and, for that, I'm forever in your debt. But just as you freed me, so must I now free your queen. Forgive me." He let go of his hand and started to leave.
Using the last of his strength, Leopold grabbed the Genie's hand. "You were right." His voice was strained. "I should never have made that wish."
The council meeting was over and everyone was outside. Emma, Graham and Sidney walked together. Emma looked back at Regina, she was talking to a small group of people. Mr. Gold joined the three of them.
"Look at her," Mr. Gold said, bringing Emma's attention away from Regina. Emma even hadn't noticed that he was there until he spoke. "Queen of the castle. You know, what you did in there was commendable, Miss Swan. But if you really want to bring her down you're going to need a strong ally."
"Like yourself?" she asked. Mr. Gold inclined his head. "Thanks. I'm still not interested."
Graham could hear the sound of Regina's steps as she walked over to them.
"Oh, one can wish." Mr. Gold smiled and walked away.
"Miss Swan? Mr Humbert? A word? Alone?" Sidney walked away. "I don't know what you were hoping to accomplish in there. But now, I hope you'll go back to your jobs. Which is upholding the law - not breaking it. You don't think I know you broke into my office?"
"Don't pretend you're so innocent," Emma said. "I know, you messed with the brakes on my car."
"Your brakes? Are you delusional? Why would I kill you when you just saw I had nothing to hide?"
"Nothing I can prove."
"Well, until you have something more substantial than disdain to throw my way you're going to stay away from me. And - more importantly - from Henry."
"But that's-"
"Not open to discussion. You've lost the high ground, deputy. If I wanted to there's not a judge in the world that would deny me a restraining order after what you've done. You don't get to see my son unless I say so. And right now, I don't say so." Regina glared at Graham. "And that includes you Sheriff."
Kids were running around on the new playground. Henry noticed Emma in the distance who was sitting in her yellow buggy. He waved and then took out his Walkie Talkie.
"Why are you so far away? Come over here."
"Sorry, kid, I can't today."
"You're undercover, aren't you? For Operation Cobra?"
"No, Henry. I'm not undercover. Your mom – she doesn't want us seeing each other for a while. And that includes Graham."
"You don't have to listen to her."
"Actually, this time, I do. I screwed up, Henry. I got mad at your mom about you and the book and everything and... Well, you won't be seeing either of us for a little while." If only I had listened to Graham, she thought. If only I had stuck to what I told Sidney the first time and done everything by the book.
Henry sat down. "I don't want to be apart."
"Neither do I. But, right now, we have to. Don't worry – I'll find a way back in. And hey. If it's out there, Henry – I will find your book."
"Good luck. It's probably gone and it's probably never coming back."
Emma started her car and drove off. As much as she hated it Henry was right. She had no idea how she could ever retrieve or replace his book.
In a room in Granny's Bed and Breakfast tongs are used to break a lock on a red box. August opened the box and took out Henry's book. He picked the book up and just held it, staring at the cover.
At Granny's Diner Sidney enjoyed a drink at the counter. Emma entered the diner and joined him.
"Looks like we had the same idea."
"Well, if you can't beat her... Drink."
Ruby set a glass of beer in front of Emma. Emma slide the beer closer to herself. God, I've needed a drink since the moment that Henry showed up on my doorstep.
He took a sip of his beer and sighed. "How did we not see this?"
"We did," Emma said. "We saw it all, right from the start. Just didn't want to look. Blinded by our anger." Emma paused. "By everything. We should have listened to Graham and done everything by the book."
"This time." He took a deep breath. "But there are a lot more skeletons in Regina's closet. And the good news? You've got yourself an ally."
"We won't get fooled again." They clinked glasses.
The queen sat at her dressing table and looked into the hand mirror that the Genie had given her. The Genie entered her chambers and walked over to her.
"It's done. You're free, my love. We are free to be together." Regina still looked into her mirror. "D- Did you not hear me? Our days of imprisonment are over." She lowered the mirror.
"You haven't heard the news? The palace guards found the snake. They know it's from your country. They know it is you who killed the king. It's only a matter of time before they catch you. You will be executed." She sniffed. "I'm sorry but we will never be together." She stood up and walked over to the table where a blanket lay. "Come, I've arranged for a boat to provide you save passage out of the kingdom. You must leave at once."
"The Agrabahn viper." He could hardly believe it but the facts couldn't be ignored. "Of all the snakes in all the world that is what you chose. You wanted the murder to be traced back to me. You fooled me. You never loved me."
Regina turned around. "Loved you? I wanted the king killed and you killed him. You are no longer of any use to me. Be grateful I'm offering you an escape. Now flee the kingdom and never turn back."
The Genie shook his head. "I can't live without you. I won't live without you."
"Did you not understand me? I don't love you. There's no way we will ever be together."
"There is one way." He pulled the lamp out of his pouch and held it out. "There is still one wish remaining. I wish to be with you forever. To look upon your face always. To never leave your side." Blue smoke covered him. The lamp fell to the ground.
Regina heard a tapping sound and looked around. Finally she looked into her mirror again, instead of her own reflection the Genie faced her from within. The sound of him hitting the inside the mirror with his fists made a tapping sound.
Regina smiled. "Looks like you've got your wish. You will be with me. Forever."
Sidney was looking into the mirror in Regina's office when Regina came up next to him.
"Have a seat, Sidney." They both sit down on the couch.
Regina took an apple from the fruit bowl on the coffee table. "Well?" Sidney pulled a tape recorder out of his pocket and played the tape back.
"You've got yourself an ally," Sidney's voice sounded over the tape recorder.
"We won't get fooled again," Emma said.
Sidney switched off the recorder.
Regina smiled. "Mhm. She bought it."
Sidney smiled. "All of it."
"Masterful job, Sidney. Top to bottom." She offered him the apple and he took it. "And cutting the breaks of her car? Inspired."
"I'm glad you approve."
"Now, she trusts you. Now, we can have some fun."
"Everything she does. Everywhere she goes. You'll know about it."
Regina stroked his knee with her hand. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Sidney."
Emma and Henry are way too close to the castle as it's being demolished. Henry even manages to move closer to the castle. How has that never struck me as odd before? Why weren't there at least some construction signs around?
Neither Sidney nor Emma ever seemed to grab the files that Emma printed out in Regina's office but they later have the files handy.
I decided to keep Sidney/The Genie's flashbacks to the Enchanted Forest because I was afraid that this episode might end up being too much about Emma, Graham and Henry without it.