Chapter Four: Princesses, Werewolves, and Archers, Oh My!
Disclaimer: Some dialogue is taken from 4x07: The Snow Queen, transcribed from ForeverDreaming.
When Henry wakes up, he isn't quite sure where he is. He knows he's not at home. He remembers coming to Storybrooke, but he isn't in their room at Granny's either. This bed is unfamiliar, and yet, a part of him feels like he's woken up here before. Weird.
It takes him a minute to remember everything that happened yesterday. A flying monkey nearly carted him off to Oz; he was teleported to the loft of his mom's old friends, the Nolans ... That must be where he is now.
He remembers falling asleep in front of an old Disney cartoon, his mom explaining that it didn't really go down like that. Because she knows. Because fairy tales are real, and the Nolans are really Snow White and Prince Charming.
Honestly, that's not the hardest part to wrap his mind around. It's weird, but he knows his mom. She's a huge skeptic, so if she believes all this fairy tale stuff is real, it must be, right?
No, the part that's hard to swallow is that he has grandparents now. Somewhere in this loft are a couple who could … pinch his cheeks maybe, or bake cookies with him, or give him a place to run away to? He doesn't really know what grandparents do. He's never had them before; it was always just him and his mom. And then the Davidsons joined them, and he was stoked, because it was the closest thing he'd ever had to a dad. But now … Now he has a dad, who is probably the son of Cinderella or something, and he's going to get to meet him.
It's too much. He doesn't know how to deal with it.
Who is more a dad?
Is it the guy his mom loves, who was there for him when he needed somebody? The guy who he knew he could call when his mom was in the hospital, and he was scared? The guy who he's seen be a good dad to Jason and Andrea, and who has been pretty cool to him too, and was cool even before he started dating his mom?
Or is it the guy who left his mom in prison and pregnant?
Too much. He can't deal. Best to focus on the grandparents in the equation first, and add the dad later.
The smell of cocoa and cinnamon makes him think it's the right time to go down the stairs he spots by the bed.
"Good morning," Mr. Nolan says. He's making pancakes that smell amazing, and he offers Henry an encouraging smile.
Henry tries to return it. He may feel kind of sick staring at his newly-found grandfather, but the smell of pancakes makes the smile come more easily.
"Did you sleep well?" He turns to see Mrs. Nolan, who is holding out a cup of cocoa with cinnamon for him.
Gulping, he nods. He did sleep well. Fairy tales and new family may all be crazy, but at least his mom isn't lying to him anymore.
He takes the mug Mrs. Nolan offers and takes a great big gulp, nearly burning his tongue. It doesn't matter. It tastes good, and it's something to do.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome," she says, smiling. It's weird. She's real and pregnant, but when he looks at her, he can kind of see a likeness to the cartoon. Also, she has his mother's chin.
"So, I guess you're my grandma?" Is that rude? She's pretty young. Maybe she doesn't want to be called that.
She smiles at him warmly. "I am, yes."
Henry takes a deep breath.e, "Where is my mom?"
"She said she had an errand to run, but I'm sure she'll be back soon."
Henry nods. "Does the errand have to do with the big evil we're facing?"
"Um, I'm not sure. She didn't say. I'm sure we'll find out when she gets back, though."
As if on cue, the door opens, and his mom comes in carrying a big box.
"Hey, kid. You're up."
Henry nods. "You went shopping?"
His mom places the box on the ground, takes out a utility knife, and starts cutting it open. "It's a gift. For the baby. You guys are going to need one, right?"
Henry takes a closer look. It's a crib. Cool.
Then he realizes: the baby. He's going to have an uncle. He's going to have an uncle who is younger than him. So weird.
He looks at his mom and the bright smile on her face. It's not fake, not exactly. There are traces of genuine happiness in there. But there's something else too. There's a forcedness to that smile. She's scared, and hurting, and suddenly, Henry hates his grandparents for expecting a baby.
"We can set it up together?" she says, turning to Mr. Nolan. She's looking for approval. Henry's seen that look before, like when she had trouble making friends with Sam's mom. She wants so badly for them to love her. Something in his stomach jerks, and he puts the hot cocoa down.
"Sure. Henry, you want to help?" Mr. Nolan says, grinning at him, "It could be a fun bonding thing," he adds when Henry doesn't answer.
"Maybe you should bond with mom first," Henry says, trying to keep his tone pleasant.
"We will. We are. But we want to get to know you too. We want you to feel comfortable here."
"Why wouldn't I feel comfortable? It's not like some flying thing could attack and carry me off, right?" It's not what he's upset about. Not really. But he feels vindicated to see Mr. and Mrs. Nolan glance at each other worriedly.
"Henry, we're going to do everything possible to keep you safe," his mom says. "You, uh, still trust me, right? I didn't ruin that?"
He smiles at her. "Yes. I trust you."
The Nolans both flinch a little, which makes his mom flinch. Then he feels bad. "Henry," his mom says, "everyone here cares about us. We're all doing the best we can."
"I know. I'm sorry."
"I know this isn't the safest town, but nobody here wants anything to happen to you. To either of us."
Henry nods. "Can we hang out with The Davidsons today?"
Emma nods back. "I can call Mr. Davidson, and we can set something up. And um … the other thing we talked about? Did you want -?"
"No. I mean, yes, I want to meet him but … maybe not just yet."
"Okay. That's fine. We'll do this at your pace."
"It's not a bad plan," the Evil Queen says. "Though it will take some work to pull it off. Still, nicely done, bookworm."
"I'd prefer you not call me that. Or address me at all, actually."
"Belle," Robin protests. "That's a little uncalled for."
Belle is torn. Robin is clearly sweet on the Evil Queen, and who is she of all people to tell someone whom to love? She hates when people try to warn her off Rumple, like she doesn't know her own mind. Like she's too dumb to realize how dangerous he is. Like she didn't make a decision to accept him, all of him, even the parts that belong to the Darkness.
She wants to respect Robin's choice, yet a niggling voice in her head can't help but remind her of everything the Evil Queen has put her through.
She sighs and looks at Regina. "When you all returned from Neverland, Snow White said you were a part of the reason they all survived. I respect Snow White, though I don't know her well personally. Ruby's always spoken well of her. If she and Robin believe you've turned over a new leaf, I'm hardly one to scoff at such things. I believe in second chances. That doesn't mean I've forgotten what you did to me, and you've yet to attempt an apology. So perhaps it's best if we just stay out of each other's way."
The Evil Queen nods. "Fine by me. Except we'll need to work together on this. The magical aspects have to be mine, but the planning can't be. Not all of it. Zelena's studied me. She knows how I think and how I'll act. We need the element of surprise, or this won't work at all."
"Then we'll do our part, and you do yours. We'll do the planning, and you stay out of it and away from me."
"Belle," Robin tried again. "Perhaps there's a way, to, er, bury the hatchet." Belle didn't say anything. Robin turned to the Evil Queen, "Perhaps you could apologize to her for whatever it is you did."
"I did what I had to do, and I don't think I was in the wrong. Besides, you're fine. It all turned out okay."
"First of all, my being fine now doesn't change how very much not fine I was for thirty years. Second of all, I am not fine, because my boyfriend is enslaved by your sister, and while I hate that he's being dragged into your family drama, I can only imagine whatever it was you must have done to her to warrant a strong reaction. I just wish she'd left Rumple out of it!"
"I hardly think Regina's responsible for her sister's actions," Robin said.
"Damned right, I'm not. She's just mad because I'm the baby my mother kept, even though it hardly meant a cushy upbringing like the one you received!"
"My mother was murdered in front of me! Ogres attacked my home. I had to trade myself into servitude to save everyone!"
"Yes, and you fell in love with your captor. Meanwhile, I've constantly had love ripped from me!"
"You ripped my chance at love away from me! You captured me and locked me in a cage for decades to keep Rumple and me apart!"
"You left on your own. Don't blame me for your relationship issues and miscommunications."
"Enough!" Tink yelled. "This is getting us nowhere. Regina knows what she needs to do, so she and I are going to go off and do it. Meanwhile, Belle, Robin, you two stay here and figure out your part of the plan. And if one more person bickers, I'll age you down like Pinocchio and give you a time out at the convent like the toddlers you're both acting like. Am I making myself clear?"
Regina rolled her eyes, but she nodded.
"I'm sorry, Tink," Belle said. "I didn't mean to get you mixed up in this."
Tinkerbell sighed, glancing first at Regina, then at Robin, and then at Regina again. "I'm afraid I already was. But no need to dwell on that now." She stood, wiped herself off, and motioned for the Evil Queen to follow her. Surprisingly, the Evil Queen complied.
Once they were gone, Belle looked at Robin sheepishly. "I'm sorry. That wasn't one of my best moments."
"Did she really kidnap you and lock you up for decades?"
With a sigh, Belle said, "Rumple's done worse to people. I don't want to get in the way of your happiness, Robin. If it's with the Evil … with Regina, I'll support you. You're my friend, and I know something about loving someone who has some darkness in them."
"That would be the Dark One? I'm not sure if it surprises me or not, you two falling for each other. I know he missed shooting me on purpose. I can only imagine you convinced him to?"
"I believe I did, yes. I reached the good in him. If you see good in Regina, though, I do have to ask: what happened to … ?"
"My wife? Marian. She, uh, she died. She was locked up in a castle. Truthfully, I don't even know whose castle or what she was locked up for. Still, I know it must have been connected to my thievery, the way I'd chosen for us to live our lives. I did try to find her, to rescue her, but I was too late. What I eventually found was a corpse that no kiss could wake, and don't think I didn't try." Tears formed in his eyes as he spoke. He tried to swipe at them, but they kept coming, and eventually, he just seemed to give up.
Belle put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry."
He gave her a watery smile. "If not for you, we wouldn't have had those last years together. She never would have met Roland. I never would have met Roland. He wouldn't even be here."
"Roland is your son?"
Robin nodded. "Yes."
"I'd love to meet him, when this is all over. If that's all right?"
"It's more than all right. Thank you, Belle, truly."
Belle gave him a smile. "Well, we should get to work on this plan, then. We need the element of surprise."
"I'm good with that. I'm a good thief. And I have a good bunch who will have ideas of their own. Belle, I think it's time you met the Merry Men."
"You didn't need to interfere like that. I can take that librarian in a verbal spar as easily as I could take her in a magic battle."
"And what would Robin say? You've finally found him, and now you're trying to show him your worst self. Belle is his friend."
"Well, he should pick better friends. And what do you mean, my worst self? Are you saying I shouldn't be myself with Robin?"
"Of course not! I would never say that. But maybe before he gets to know the Evil Queen, you should let him fall in love with Regina."
"I'm surprised you got as far as you did on this leg with that injury," Dr. Whale said.
"I have a high tolerance for pain, mate," Killian spat.
"By which he means, he was drunk off his ass and couldn't feel it," Neal said, causing Ruby to chuckle.
"If I were as drunk as you claim, I wouldn't have been able to come back, nor would I have needed to. Rest assured, I can hold my rum. And if you must know, I got a ride."
Neal sighed and shook his head. "Fine. So you weren't drunk; you were just being a stupid, proud prick."
"I should wash out your mouth, lad –"
"I learned that word and worse from you."
Dr. Whale cleared his throat, glancing back and forth between the two men. "Right, well, I've cleaned it up. Now I just need to stitch it back together. Pretty simple, really, assuming you didn't get an infection. You'll need to lay off the thing for a few days, and a transfusion might not be amiss."
"So, I'm stuck here for you to poke and prod as you please?"
"Don't be a wuss."
"Thank you, Dr. Whale," Ruby cut in while the boys bickered. "We appreciate your help."
"Thank you for bringing me something I can fix. My last patient turned into a flying monkey on the table."
"That wasn't your fault."
"No, but I couldn't do anything about it either. Would you believe I even attempted to develop a cure? I thought maybe I could use some of my expertise to create a … serum of some sort. I should have learned. The last time I tried to mix science and magic didn't exactly go well."
"So, the serum didn't work?"
"I've no idea. It's not like I had a ready test subject, and then it was stolen."
Ruby's eyes lit up, and she grabbed Dr. Whale's arm. "That's amazing!"
"Amazing?"
"I mean, the only person who would have a motive to steal it is the wicked witch, and if she stole it, maybe that means it would have worked! You should keep at it."
Dr. Whale shook his head. "I don't know. I can't help but feel I'm out of my league here. I've never liked magic. I thought science would rule the day. But science ruined my life with magic as its aid, and now I'm trapped in a town where magic is everywhere, and the only scientist is me. It's funny. Back in my land, I was desperate to go outside the realms of convention, to find other-worldly solutions. Now, I wonder if I wouldn't prefer to just be Dr. Whale, work in a hospital, and see regular patients."
"I get it. But this is Storybrooke. Regular doesn't really happen here."
Dr. Whale nodded, "Would you ever consider leaving? Storybrooke, I mean. If the town line got fixed?"
"I don't know of anyone out there who would be able to understand the stuff we've been through in here, or back home. Plus, I couldn't change, and while the old me would have considered that a blessing, I'm not ready to give up my nightly runs."
"Well, it was just a thought."
"Even my cursed personality never made it out of Storybrooke. I'd recommend talking to Emma. Or Neal."
"What?" Neal said, his head perking up.
"Oh, did you two stop bickering like old marrieds, then?"
Neal rolled his eyes. "I'm going to stay with him for a bit. But you can go if you want. Thanks for the ride."
"No problem. See you around." She turned, nodded to Dr. Whale, then left. Dr. Whale watched her walk away.
"If you're done ogling the waitress, I'd very much like to be able to walk again without great pain."
Neal smirked. "So, you admit you were in pain?"
"I never said it didn't hurt. Just that I could handle it."
"Your self-destructive habits will be the death of you. Or me."
Emma had texted Aaron about meeting up at the loft for breakfast.
"No need for all this food to go to waste, right?" her mother had said.
It wasn't as though the four of them couldn't eat the big breakfast her parents had made by themselves. Emma had a decent appetite, and Henry was at that age where he would eat anything.
Emma was pretty sure her mom just wanted to meet Aaron properly, now that he knew who they were. She wasn't looking forward to that exactly. Still, it couldn't be worse than the meal they'd all shared at Granny's.
They had just started to try to decode the directions for the crib she'd bought, when there was a knock on the door.
Henry rushed to get it, then stopped. He looked at her mom. "Um, can I -?"
"Oh. Um, of course," Snow said awkwardly.
The door opened, and the Davidsons came tumbling in.
"Dude, we met Pinocchio yesterday!"
Henry smiled. "Well, I met Snow White and Prince Charming, so …" He nodded in the direction of Emma's parents, and Jason and Andrea's eyes followed.
"She's not going to sing, is she?" Jason asked.
"I don't really do that." Snow said with a smile. "I can talk to birds, though."
"That's it?"
"Jason, don't be rude," Aaron said.
Emma smiled at him. He smiled back. It was a weary smile, but it was a smile.
"Hey," she said. "How did you sleep?"
Aaron shook his head. "Why don't we have some breakfast?"
"David made pancakes," Snow said.
Andrea took a seat at the table. "Wait, his name is really David? I thought it was Florian."
David choked a little on his drink. "Excuse me?"
"We went over the differences last night," Henry said, taking a seat between Andrea and Jason. "Some of them, at least."
"Well, Snow White was never my favorite fairy tale," Andrea said. "Who else is here?"
Henry shrugged. "Beats me."
"Dad promised we could meet some Disney Princesses today."
"That's not exactly what I said."
"Princesses are so lame," Jason said, "It's all about kissing princes and waking up from comas. Disney owns Star Wars now. Are there any Jedi here?"
"No," Emma said, then looked at her parents. "No, right?"
"Not as far as I know," Snow said. "But we've had some pretty exciting adventures. Nothing in space, but David and I have fought trolls and led an army against some evil monarchs."
Andrea smiled. "That's very Snow White and The Huntsman. Terrible movie. But, I mean, it was Kristen Stewart, so what do you expect? It did have Chris Hemsworth, though, so that was awesome. Is the huntsman around? Is he as hot as Chris Hemsworth? There's no way he's as hot as Chris Hemsworth."
After a pause, Snow said softly, "The huntsman is dead." She gave Emma a sad, sort of pitying look.
Emma swallowed her piece of pancake so she could speak. "What? It's not like I ever met him."
Snow gasped. Then she realized. "That's right. You never knew."
"Never knew what?"
Snow glanced from her to Henry. "I'll tell you later."
"Dad, can we have pancakes?" Jason asked.
"Of course you can. They're for everyone," David said.
Aaron looked apologetically at David. "Do you have any eggs? Maybe some spinach?"
David glanced at Aaron, then at Emma, then back at Aaron. "You don't like pancakes?"
"It's not that I don't like them, but, I mean, they're basically cake, right?"
"Aaron's big on healthy eating," Emma said, stepping in.
David looked at her wide-eyed. "Seriously?"
"We have fruit!" Snow said, getting up. "Blueberries and oranges. No apples, obviously; we never keep them in the house."
Andrea laughed.
"We could go with some oranges," Aaron said. "Blueberries sound good, too. Do you have any plain yogurt?"
"Yes, actually. I've been trying to eat healthier myself, what with the pregnancy. We should talk. I'd love any tips you might have."
"Don't get him started. He'll never shut up," Emma said, rolling her eyes.
Maybe this wasn't so bad. Her mom was trying. Aaron was trying. Emma was debating reaching out to grab Aaron's hand, when Henry spoke up.
"I think I'll have fruit, too."
"So, nobody wants pancakes?" David asked, a whine in his voice.
"Don't worry, Dad, I'll have some," Emma said.
And then it was weird again. She could feel Henry and Aaron's eyes on her. She could only imagine what both of them were thinking.
"So, in the original, Snow White stupidly accepts deadly gifts from a random stranger three times without learning her lesson and only survives because of luck. Is that how it happened?" Andrea asked.
"No. I … I knew the apple was poisoned, but Regina had David captive, and she said she would kill him if I didn't eat it."
"So, you two already knew each other? I like that. Deals with so many consent issues. Makes Prince Charming way less creepy."
"Creepy?" David asked.
"Well, what would you call becoming enamored with an apparent corpse?"
"I think that Aaron and I should take the kids to the park … or something," Emma said.
Andrea shook her head. "We've been to parks in New York. I was promised princesses."
"Well, maybe there will be princesses in the park," Emma said. "They do live here like regular people. Some of them have kids."
Aaron shot Emma a nervous glance. "I'm not sure how safe it is for us to go around sightseeing anyway. I mean, there are flying monkeys and wicked witches—"
"Well then, someone should get Dorothy," Andrea said.
"She isn't here," Emma told her.
"Are you sure? Because if the wicked witch is here, wouldn't it make sense for Dorothy to be here too? Or the wizard? Or someone else from Oz? I mean, if I were trying to defeat a wicked witch, I'd take a look at the source material."
"Right, but the stories are different here," Snow said.
"But Oz must still be a real place, and there probably is still a Dorothy. Isn't there anyone who would know about Oz? Someone who has been there, or has read about it in some sort of magic world history book?"
"Belle," Snow said. "I mean, I don't know if she's been to Oz, but if there are any books on Oz, I'd bet she's read them. Emma, you should talk to her."
Andrea perked up. "Belle? Like Beauty and the Beast? Wow, no offense, but that's so much cooler than Snow White. She's my favorite Disney Princess! Plus, once he became human, the Beast was way hotter than Prince Charming. Again, no offense."
"Do we have Belle's number?" Emma asked, trying to stay on task.
"No, but she's probably at Gold's shop," David said.
"Okay. Um, why don't you guys hang here and— "
Andrea's hand slammed down on the table. "Hey! I was promised a princess, and I will not be denied. If you're going to meet Belle, I want to come."
Emma looked at Aaron. "You should stay with your dad, out of harm's way. This is Savior stuff."
"It's asking questions, which I'm good at. It was my idea to talk to someone who knew something about Oz and try to track down Dorothy."
"We could all go," Henry said. "I'd rather be a part of this, too."
"I'm good either way," Jason said. "Snow White or Belle, it really makes no difference to me. If you have to talk to Han Solo, on the other hand— "
"I don't think we should split up," Aaron said. "I want you both where I can see you." He turned to Emma. "Who are we safer with, you or your parents?"
Emma sighed. "Honestly? I mean, probably me. I have magic."
Aaron nodded. "Then it looks like we're going to meet some princesses."
"YES!"
With one last squeal from Andrea, the two adults and three children headed out the door, leaving behind a table full of uneaten pancakes.
"A sleeping curse is like death, right?" Tink asked.
In Regina's vault, she and Regina were cooking up a magical poison to dip Robin's enchanted arrow in. Regina had to admit, it wasn't the worst plan. A part of her resented that she hadn't thought of it first. After all, sleeping curses were her area of expertise.
"It resembles death to the outside observer. Or some versions do, at least. I made some modifications to Maleficent's initial spell."
"But it doesn't actually kill the person?"
Regina smirked. "What's the matter? Scared to be involved in plotting someone's death?"
Tink shook her head, "It's not that. It's just, when a fairy or witch dies, their spells are often undone. Does that hold true for a sleeping curse?"
Regina thought for a minute. "I'm not sure. Nobody I've cursed has ever been a magic-user. Rumple would know. Sadly, if we had him, we wouldn't need this." She picked up another ingredient and started to measure it out.
"The Wicked Witch, she turned people into monkeys, right?"
Regina nodded.
"And if her magic isn't undone when she falls under the sleeping curse—" Tink started to say.
"Then they'll stay monkeys. Crap. I didn't think of that."
"Well, now that you have, we can't unthink it, can we?"
Regina ceased measuring. "No. I suppose we can't." She threw the half-made concoction against the wall. "Damn it! This would have worked! That arrow is enchanted to never miss its target. It would pursue Zelena mercilessly until it finally got her. Then she'd be asleep, and not my problem anymore."
"Belle's initial idea involved poppies. Perhaps we can use those."
"Poppies are only effective when ground to dust. She needs to inhale it. You can't dip an arrow in that!"
"I know. I used it on you, remember? We just need to catch her by surprise like I did – "
"I came to you to parlay, not fight. Besides, I assumed you still had magic. I wasn't expecting something like poppies. And, I'm reformed. I had no intention of killing you. Zelena has no such qualms."
"Technically, we don't even know what she wants. Maybe if we did – "
"She wants my heart. And Charming's courage. And Snow's baby. For all I know, she could be going after them right now, and instead of devoting my time to a protection spell, you've distracted me with this ridiculous plan."
"You were quite distracted when Belle and I found you in the woods, and neither of us had anything to do with it."
"That's not true. You had everything to do with it. You saw his tattoo! You know exactly how I ended up in that position with him!"
"So now you're blaming me for your finding love? Finally? Regina – "
"I don't know what I've found. I don't know if it's love. Robin and I hardly know each other. And right now, I need to focus on defeating my sister and protecting the people I care about. I don't have time to be a swooning schoolgirl, and I don't have time for ridiculous plans that won't work. Find me when you have something useful!" With a puff of smoke, Regina was gone.
"Well!" Tink said. "That was rude."
"How did you choose the name Roland?"
"It was Marian's father's name. Good man. He made me work quite hard to prove I was good enough for his daughter, but he did it because he wanted her to be happy, and he needed to know I could make her so. Considering how we met, I understand his skepticism, but he gave permission in the end."
"And how did you meet?"
"Now that's a tale. I've told it many times, but it never gets old. I suppose you should know I wasn't always a noble thief who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. At one point, I was just a thief. I came from nothing, and I stole because it suited me as a way to survive. And then I discovered I was good at it, and I stole more than I needed to survive. One day, I got it into my head to steal a horse. I don't know why. I had two horses to call my own already. I had no need of them. I suppose it was the thrill of the thing. I was young and stupid and … and I have no true excuse. It was wrong. I knew it was wrong, and I didn't care.
In any case, that night, I woke to an arrow pointed at my head, held by a beautiful maiden I hadn't encountered before. Her family, she said, were poor farmers. The little that they had was held together by that prized steed. I didn't say a word as she rode off that night. I was too stunned. She had something. Oh, she was beautiful, and fiery, but she also had integrity. And she got the best of me, which not many had before.
The next day, I returned to her cottage with two of my own horses as a gift to her family. From that day forward, I never stole for myself again. From that day forward, I only stole from the rich and gave to the poor."
"Just like that?"
"No, not just like that. What I had to my name were mostly stolen goods. Once I'd returned them all, I had fairly little to my name. Not to mention that I'd gotten it in my head to woo Marian, and, well, she didn't think much of me yet. I don't know that her father knew what I was after, but when I asked to work on his farm for room and board, he was amenable. He worked me hard, but I believe he grew to respect me. I respected him as well. It gave me a chance to do honest work and to get to know Marian, who softened to me in time."
"And her father blessed the union then?"
"Well, it was a bit more complicated than that. I don't know if you're familiar with the sheriff of Nottingham?"
Belle shuddered. "We've met."
Robin laughed. "Yes, he makes a bad impression. Mostly because he's a bastard. He wanted to wed Marian, and given her small dowry and his estate, he thought she'd jump at the chance, or at least her father would. When he came to ask Roland's permission, the man turned him down, saying he would never force his daughter to marry a man she didn't love."
Belle gave a sad smile, thinking of her father and Gaston. If only he had been a bit more like Roland. It had all worked out in the end, of course. Still …
"So, did he suggest you marry her?"
"We didn't talk about it in those terms. I inquired what the sheriff would have needed to do to get his consent, and he said that Marian was free to choose who she loved, and that would be enough for him."
"Shortly after that, Roland was tried and hung for acts of thievery." Belle gasped, and Robin gave a sad sigh. "He was framed. I couldn't prove it, but I was sure. Nottingham tried to convince Marian that I had set up her father. 'He is a thief, after all,' he said. But she knew me by then, and she knew him as well. We wed shortly after, and I discovered Roland had left his belongings to me. Laws prevented leaving it to Marian, or he would have done that, but he clearly knew what I didn't yet. That Marian intended to marry me. He knew I'd look after her. We bought a tavern and then," Robin paused, and looked up. "Well, I'll continue my tale later. We're at camp now."
Belle took in the campsite. It was more or less what she had expected. Tents were set up in close proximity to each other. There was a fire. A number of people sat around on rocks.
A little boy came running out of one of the tents.
"Roland," Robin greeted happily. "Good. I have someone here I want you to meet."
Roland noticed Belle. He grabbed onto his father's leg and started to hide behind him.
Belle gave him a small smile, but he didn't move.
Robin laughed. "No need to be scared. She's a friend, I promise." He got down to the same level as his son. "Do you remember I once told you of a brave woman and a powerful wizard who helped me save your mother's life before you were born?" Roland nodded. "This is that woman. Her name is Belle. Belle, this is Roland."
Belle copied Robin, getting down to the same level Roland was on and meeting his eyes. "It's nice to meet you, Roland," she said.
"Hi," Roland said, waving.
"Is she staying for dinner?" asked one of the men in the camp. "Because we only have so much to go around."
"Relax, Much. We've never run out yet."
The man named Much sighed. "Very well. If you vouch for her, she can stay. But if I go hungry this night – "
"She can't eat more than The Friar or Little John," another voice said. All the men looked down sadly.
"What's wrong?" Belle asked.
"Little John," the man named Much said. "He's gone."
"Not quite," Robin said. "Men, John is not dead. Yes, that witch has transformed him, but he's not dead. We haven't lost him. Once we defeat her, he'll be among us once more. And, thankfully, this lovely lass beside me has a plan. I think it's quite brilliant."
"Just out of curiosity, Robin, do you have designs on this lovely lass, or is she available for wooing?"
Robin laughed. "She's a friend, but I don't think you'd have much luck. Belle?"
Belle smiled at the man named Much. "I'm afraid I'm spoken for."
He smiled at her good-naturedly. "Just as well. If I were trying to woo you, I'd feel obligated to impress you, and that can't end well. Now I can be the savage I am."
"He means he eats with his mouth full," Another man said, and they all laughed.
"We are outlaws who can do as we please, and if the rest of you don't like how I eat, you can do the cooking yourself!"
"I guess she's not here," Emma said after repeatedly banging on Gold's shop door. It was, for once, locked. That was probably for the best. "I guess we could try the library. She works there, too."
"I think that's smart," Andrea said. "Because, you know, source material."
"I've seen The Wizard of Oz," Emma said.
"Right, but the books are different," Andrea continued. "Although, the Wicked Witch is actually only in the first one. Dorothy's defeating her is a little pathetic, kind of like in the movie, but if Snow White fought trolls and monarchs, maybe Dorothy is some kind of warrior princess, too."
"Ruby!" Emma called, spotting the waitress. "Hey."
Ruby, who had been about to go into Granny's, crossed the street and ran over to Emma, Henry, and the Davidsons.
"Hey. What's going on?"
"Who is she?" Andrea asked.
"I'm Ruby," Ruby said, smiling, "We met the other day. I waitress for Granny at the diner."
"Right. But you're a fairy tale character, right? So, who are you?"
Ruby looked at Emma. "You told outsiders?"
"They nearly got carried off by flying monkeys. Kind of hard to explain that away."
Ruby shook her head. "I mean, the last time we had outsiders in this town, it was Greg and Tamara, and that didn't turn out so well."
"Yeah, well, they were evil, so …"
"Who are Greg and Tamara?" Henry asked.
Ruby sort of gaped at him like a fish for a second.
"They wanted to destroy magic," Emma said. "And your dad was dating Tamara, but she was really using him."
Henry nodded.
"I'm Little Red Riding Hood," Ruby said, turning to Andrea. "But I'm also the big bad wolf. I'm a werewolf."
"That's such a cool twist!" Andrea said. "I never would have seen it coming." She turned to Jason. "You have to admit, that is pretty cool!'
Jason shrugged. "I mean, werewolves are cool. There's this show Teen Wolf, which is pretty awesome, even if Scott is always putting his love life before his pack. And Stiles is a way cooler character, even if he isn't a werewolf. So, how does it work? Did you get bit? Do you have a pack? Do you still have control when you wolf-up?"
Ruby laughed. She shot a look at Emma, who shrugged in a "why not?" gesture.
Shaking her head, she said, "Um, it's genetic. My grandmother got bit, so she passed it on to my mom, and my mom passed it on to me. I had some control issues initially, but I have it down now."
"Cool. Can we see you wolf-up?"
"It's not a full moon," Andrea said.
"I would more go with, 'We're in the middle of Main Street," Emma said. "Also, she's not a street performer."
"Well, can we meet your pack?"
Ruby seemed to deflate. "I don't actually have a pack. I'm not sure if there are any other werewolves in Storybrooke. At least, I've never met one. They may not have made the journey over."
"But don't you need a pack? Isn't that super important?"
Ruby didn't answer. She looked lost in thought. Or maybe she just looked lost.
"Hey, Ruby, sorry for all the questions. If I can ask one more though, would you happen to know where Belle is?"
"What? Oh, yeah. Um, she went off to the woods to find Robin Hood."
"Robin Hood?" Jason asked, his eyes suddenly wide. "Seriously?"
"You're into Robin Hood, I take it?" Emma asked.
"Well, not exactly. I mean, I don't know much about him, but The Green Arrow is half Robin Hood half Batman, so he's almost kind of like a superhero."
"And you didn't want to meet anyone," Andrea said.
"Well, I didn't know there would be werewolves and archers."
"My mom's pretty handy with a bow, actually," Emma said. "But for right now, we should head to the woods. Thanks, Ruby."
Ruby nodded. "Hey, Emma? Whatever it is you need her for, go easy on Belle. This is a hard time for her."
"I still think you should have stayed at the hospital," Neal said.
"I let that healer-man stitch me up because you insisted upon it, but I'm a big boy, and I needn't be confined to a sickbed. Especially when there's a witch about."
"You afraid she'd catch you unawares."
"Not afraid. I simply think I can be of more use this way."
"Of more use? Neither of us is of any use! We're both stuck in this hotel room doing nothing!"
"So you despair of being sent to bed, but disparage me for the same charge?"
"No. I don't know. I just … My dad is being enslaved right now by that witch. And Emma's in trouble. So is Henry. Plus, he doesn't even remember me. And all anyone wants me to do is sit here out of the way."
"I fear I'm suffering the same fate, but have you never heard the phrase, 'tis better to ask forgiveness than permission?"
A bright light popped in the middle of the room, and suddenly, Tinkerbell was standing there.
"Geez, Tink! A little warning next time? Or maybe try knocking?"
"Sorry Bae. I didn't realize you'd be in your rooms."
"It's Neal, and what do you mean?"
"I meant to check on you two, but I assumed you'd still be at the hospital. My magic brought me to where you were."
"I guess I should be grateful we were dressed," Neal said.
"She's seen that," Hook said, smirking.
Neal eyed the two of them. "What? Seriously?"
Tink blushed a little and rolled her eyes. "It was a long time ago."
After an awkward pause that lasted way too long, Neal asked, "How did the plan go? With Belle, I mean? Are we using poppies to – "
"We have to now, not that Regina's thrilled about it. Truthfully, the sleeping curse idea was a better plan, but I realized that if nobody can wake Zelena up, all those people who've been turned into monkeys will be stuck as monkeys."
Neal had never been thrilled with the idea of a sleeping curse. He wasn't a fan of magic in general, but Dark magic? Still, they needed a plan. They needed to save his father. They needed to save everyone from that witch.
"So, it's poppies we're working on now? Or, are we trying to figure out how to de-monkify them? That could be an idea."
"It could be, except we have no clue how she even turned them into monkeys in the first place, let alone how to turn them back."
"Papa would. He would know."
Tinkerbell sat down next to Neal and put a comforting hand on his arm. "We will get him back, Bae."
"Neal," he said reflexively.
"Perhaps it's time you stopped looking at your father as the man with all the answers, lad."
Neal looked up, startled. "You think that's how I see him?"
"I think that when a boy loses his father at a young age, he forever sees his father with the same eyes he saw him with at that age. When you think of the Dark One, you're once again fourteen, fighting to save him from the demon that's consuming him, relying on him to provide for you and protect you, praying that he'll come rescue you from a nightmarish island. You're not fourteen anymore, Bae. You're a man now."
"Thanks for the pop psychology analysis, Dr. Jones, but I'm well aware that I'm a man."
"Are you? You were a boy of fourteen for centuries."
"Yeah, and I was happy to leave my extended childhood behind."
"Bae, perhaps he has a point," Tink said in a placating tone.
"Oh, come on. You too? And I told you, it's Neal. That's the grown-up name I picked, so if you want to me to see myself as a man, maybe you should both stop looking at me like I'm fourteen."
"Maybe you should stop behaving like a child," Hook said, "Bae … Neal, I understand. I spent too long waiting for my father to return and rescue me from the fate he abandoned me to. When I met him again, beneath all the anger and bravado, a part of me just wanted him to hold me and protect me. But I wasn't that little boy he left behind anymore. He came too late to spare me from the fate he'd abandoned me to. I was all grown, and I had to make my own way."
"You made your way as a pirate. I don't think that's my solution."
"I'm not saying it is. But perhaps it's time you discovered just who you are as an adult, and just what you are capable of. Because I don't know much of Neal Cassidy, but Baelfire was the only soul I knew capable of escaping Neverland, and he did so twice. So, perhaps you don't need your father to hold your hand. Perhaps you can save your family on your own."
Neal was quiet for a minute. Then he met Killian's eyes. "You met your father?"
"Aye."
"And, uh, how did that go?"
Killian shook his head. "Another tale for another time, but suffice it to say, your reunion was superior to mine. But enough of the past. What can we do now to fight this witch?"
"So, what you're telling me is that Henry knows about magic, and he knows about his father, but he still doesn't know about me?" Regina said, grinding her teeth slightly.
"His memories are still gone. And explaining to him that he lived a completely different life would be … complicated," Snow said.
Regina spread her arms out in agitation. "And I'm supposed to just sit in the background and pretend like I'm fine with this?"
David put his hand up placating. "Nobody expects that."
"But you do expect me to keep my mouth shut," Regina said, pacing.
"Think about it from his point of view, Regina," Snow said. "If his memories are fake, why should he trust Emma? Why should he trust any of us? Just because we tell him to? He might decide to run away again, and with Zelena on the loose – "
"She chose to give him up. I did not sneak into your daughter's house in the middle of the night and steal her infant son. For whatever reason, Emma chose to give him up and I adopted him. I raised him. And now, she wants to just pretend that she never made that choice."
"That isn't what this is about. Regina, you are Henry's mother, just as much as Emma is. And when he gets his memories back, he'll know that. But for now … " Snow put down her cocoa and sat forward. "Look, it isn't easy for me either. I was close with Henry. I was his teacher. I knew him all his life. Now I'm – "
"His grandmother!"
"But still a stranger. Not someone who knows him. Not someone who was there for him."
"It's more than I have," Regina said, crossing her arms.
"I know. It hurts. It hurts a lot. But we will find a way to get his memories back. He will remember you and me and David. Until then, we just have to be patient and not lose hope."
Regina scoffed. "Well, since I'm still just the mayor of this town and nothing more, I suppose I should leave before he returns."
"Thank you for putting up a protection spell," David said.
"I have no desire for my sister to win, or to take your unborn child. I just hope that, when this is over, I'll have my child again."
"Where exactly is Robin Hood's camp?" Henry asked.
"I'm not sure," Emma said with a shrug. "Somewhere in the woods. If we keep looking, I'm sure we'll find him."
Henry stared at her, "Really? That's your plan?"
"Well, what would you do, smart guy?"
Henry shrugged. "You said you have magic. What about some kind of tracking spell? Or like a map that shows where everybody in Storybrooke is?"
Emma shook her head. "I have magic, but I don't exactly know how to control it. I don't know any spells or have any magical objects."
"Isn't the whole reason we followed you instead of your parents because you could protect us with magic?" Aaron asked nervously.
"I mean, I … I've used it a few times. When I really needed it. Plus I have a gun. And mom's pregnant, which kind of benches her, plus Zelena is after the baby, so – "
"Why would a wicked witch want a baby?" Andrea asked.
"Maybe the baby has some super important destiny," Jason said. "Or maybe she plans to raise the kid to be a psycho who hates their parents and will come back and kill them, like with Holtz and Connor on Angel."
"Yeah, but Emma said that she didn't hate Snow White and Prince Charming; she hated the Evil Queen, right?"
Emma nodded.
"Shouldn't hating an evil queen be a good thing though?" Jason asked. "I mean, just let them duke it out."
"Except she's not evil anymore," Emma said, "She's a good person. Well, she's trying to be."
"If the Evil Queen is on our side, couldn't she teach you magic? I mean, she's a witch too, right?" Henry asked.
"Yeah, I guess she is."
"So?"
Emma shook her head. "Maybe. I'm not the best student and … and I don't know that my magic is the right way to go with this."
"I thought you came back here because you're the Savior? Doesn't that kind of imply that you and your magic are the answer?" Henry asked.
"I'm more than just magic, kid," she said, nudging him. Then she paused. "This area looks familiar. Robin Hood! Merry Men! Anyone there?"
"There not just going to come out when you call," Jason said, rolling his eyes. "They're probably like all covert ops: hiding in nature."
"It's Emma! We met … briefly. Look, I'm just looking for Belle, okay? I don't want any trouble!"
After a minute, some leaves ruffled. Belle emerged from them.
"Emma. What are you doing here?"
"I, uh, sorry if this is a bad time, but we were just wondering – "
"Oh my g-d! Wow. You're … you're real." Andrea ran up to Belle. "Hi. I'm Andrea. Huge fan."
"Um, well I … thank you."
"She's from the land without magic," Emma supplied.
Belle's eyes grew wide. "The last time someone from the land without magic came here, I was shot and lost my memories."
Emma winced. "This is different. Andrea is … She and her family are friends of mine. I trust them."
"I would never hurt anyone here," Andrea said. "Especially you. You're such a legend. You made it seem okay for girls to be smart and like to read books. Hey, out of curiosity, are you more like your Disney counterpart or more like the Belle in the novel by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve?"
Belle chuckled a little. "Disney, I'm afraid. I'm an only child and a man named Gaston courted me. Of course, I wasn't a village girl from a simple town. I was actually a noblewoman."
"Really? How did that work? And where is the Beast? Is he here?" Andrea asked, glancing around and not noticing Belle's wince.
"Andrea, maybe hold off on your questions until I can ask some of mine?" Emma asked.
Andrea nodded, stepping back. "I love your accent, by the way."
"Thank you," Belle said.
"Belle, we were wondering; in your studies, did you ever read anything about Oz that might help us? Are there, maybe, any books that could tell us about Dorothy or any weaknesses the wicked witch might have?"
"The books say that Dorothy rallied the people and threatened the Wicked Witch's reign, but she never actually defeated her that I know of. And the stories could be as exaggerated as they are vague. Most of the books that address Zelena's reign speak of her as a supreme and unbeatable ruler."
Emma deflated. "Oh."
"I'm sorry I can't be more help. I've only read about it; I've never been there."
"Well, do you know anyone who has?" Andrea asked.
"Actually, there might be someone. Did you ever meet Jefferson?" Belle asked.
Emma winced. "Uh, yeah. I, uh, ran into him once."
"Well, he used to work for Rumple, going from realm to realm. He's a portal jumper. I'm not … certain that he's been to Oz, but if anyone has been, it would be him. Maybe he can be of more help."
Emma nodded. "Okay." She turned to Henry. "Listen, Henry – "
"Why do I have a bad feeling you're about to tell me to stay behind?" Henry asked.
"I'm sorry. Look. It's just … the last time I crossed paths with Jefferson he … well, let's just say he was a bit unhinged. And dangerous. And I don't want you put in danger."
"Won't you be in danger?" Henry asked.
"I can take care of myself. I got away from him once, and I didn't even have magic then."
"Okay, but – "
"Look, I can take you back to the loft to hang out with my parents, if you want, or maybe you can stay with Robin and the Merry Men?" She turned to Belle, "I mean, if you think they'd go for that?"
"I can't speak for them," Belle said.
"But they're listening, right?" Emma asked. "They can protect my son and friends from harm for now?"
Robin Hood emerged from behind the foliage. "We'd be delighted. I have a son myself. His safety is very important to me. I understand wanting to keep children safe."
Andrea stood up taller. "I'm a teenager, actually."
"Emma …" Aaron began.
Emma pulled him off to the side. "I know this isn't ideal."
"None of this is ideal. And I'm confused. First, you say we're safer with you. Then you say it's too dangerous for us to go with you. Which is it?"
Emma sighed. "I don't know. I'm trying to find the safest way. It's hard because … "
"Because it's all dangerous?" Aaron finished for her.
"I'm sorry. Please, don't – "
"Don't what? Emma, I don't hold any of this against you. It's not your fault. But that doesn't mean the situation doesn't scare me. Those are my kids!"
"I know."
"I can't lose them."
"I know that too. I'm doing everything in my power to protect them. But, like I told Henry, my power is kind of limited right now."
"And you don't have time to learn to do more with it?"
"It's not that. It's not that we don't have time. It's just … I don't want to rely on magic. I mean, that's not my life. And it's what Zelena's going to be expecting: a magic fight. I may have magic and I may be the Savior, but living in the outside world for a year," she looked down for a moment with a small smile, "being with you, has reminded me that I'm more than that. I am plenty strong and capable on my own. If we can find a way to stop this witch that doesn't have me joining Regina's … coven, or whatever, shouldn't I do that?"
"I guess? I don't really know how any of this works. It's, I mean, it's your world. It's not mine."
Emma grabbed his hands, "It doesn't have to be. Magic doesn't have to be my world. I mean, my parents don't even have magic. This world isn't supposed to have magic. Maybe when this is all over, we can all just live our lives outside of Storybrooke." Aaron started to say something, but Emma cut him off. "I'm not saying we have to talk about that right now. Right now, I have a witch to defeat. And Andrea's right. We have to try and find a weakness. If that means I have to confront someone who once drugged me and held me hostage, than that's what I have to do."
"He did what?"
"I got away. I beat him. And before I go confront him, I'll call my dad. And I'll bring my gun. I'll be fine. I promise."
Aaron shook his head. "A part of me wants to go with you."
"I know. But I got this. And you don't want to leave your kids with strangers, as legendary as they might be."
Aaron nodded in agreement. "No. I really don't."
"Look, I'll call my dad. We'll figure something out."
"Of course your father will help you. Why don't you come back to the house with Henry first? Regina put up a protection spell, so the place should be safe for him. And your boyfriend and his kids too? Okay. I'll see you soon."
Snow hung up the phone, then turned to David. "Emma wants to speak with Jefferson."
"The portal jumper?"
"You know him?"
"Yeah. When you guys were stuck in the Enchanted Forest after the first curse broke, I went to him for help. Didn't do me much good. Probably why I never mentioned it. Why? Do you know him?"
Snow got up and headed for the kitchen, not meeting David's eyes. "Um, sort of."
"No. Not him too? Not like Whale?"
"What? No, David that's not … That's not how I know him."
"Well then how?"
"As you'll recall, during the curse, Regina tried to set me up for murdering your wife."
David winced. "Yeah. I remember."
"I had no options. I looked guilty. Even you believed I could be guilty."
"Snow I … I'm sorry."
"It's okay. We were cursed. I've never held you responsible for the things we did when we were cursed. Why torture yourself for something that isn't your fault?"
David winced again, but nodded.
"Anyway," Snow continued, "I was scared. So the day before my hearing, I tried to run. And I was, well, kidnapped."
"What?"
Snow shook her head. "I didn't remember how to fight or defend myself. I wasn't expecting him. He found me, tied me up," Snow shook her head. "I was so scared. And then Emma rescued me."
"I should have killed him," David said.
"I don't hold anyone responsible for their behavior during the curse, not even him. Still, Emma going to confront him is … worrying."
"Oh, there's no way she's going now."
"And I suppose you're going to stop her by simply telling her no? You know our daughter better than that, David. She does what she wants. Be glad she's agreed that you can come as backup and leave it at that."
David shook his head. He walked over to Snow and held her close. "To think I could have lost you, before I had even truly found you again."
"You can't lose me. We'll always find each other, David. No matter where we are."
"I should have been there for you. I am … so ashamed of some of what David Nolan did. How he treated Katherine. How he treated you." He took Snow's face in his hands. "For all that this witch is a threat, I'm grateful that this curse let us remember who we are to each other."
The two shared a short but sweet kiss. It might have lasted longer, but it was interrupted by a knock at the door.
"That's strange. Emma has a key," Snow said, going to the door.
Ruby was on the other side. "Hey. Can we talk?"
"It's all about the tumblers," Neal said as he got the lock to click.
"Isn't this breaking and entering?" Tink asked.
"That's hardly new territory," Killian said. "Who do you think taught the lad to pick a lock?"
Neal shrugged. "It's a good skill. Helped me get by out there. The land without magic wasn't the easiest place for a lost boy. I did what I had to to survive," he said, as he pushed the door open. The three of them stepped inside. "Anyways, technically, this is my father's shop, so I'm not sure if it counts as breaking and entering. I mean, I probably inherited the thing when he … died, right? Now that he's back, who's to say who it belongs to? I doubt he'd mind us coming in, especially if it can help him."
"Belle would have the key, though. We could have waited for her," Tink said.
"Nah. I'm done waiting. Now, he'd keep his stash in some hidden place like … got it. Come on." Neal motioned for the other two to follow him— which they did— to what appeared to be a workroom.
"All right, enough keeping us in suspense, Bae. What are we here for?"
Neal scanned the shelves until his eyes landed on a bottle with a stopper in it. "This. Squid ink," he said, holding it proudly for the other two to see.
"Squid ink? That could – "
"Immobilize any magic user, including the wicked witch. And once she's immobile, you knock her out with the poppies and we grab the dagger."
"Brilliant!" Killian said.
"But will it work?" Tink asked.
"It worked on Pan. And my Papa. It should work on Zelena just as well."
"We don't want to go back to the loft," Andrea said. "Belle is here."
"And Robin Hood. Did you see those arrows?"
"Guys, Regina put a protection spell up around my parents' loft. It's the safest place – "
"I don't think you know what is safe. Isn't that what you were fighting with my dad about?" Andrea asked.
"We weren't fighting," Aaron said. "We were just having … grown-up talk."
Andrea rolled her eyes. "Whatever. My point is, nowhere in this town is really 'safe,' " she said, using air quotes to make her point.
"If it's a question of a protection spell, perhaps Regina could come back here and put one up?" Robin Hood offered. "Although I confess, I don't know how to get in touch with her."
"I do," Emma said. "Okay, how about this? I'll call her and have her meet us at the loft. We have to regroup anyway. Then, if she's down for it, she can walk you guys back here to chill while I go talk to Jefferson. Cool?"
Reluctantly, Andrea and Jason nodded.
"Okay," Emma said. "Give me a minute."
Author's Note: This was going to be one chapter, but it became too long so now it's two. The good news is, I'm making steady progress writing what comes next. Thanks again to Esther-Channah for beating, and reviews are appreciated.