Chapter 26: Lady of the Lake
December 17, 2011
Safe Haven, Enchanted Forest
Mary Margaret was still unconscious and currently being nursed to health by Cora who Emma, Buffy and Faith had learned was Regina's mother. Neither Buffy or Faith had revealed that they were Regina's long-lost daughters. They weren't sure from what they had learned if they could trust Cora.
"Oh, Snow, you're awake. I'm so relieved," Cora chimed as Buffy, Faith and Emma looked at the woman who was starting to stir.
Mary Margaret took one look at Cora and felt like she was 10-years-old once more. She quickly stood up even though her head was throbbing and stood in front of Emma, Faith and Buffy. "As bad as you think Regina is, this woman is worse," Mary Margaret warned staring Cora down.
"We figured," Buffy said.
"Oh, Snow, Elizabeth, Faith. Please… Believe me. Whatever she told you three isn't true. I just want to help the three of you," Cora's voice was sickly sweet but Mary Margaret, Buffy and Faith refused to be tricked.
"She knows who we are," Faith said in surprise.
"Of course," Cora answered. "How could I not recognize two out of three of my granddaughters."
"Let's hear her out," Emma mumbled to her family not sensing the same danger.
"Emma," Mary Margaret tried again.
"Okay. Right now, we are at the bottom of a hole with no other options. And Henry and Aunt Dawn, are back in Storybrooke with Regina."
Mary Margaret knew it was a mistake to mention either Dawn or Henry to Cora.
"Who's Henry?" Cora asked curiosity getting the better of her.
"My son. I kind of share him with Regina. It's complicated," Emma rambled.
"Okay that's enough," Buffy interrupted not trusting the woman they were faced with.
"Don't talk to her," Mary Margaret growled.
"Enough!" the guard yelled from above them. "Our leaders request an audience," he demanded lowering a rope into the pit.
Streets of Storybrooke, Storybrooke, Maine
"So, what's on the agenda for Operation Scorpion?' Henry asked as he, David and Dawn drove toward the school.
"What's Operation Scorpion?" David questioned.
"It's likely the code name for the mission," Dawn answered as she looked at her nephew. "To find Emma, Buffy, Faith and Snow. He had a similar code name for breaking the curse."
David sighed as he looked at Dawn, who sat in the passenger's seat. "Henry, we need to talk," he said as he glanced into rearview mirror at the boy.
"I'm not coming with you. But I… I thought we were going to find the Mad Hatter?" Henry said as they pulled to a stop in front of the school.
"Charming and I already did," Dawn explained looking into the backseat.
"What? Is he going to help us?" Henry asked hopefully.
"No. No, Henry, he's not," David sighed.
"Why didn't you two tell me you talked to him?" Henry asked sadness taking over his voice.
"Because we didn't want to disappoint you," Dawn said. "We know you want to find Emma, Buffy, Faith and Snow. But Jefferson can't help us. We need to find a way to restore the hat or for me to somehow learn to control the Key."
"So, why can't I help you both look?" Henry hated that everyone treated him like a little kid, he was the one who believed all along.
"It'll require magic, Henry. And magic—" David started.
"Is different in this town to begin with, remember, because of the merging of magic of this world with that of the Enchanted Forest," Dawn said. "There is no way to know if we could even get the hat to work. Anyways if you want to help us, you'll go to school where we'll know you'll be safe, okay?"
"Don't you mean where we'll be safe, Aunt Dawn?" asked Henry confused.
"I'm officially on sick leave," Dawn told her nephew. "My priority is helping Charming in bringing our family home. The principal understood and granted me unspecified time off."
Safe Haven, Enchanted Forest
Buffy, Faith Emma and Mary Margaret were being led by one of the guards through the village. "Why can't you just listen to me?" Mary Margaret said as she looked at her daughter.
"Why couldn't you three have trusted me?" Emma said as she looked at her family. "I was just trying to find a way to get us home. I could've handled her."
"Cora?" Buffy said. "Don't be so sure."
"Lizzie is right," agreed Mary Margaret. "We've lived here, Emma. Lizzie, Faith and I know this world. And its dangers, though I know them better since Lizzie and Faith left this world as children."
"Wait here," the guard told them.
"Is that why you three came through the portal?" Emma asked looking pointedly at Buffy, Faith and Mary Margaret. "Because you three thought I was helpless here?"
"No…" Faith said. "We came through to be with you."
It was then that a man and a woman stepped out of one of the huts.
"Lancelot?" Mary Margaret said clearly surprised to see the man.
"Snow?" he said as he pulled Mary Margaret into his arms.
"Mom?" Buffy said as she got a good look at the woman, at Joyce Summers. "How? You died!"
"Hello, Buffy," Joyce said as she pulled Buffy into her arms. "And how I am back in the Enchanted Forest I think is Rumpelstiltskin's fault. I think there was a clause in the curse that sent me into the other world. It activated the moment I died, sending me back here."
"If we had known that you were the prisoners Mulan had brought back, neither Joyce or I would have locked you away," Lancelot explained. "Please – forgive us."
"Of course," said Mary Margaret.
"Always," Buffy said.
Joyce turned and looked at Faith and smiled. "I see you too finally remember your past, Faith."
"I do," Faith said as she embraced Joyce. "Playing with Snow and Buffy around father's castle. Remembering the day that we were kidnapped by men hired by Rumpelstiltskin and the day that you found us when we arrived in the other world."
Joyce turned and looked at Mary Margaret and smiled. "Hello, Snow."
"Hello, Aunt Joyce," Mary Margaret said as she embraced her aunt.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Buffy, Faith, Joyce, Emma and Mary Margaret had sat down to eat as Lancelot dropped a plate of strange looking meat on the table.
"What the hell is that?" Emma asked looking at the meat.
"That is chimera," he answered. "An acquired taste, but all our hunting party could bring back. One-part lion, one-part serpent and one-part goat."
"I don't understand," Mary Margaret said as she looked at Lancelot and Joyce. "We were told this land didn't even exist anymore. How did you all escape the curse?"
"None of us knows for sure," Joyce said. "When I arrived back here time seemed to be frozen. Upon arrival I too froze." She looked at Buffy. "How long?"
"Since you died?" Buffy asked as Joyce nodded. "Ten years. I tried to do what you did for me, I tried to raise Dawn the best I could."
"I'm glad," Joyce said as she smiled.
"Mom," Buffy said with a sigh. "Why was it I didn't remember Faith living with us when we first crossed over?"
Joyce sighed. "I don't know, Buffy. I noticed that for the two of you that your memories of the Enchanted Forest had begun to slip away not long after your arrival in the other world. I'm not even sure why you forgot Faith all together since she is your twin." She turned her attention toward Faith. "So, Faith, do you remember anything of the Lehanes?"
Faith couldn't meet Joyce's eyes. She hated the fact that she did remember what they had done to her.
"What is it?" Joyce said noticing the shared look between the two sisters.
"Faith does remember the Lehanes," Buffy answered so Faith wouldn't have to. "And when I say bad, I am understating things, mom. Let's leave it at that till Faith is ready to tell you. It took her years to tell me what happened."
Joyce nodded as she let the subject drop. "So, what happened since my death over there?"
"Tara was killed by a human," Buffy said as Joyce closed her eyes.
"How bad was it?" Joyce asked.
"Bad," Buffy answered. "Willow went off the deep end for a little bit. She killed Tara's murderer and almost killed his accomplices. Then she tried to end the world."
Joyce let out a sigh. "Magic comes with a price, or at least it does here. But the other world has different rules with magic. It's easier to become corrupted by magic there than it is here. There was only three times I used magic in the other world. The first time was when you two arrived, and that was the last time I used the magic of the Enchanted Forest. As it was available to me while the portal was open."
"The second time I used magic I used the magic of that world. It was when you were taken, Faith. I tried to magically find you," Joyce continued after taking a breath. "The Watcher's Council I think cloaked you. And the final time was when you were in a coma, Faith. I had tried to magically remove the corruption in your heart. But at that point it had too strong of a hold on you." She glanced back at Buffy. "Tara was always Willow's ground. Without Tara or someone to take her place, the magic will eventually corrupt and kill Willow."
"But it's been seven years since then, she's been fine," Buffy argued.
"Without her ground it truly is a matter of time," Joyce said. "When it came to that world's magic. I never had a ground. Which was why I used it as sparingly as I did. And even then, there is a good chance it was the reason behind my tumor."
"So how come you all are here?" Faith asked deciding to change subject, the subject of Willow dying was depressing to think about, even for her. "When everyone else was transported into the other world."
"We don't know. The curse struck and when the smoke cleared, most of us had been torn from this land," Lancelot said. "But some of us here, in this particular region, were left behind. We don't know how, and we don't know why. Finding this safe haven wasn't easy. Took some spilled blood. But worry not. You're safe here."
"We can't stay," said Mary Margaret. "My husband's back there, Emma's son – my grandson and mine, Buffy and Faith's sister, Dawn. We have to get back to them. Can you help us find a portal?"
Joyce shook her head as she looked at her niece. "The Enchanted Forest is not as you remember it, Snow. The ogres have returned."
"Ogres?" said Emma as she looked at Mary Margaret. "Like, as in fee-fi-fo-fum?"
"Those would be giants," Mary Margaret corrected her daughter.
"Ogres are far worse," Lancelot said. "And that's why we live here. On this island, where it's safe. Please, Snow. Stay here. There are no more portals left."
Mary Margaret looked at her family. "I might know of one."
"You do?" Faith asked confused.
"Where?" Joyce wondered.
"Cora's near," Mary Margaret said looking at her sisters and her aunt. "I don't feel comfortable voicing my plans. She's powerful."
"Not anymore," Lancelot admitted. "The curse stripped her of her powers. But, given her reputation, we kept her locked up as a precaution."
"Nevertheless, I'm not taking chances," Mary Margaret said. "Just trust me. I may have a way. Let us go?"
"I'll allow it," said Lancelot. "But on one condition – take my bravest warrior with you. Allow Mulan to defend you."
"I too will go," said Joyce. "It will give me a chance to get reacquainted with my family."
"As you wish, Your Highness," Lancelot said looking at Joyce. He then called over Mulan.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Mulan presented Buffy, Faith, Joyce, Emma and Mary Margaret with an arsenal of different weapons to choose from. "Choose wisely," she said. "We must be vigilant if we hope to survive the journey."
Buffy, Faith, Joyce and Mary Margaret each chose a sword and strapped them to their waists.
"Where's my gun?" Emma asked. "I want it back."
Mulan took the gun out of her pocket and inspected it before handing it to Emma. "Is it magic?" she inquired.
"Depends on who's pulling the trigger," Emma admitted as she watched Mary Margaret and Faith each take a bow and quiver of arrows as a second weapon.
"Remember the first time you tried to shoot a bow?" Buffy said as she smiled at Faith. "It was back in Sunnydale."
Faith laughed at the memory. "I do."
"Do I even want to know?" Joyce asked looking between the two knowing they were talking about the year that Faith had returned to them.
"Probably not…" Faith said as she looked at Joyce. She wasn't sure which to call Joyce. Technically Joyce was both her aunt and her adopted mom.
"Follow my lead," Mulan said. "Step where I step. Do exactly as I say, and you might survive."
"Thanks for the pep talk, but I think we're okay. I just killed a dragon a few days ago," Emma said.
"And Faith and I have tackled demons and vampires," Buffy added.
"Have any of you ever seen an ogre?" Mulan asked looking at the three women.
"Pretty sure I've dated a few," Emma joked.
"Legend has it, that when they kill you, the last thing you see is yourself dying in the reflection in their eyes. Let's walk. It'll be dark soon," Mulan said as stalked ahead. Buffy, Faith, Joyce, Mary Margaret and Emma followed behind.
"Don't let her rattle you," Joyce said. "I won't let anything happen to any of my family."
"Stick to the plan," added Mary Margaret.
"What is the plan?" Buffy asked. "You haven't told us anything. What's going on?"
"The wardrobe," answered Mary Margaret.
"What wardrobe?" Joyce asked confused.
"Charming and I had Geppetto build a wardrobe that was used to send Emma into the other world just before Regina cast her curse," Mary Margaret said looking at her aunt.
"You think that can get us back to Storybrooke?" Emma wondered.
"I don't know," Mary Margaret shrugged. "First, we have to see if it survived the curse, then we'll worry about making it work."
"Where is it?" Buffy asked.
"My place," Mary Margaret answered.
"We're going to father's castle?" Faith said hopeful of seeing her childhood home.
"No," Mary Margaret said as she saw a sad expression cross her sister's face. "Sorry, Faith. Your mom set up her base in father's castle. Charming and I had our own. That is where we're going."
Docks, Storybrooke, Maine
Henry had skipped school to look for Jefferson to beg him to help. It wasn't long till he found the man at the docks sitting on a bench. The fog was low and the place seemed deserted, it was enough to cause anyone else anxiety but not Henry. The boy ran straight over taking a seat next to the man his sister standing next to him.
"Jefferson. …Right? The Mad Hatter? I need your help," Henry exclaimed quickly.
"Look, I already told your aunt and your grandfather. I can't do anything." Jefferson kept his stare straight ahead having no time for the boy.
"I know. But there must be something we can do," Henry pleaded.
"I'm the wrong person to talk to, kid. Magic's not my thing. Try your mother. Maybe she's got something in that vault of hers she can help you with."
"Vault? Her vault is here? In Storybrooke?" Henry continued.
"It's none of my business. Talk to her," the man went back to staring into space signaling the conversation was over.
"What's that?" the boy asked noticing the piece of paper in Jefferson's hand. The man quickly returned the paper to his pocket refusing to answer. "Your daughter's looking for you, isn't she?"
"What do you know about it?" Jefferson scoffed.
"I read your story. I know how the two of you were separated. Why are you here? She's at school," Henry continued never one to back down.
Jefferson abruptly stood up to walk away from his annoyances but Henry blocked his path. "I've got to go home, kid."
"She probably wants to see you." Henry stood his ground.
"Get out of my way," the man raised his voice.
"Why aren't you trying to find her?" Henry tried again.
"Because I left her!" Jefferson yelled finally losing it. "And she'll hate me."
"How do you know that?" Henry said softly.
"I was on my way… fate reminded me I shouldn't." The man looked away as his eyes brimmed with tears.
"You should. I've been left, too," Henry took a step forward. "Anything's better than nothing. She'll spend her whole life wondering why you left her. Not knowing is the worst."
The man looked into Henry's eyes and finally his walls fell down. He gave a grateful nod before walking away.
Mayor's Office
Regina was packing up her office into boxes as her cell phone rang. Looking at the caller ID she saw it was Henry. "Henry!" she said. "I'm just packing up the office. I've been asked to leave. No, of course it can wait. I'd love to have lunch with you. Granny's – ten minutes." She hung up, grabbed her purse, and left.
Once the coast was clear, Henry walked into the office through one of the side doors. He looked in one of the drawers of a filing cabinet, locating the ring of Regina's skeleton keys.
Enchanted Forest
"This will do," Mulan said as she, Buffy, Faith, Joyce, Mary Margaret and Emma walked into a clearing. "We'll make camp here for the night. We just need to find water, collect some firewood."
"Uh, if we're hiding from ogres, shouldn't we maybe, I don't know, not start a fire?" Emma asked.
"Ogres are blind," Mary Margaret told her daughter. "They hunt by sound alone."
"I remember father saying the same thing," said Buffy.
"Before Leo became king, he was a well renowned knight in our father's kingdom," Joyce said. "So, he would have hunted ogres."
"I think Faith and I should be the ones to get the firewood," Buffy said.
"I will go with you," said Mary Margaret.
"I will find the water," said Mulan.
"Emma and I will remain here to guard the camp," Joyce suggested.
"You mean the big, empty clearing?" Emma asked as she looked at Joyce.
"I know how you feel, Emma," admitted Joyce. "I was the same way in your world when I first arrived. So, Emma, tell me. What is it like to finally find your parents?"
"Technically I didn't," Emma replied. "I gave up Henry for adoption and somehow he wound up with Regina. He came and found me and brought me back to Storybrooke. For a long time, I didn't believe in the curse. Then he and Faith to prove to me that it was real ate a cursed apple turnover. It was then I truly began to believe. It wasn't till Buffy and I gave Faith and Henry True Love's kiss that I was actually reunited with them."
"Faith was under a sleeping curse?" Joyce asked as Emma nodded. She glanced over in the direction her daughters had gone. "I always suspected that Buffy held True Love within her heart."
"From what I understand she did," Emma admitted as she followed Joyce's gaze. "From what I understand she died a few months after you did, for Aunt Dawn."
Joyce looked back at Emma shocked. "Why?"
"Since the Key was in Aunt Dawn, it required they said a ritual bloodletting. And that the only way for the portal to close…"
"Was for Dawn to be dead," Joyce said in realization. "So, Buffy sacrificed herself for Dawn. But Buffy is alive…"
"Aunt Lizzie's friend, Willow, brought her back. At the time Aunt Lizzie believed she had been ripped out of heaven, but now she isn't sure where she was given all of this," Emma explained as waved her hand around at the forest. "From what I know, things with Aunt Lizzie were bad for a while after that."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Buffy, Faith and Mary Margaret were collecting wood when Aurora ambushed them. She pulled out a dagger and held it to Mary Margaret's throat. "Don't move. Phillip's gone because of you three," Aurora said.
Mary Margaret grabbed Aurora's shoulders and threw her over her head.
Buffy was on Aurora in an instant pinning the woman to the ground. "Don't even try, I am stronger than the strongest man alive," she said. "Now listen to me. My sisters and I along with my niece are separated from the people we love. We don't like it any more than you do."
"What happened to Phillip was not our fault," added Mary Margaret. "So, I suggest, you find another way to channel your anger."
Mulan walked toward Buffy out of the forest and pulled the Slayer her off Aurora. "Don't talk to her like that!"
"She tried to kill my sister," Buffy growled.
"I will deal with her," Mulan said as they heard a gunshot. They turned to see Emma pointing her gun in their direction.
"Emma, what are you doing?" Mary Margaret said as she looked around sure that the gunshot had alerted the ogres to their presence.
"Protecting my family," Emma explained as Joyce came running up beside her. "Drop the weapon."
"Do you have any idea what you've just done?" Joyce asked looking at her grandniece.
It was then that heard a growling sound approaching them.
"Ogres?" Emma said as she looked around. She was the one to spot the ogre as it came at them.
"Run!" Buffy shouted. She and Faith followed Joyce, Emma, Mary Margaret, Aurora and Mulan. She and Faith covered their family.
"Split up!" Mary Margaret shouted.
"I'll go with Snow and Emma," Buffy said.
"I'll go with Mrs. S., Mulan and her friend," said Faith as the two groups split up.
"Over there," Mary Margaret said as Emma tripped over a branch. As Buffy spun to return to Emma the ogre caught Emma grabbing Emma's gun and crushing it in his hand.
"Seriously?" Emma said.
Buffy appeared behind the ogre and tried to divert its attention away from Emma. "Back away from my niece!" she yelled. As it turned its attention on her, Mary Margaret who was hidden in the trees let's loose with a flaming arrow to its eye, instantly killing it. "Let me guess. You shoot them in the eye to kill them."
"Yes," Mary Margaret answered.
"When was the last time you shot an arrow?" Emma asked.
Mary Margaret smiled as she remembered the last night, she had shot an arrow. "Twenty-eight years ago," she said. "Guess it's like riding a bike."
"Yeah, but how did you know you could hit that?" Emma wondered.
Mary Margaret shrugged; she hadn't known she could. "I didn't. And next time, listen to me or Aunt Joyce?" she suggested. "I would say listen to Lizzie or Faith as well but they don't have the experience that Aunt Joyce and I do since they were kidnapped at such a young age. We should get going."
Storybrooke Cemetery, Storybrooke, Maine
Henry held his book close using it as a guide to Regina's father's crypt. He paused outside the door taking a deep breath whatever was inside had the potential to answer questions or cause many new ones. He walked forward opening the heavy door. Henry stared at the coffin belonging to his adopted grandfather and started pushing. He felt his muscles sting as he tried to move the heavy object. When he finally moved the coffin, he saw a long staircase. Slowly Henry descended the steps into darkness. As his eyes adjusted the young boy noticed all the books and potions that scattered the room.
Henry made his way to an empty room a rhythm of beating hearts being the soundtrack to his expedition. He then noticed a box in the middle of the room with some kind of carvings around the rim. Slowly Henry bent down and opened the container to be greeted by two snakes springing out. Henry jumped back as the snakes lunged forward suddenly seeing David appear to close the animals back in their cage.
"Maybe we should've gone with Operation Viper," David joked as Dawn came up beside him. "You alright?"
"Yeah," Henry stuttered his heart still racing "How'd you know I was down here?"
Dawn sighed. "Mom said you asked her to lunch and, when you stood her up, she checked her office, saw her keys missing, figured out the rest. She would've come herself, but she didn't think you'd go with her. Henry, what were you thinking?"
Henry looked sadly at the ground. "I just… I just want them back," he said. "It wasn't supposed to be this way. I should be over there with them. Riding horses, learning how to sword fight."
"We both know," David said as he looked at the boy. "And guess what with your help, we'll get our family back, all of them," he said. He looked at Dawn. "Take him to school I will see what I can do about making sure no one ever finds this place."
December 18, 2011
Enchanted Forest
"We're getting close," Mary Margaret said as they were beginning to approach the part of the Enchanted Forest she recognized.
"Aurora, you've got to keep up," Mulan said looking back at her friend.
"Sorry, but I'm not exactly dressed for the woods," Aurora admitted. "It's cold out here."
"Then maybe, you should have listened to me and stayed back," Mulan told the woman.
"Here," Buffy said as she removed her jacket and handed it to Aurora.
"But I tried to kill your friend," Aurora said.
"Sister," Buffy corrected. "And Snow can take care of herself."
Aurora nodded as she looked at Buffy apologetically. She then turned and looked at the jacket in her hands. "What kind of corset is this?"
Buffy glanced at Joyce. "One thing I have to admit I am thankful to Rumpelstiltskin for kidnapping me is that I got to miss out on the corsets."
Joyce smiled at her daughter and nodded in agreement. "I do have to agree with you there. I was glad when I found out that the other world hadn't used corsets in at least a century by the time I arrived."
"Up here," Mulan called as she spotted the castle ahead.
"Is that it?" Faith asked looking at the castle.
"Yeah," Mary Margaret said as she smiled. "That's home."
Charming Castle, Enchanted Forest
Mary Margaret led the way into what was apparently a nursery, with a crib and several old toys lying around. They spotted a wardrobe in the corner.
"Oh my god… I recognize this from Henry's book," Emma said as she recognized the wardrobe.
"Come – we'll stand watch at the gate," Mulan said as she looked at Aurora. Aurora nodded as she and Mulan left.
"I never thought I'd see this place again," Mary Margaret said as she looked at the room. "This room… It was your nursery."
"I lived here?" Emma asked.
Buffy shook her head. "No," she said as they all looked at her. She looked toward Joyce. "Pinocchio cast a spell to reawaken mine and Faith's memories, it's how we eventually remembered. It gave us and Dawn visions of what happened in the Enchanted Forest while we were gone. It's how we learned you were from here before our memories completely returned." She looked at Emma and smiled sadly. "If the vision is correct. You didn't even spend the night in this room."
"Lizzie is correct," said Mary Margaret. "This is the life I wanted you to have. I was going to teach you how to walk in here. How to talk, how to dress for your first ball… You never got to do any of it. We never got to be a family."
"We have a family – in Storybrooke," Emma reminded her family. "And, right now, they need us to get back there. So, how do we get this to work? Where's the 'on' switch?" She inspected the wardrobe that was hopefully going to take them home.
"It's more complicated than that. Aunt Joyce, can you do anything?" Mary Margaret said as she looked toward her aunt, remembering that Joyce had been quite a powerful sorceress in her day.
"I haven't used the magic of the Enchanted Forest in so long," Joyce admitted as she looked at her niece. "I don't know if I can do anything, Snow. I'm sorry."
"We'll have to get it back to the island. Hopefully, someone there has access to enough magic to make it work again." Mary Margaret sighed at the impossible task.
"I guess that means Faith and I are carrying it back," said Buffy.
"I could help." The family turned to see Lancelot in the doorway.
"Lancelot. What are you doing here?" Joyce questioned.
"We heard about the ogre attack, and I had to make sure you were alright." The man smiled with warm eyes.
"Where are Mulan and Aurora?" Mary Margaret was suspicious of her friend.
"I sent them to find food. Tonight, we'll make camp and then, in the morning, we'll head back." Lancelot turned his attention to the wardrobe. "So, this is it – the portal you were after."
"The same one Emma went through. That's how she skipped the curse," Mary Margaret explained.
"Remarkable…" Lancelot ran his hand over the wardrobe in amazement.
"Geppetto carved it from an enchanted tree, but there's no magic left," Mary Margaret continued staring sadly at the dead portal.
"Well, a portal this powerful… there must be another way to recharge it." The man turned to look at his friend.
"Why are you so interested in the wardrobe?" Buffy asked suspicious of Lancelot's motives.
"Well, I just want you to get home to your mother and remaining sister." The man then turned to Emma. "And Henry. He must miss you."
With that Buffy, Faith and Mary Margaret each drew their swords pointing them at Lancelot causing alarm and confusion in Emma and Joyce.
"Stay away from him. He is not who he says he is," Faith growled. She didn't take her stare off the man who was now smirking.
"What are you talking about? Who the hell is he?" Emma looked the man up and down trying to catch on with what was happening.
Joyce looked at Lancelot and then at Mary Margaret, Faith and Buffy as she realized that something Lancelot had said triggered their response. "What did he say?" she asked.
"Only two people did we tell Henry's name to, Aunt Joyce," Mary Margaret explained. "You and…"
"Cora," Joyce finished and with that Lancelot disappeared in purple smoke leaving Cora in his wake.
"Clever family," Cora smiled at Mary Margaret, Faith and Buffy.
"Where's Lancelot?" Joyce growled.
"He's dead. I killed him a long time ago," Cora explained like it was nothing.
"And you've been posing as him ever since?" Mary Margaret asked. This was a new low even for Cora.
"Well, they'd never listen to me. And besides… Every kingdom needs a hero, don't you think?"
With that Mary Margaret lunged forward but Cora acted fast pinning her against the wall followed by magically throwing Buffy, Faith, Joyce and Emma across the room.
"Thank you, Snow. I've been looking for a way over for so long." Cora walked towards Mary Margaret who was struggling to breathe. "I never thought the person to help me find it would be you."
"Why? Why are you doing this?" Mary Margaret chocked out.
"I want to see my daughter. It's been too long. And you know, I would love to see my last remaining granddaughter, Dawn, and my grandson, Henry." Rage flickered across Cora's face.
"No, you won't," Emma called from next to the wardrobe as she set it on fire.
"No!" Cora screamed using her magic to gather the fire and throw it at Emma. Just as Emma thought she was done for Mulan's sword blocked the flame. With that Cora disappeared in purple smoke.
"Is everyone okay?" Emma quickly ran over to Mary Margaret, then Buffy, Faith and Joyce helping each of them to their feet.
"You saved us," Mary Margaret whispered.
"Yeah, well… Where is she?" Emma changed the subject suddenly feeling uncomfortable.
"Gone," Joyce turned her gaze to where Cora had once been.
"So's our ride home." Buffy looked at the now burnt wardrobe.
"Lancelot was one of the most noble knights I ever knew." Mary Margaret thought of her lost friend.
"How could I be so blind? How could I not see that it was Cora?" Mulan growled mad at herself.
"You weren't the only one, Mulan," Joyce said with a sigh. "I didn't see it either."
"Let's be fair – the whole shape shifting thing threw me, too," Emma tried to comfort the woman who saved her life.
"What are we going to tell the people on the island?" Mulan asked.
"The truth. That Lancelot was cut down by a terrible villain. He died an honorable death," Joyce spoke confidently.
"Cora's still out there. We need to find her. We need to defend what's left of the kingdom," Mulan raised her sword at the thought.
"Who's going to lead us? You?" Aurora asked Mulan.
"No. Her," Mulan pointed to Joyce
"I'm honored," said Joyce. "But my place is with my family, who need to find a way back to the other world."
"We'll help you. We'll find a way, won't we?" Mulan insisted turning to Aurora who nodded.
"Yes. Perhaps, it will help me channel my anger," Aurora said as she and Mary Margaret shared a smile before she and Mulan left the room.
"I'm, uh, sorry I torched our ride home. I couldn't let her get to Henry or Aunt Dawn. I just—" Emma tried to explain but Faith cut her off.
"You put our family first," said Faith as she nodded knowing Emma's choice. "Buffy, Snow and I would have done the exact thing." She looked at her sisters. "Right?"
"Right," agreed Mary Margaret and Buffy.
"I was angry for so long… Wondering how my parents could choose to let me grow up without them." Emma couldn't help the tears that started to fall. "But then I just… Seeing all this… You gave up everything for me. And you like the rest of our family are still doing that. I'm sorry, I'm not good at this. I… I guess I just… I'm not… I'm not used to someone putting me first." All the emotion Emma had kept inside exploded as she looked around at what was supposed to be her room.
Mary Margaret was the first to wrap her arms around Emma. They were soon joined by Buffy, Faith and Joyce in one large group hug.
"Well, get used to it," Buffy said causing Emma to smile.
"Now," Mary Margaret said. "There is one more surprise."
"What? You were going to get me a puppy?" Emma asked, half serious, half joking.
"This surprise isn't for you," Mary Margaret said as she looked pointedly at her sisters. "It's for Lizzie and Faith." She led the way out into the hall and down the corridor and into another room. She looked at her sisters. "This would have been your room. I had Charming set it aside in case you two ever came home. When I left Father's castle, I took some of your things." She opened a wardrobed and pulled out two dresses. "I think you two will remember these."
Buffy and Faith looked at the two dresses and nodded. "Our first ball," Buffy said as she took the pink one from Mary Margaret.
"Our only ball," Faith corrected as she took the purple one. "For it was a month later we were kidnapped."
Outside Storybrooke Town Limits, Storybrooke, Maine
Willow stood looking at the cell phone in her hand. The GPS marker for Dawn's cell phone showed that Dawn should have been right there. That was when she saw lying on a rock the cell phone in question. She picked it up and saw a sticky note attached to it which read: Call David.
Willow looked up the phone number in Dawn's contact list and saw the name David Nolan, with the nickname of Charming. She dialed the number.
Streets of Storybrooke
Dawn sat in the driver's side, in the backseat sat Henry.
"Aunt Dawn, are you mad at me?" Henry asked staring at his feet.
"Why would I be mad at you?" Dawn asked in concern.
"For going behind, yours and gramps back," Henry admitted.
"You did something amazing," Dawn said reminding the boy that he had managed to reunite Jefferson with his daughter. "While yes that wound up leading you to trying to find something else, we could use. It doesn't offset the good."
Before anymore could be said David opened the passenger door and got in. "I've been thinking… If you're going to start helping me, Henry, we've got to make sure we do this right. So, I picked these up." He showed Henry the wooden swords causing the boy's face to break out into a smile.
"Seriously?" Henry said excitedly.
David nodded. "Yeah, you're the grandson of a prince," he said as he glanced at Dawn, "and the grandnephew of a princess." He looked back at Henry. "I think it's about time you learned how to use a sword. Henry, Dawn and I can't get them back without you. So, what do you say? You with us?"
"Can you teach me how to fight a dragon?" Henry asked.
"We'll work our way up to it," David said as he smiled at his grandson.
"I can teach you also," Dawn said as David and Henry turned and looked at her. "Remember in this world Buffy and Faith are Slayers. The one girl in all the world chosen to fight the forces of darkness. I was always getting kidnapped and used as bait for Buffy. In the beginning Buffy didn't want to train me. But with time she saw that the best way to protect me, was for me to protect myself. So, she taught me to use a sword, to fight hand to hand."
David nodded and looked at Henry who smiled. He looked back at Dawn. "Since I'm more or less acting Sheriff since both Elizabeth and Emma are gone. I will need an acting Deputy. Since you are on leave from the school, would you like the job, Dawn?"
"Sure," Dawn said just as David's cell phone rang.
David looked at his cell phone and then at Dawn. "It's your phone," he said showing her the caller ID.
Dawn smiled as she took the phone from him and answered the call. "Willow?" she said.
"Dawn?" came Willow's voice. "Where are you?"
"In town, which is magically cloaked," Dawn answered. "I'll be right there." She ended the call and handed the phone back to David. "How would you two like to meet a friend of mine?" David and Henry smiled as she started the car and they drove off toward the boundary of Storybrooke.