Chapter 34: The Outsider
January 1, 2012
ISC Storybrooke Facility
"Joyce," Cora said. "You and Snow had your chance to get Faith to open up."
"Grandmother," Buffy pleaded. "Let me replace Faith's heart."
Cora thought about it and smirked. "I think not," she said as she crushed the heart in her hand, killing Faith.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Faith woke up screaming as Buffy, Dawn, Mary Margaret and Joyce came running into her bedroom.
Buffy sat down on Faith's bed beside her sister. "Faith, what is it?" she asked as she pulled Faith into her arms.
"A nightmare," Faith answered. "Cora, crushing my heart."
It was then that Dawn, Mary Margaret and Joyce all saw the scars crisscrossing Faith's back.
"Faith," Joyce said looking at the scars with a deep frown. "Who did this?"
Faith glanced at her mother and saw where Joyce was looking and then looked down deeply ashamed. "My so-called mother," she whispered barely able to be heard by the four women in the room. "She did that to me. And my so-called father did nothing. He watched her day after day beat me. He was a Watcher, and he let her beat me. I—I was nothing but a science experiment to them."
"How could they deny a child love?" Buffy asked looking up at Joyce.
"That is so very wrong," Mary Margaret said as she sat on the bed and patted her sister's leg in comfort. "You are a very beautiful person, you never deserved that."
"Faith, what's wrong?" Dawn asked noticing the tears that began to fall from her sister's face.
"The Lehanes," Faith said looking at Dawn, "abused me physically and mentally. They called me an unloved disgusting brat. They never allowed me to have a birthday."
"When was the last time you celebrated our birthday?" Buffy wondered as she looked at her twin.
"Our seventh," Faith said. She looked up at Joyce. "When I was still living with you, just before they snatched me." She looked back at her twin. "That was the last time I actually celebrated our birthday."
"You went your entire life without…" Buffy said in clear shock as she wrapped her arms around Faith. Her own tears began to fall from her eyes at the thought of her sister unloved and unable to celebrate their birthday.
Faith nodded as she returned Buffy's embrace and held onto her sister as if afraid to let Buffy go. "If I reminded the Lehanes, Mrs. Lehane would beat me and after she did, I usually spent my birthday in a coma. I never told any of the foster parents about my birthday, because I thought they would be like the Lehanes. Then when Lady Di took me in…I didn't even bring it up. She would hold a birthday party for me every year. But by then I was so emotionally detached I never actually celebrated it. It wasn't till our eighteenth, Buffy, that I wanted to try and celebrate it, with you. I had found out that we shared the same birthday. I don't know why I didn't put two and two together back then. Anyways you said you didn't have time for my drama."
"I never said that," Buffy said as she frowned. "Faith, that was during the time when Travers had Giles strip my powers so I could face a vampire with powerless. I wasn't feeling at the top of my game at that point. I didn't even see you at all during that week."
Joyce frowned as she looked between her daughters as realization set in. "That no good son of a… He or another Watcher glamoured himself or herself to look like you, Buffy. They wanted to keep a wedge between you."
"To make sure neither of you remembered you were sisters," Mary Margaret added as Joyce nodded.
"It was when I was in prison and had time to think that I realized the Watcher's Council had pitted us together intentionally," Faith explained. "It was then that I realized it was not you who I talked to about our birthday, Buffy. That the Watcher's Council had played us."
"Yeah," Buffy sighed. "We know now they gave the Mayor through a third party the dagger that they coated in a spell. A spell that was designed to kill one of us. And it nearly worked."
Faith nodded as she sighed. "As a result, I spent our nineteenth birthday in a coma and our twentieth and twenty-first birthdays in prison. Then after Wes busted me out to stop Angelus, I stopped cerebrating my birthday for good."
"Angelus?" Buffy said and then frowned when she remembered when Willow had gone to get Faith from Los Angeles. "Willow said Angel needed help but never said Angelus was back. That's two things she's neglected to tell me."
"What do you mean two?" Dawn asked.
"Not now, Dawn!" Buffy admonished her baby sister. She looked at Faith and smiled as an idea came to her mind. "It's a couple weeks till our birthday. But what if we celebrated it together, a little bit early? What do you think, Faith?"
Faith smiled as she looked at her twin. "Yes," she said happily. "I would love that, Lizzie."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"Sheriff White," Buffy said answering her cell phone.
"Buffy?"
"Hey, Giles," Buffy said recognizing her former Watcher, mentor and surrogate father's voice. "This is a surprise. What is it?"
"I've been going over records left behind by the old Council. I found something of interest. There was a Will for Diana Dormer, Faith's Watcher and adoptive mother. In it, she left her entire estate to Faith. An estate I might say that if Faith had received it, would have left her very well off. We're talking several million dollars and a mansion in Boston."
"Why didn't Faith receive it?" Buffy asked confused.
Giles sighed. "Quentin."
"That asshole?" Buffy spat. Even though the man had been dead for eight years. She still hated the sound of his name.
"Yes," Giles answered. "Due to Diana being a Watcher he seized the entire estate. As you very well know the old Council saw the Slayer as expendable. It's why Slayer's never got a stipulation and were forced to undergo the Cruciamentum upon their eighteenth birthday. Diana's family home is still in our possession. I am in the process of transferring both the deed and the monetary portion, with interest, of Faith's inheritance into her name."
"Fax me a copy of the will," Buffy said. "We're planning on celebrating our thirty-first birthday a little early. I think learning that would make for a wonderful birthday present."
"I will do just that. There is one other thing, Buffy. I learned how Diana died. Quentin was responsible. He went against the old Council's tradition. Kakistos was for Faith's Cruciamentum, nearly a year early. He brought the vampire to Boston. He intentionally let it loose and sent it after Diana and Faith."
"What your saying is that he is responsible for her death," Buffy said in clear shock.
"She showed love for a Slayer and Quentin despised that. Remember your Cruciamentum? I was fired. I expect if my family hadn't been so influential in the old Council, I might have met the same fate as Diana."
"Then it's a good thing he's dead and you are in charge, Giles," Buffy said.
Storybrooke Town Boundary
Mr. Gold pulled his car to a stop just inside the town boundary. He got out and then popped the truck, where Smee was bound and gagged inside. He proceeded to remove the gag and led Smee to the town line. "This will only take a moment," he said.
"Don't…push me over," Smee pleaded. "If I cross the line, I'll lose my memory. It's a cruel fate."
"A fate you were more than willing to bestow upon Belle." Gold answered as he kicked Smee to the ground and took his hat. "You've had this rag since the day we met. Why is it so important to you?"
"My grandmother made it for me when I was a boy," Smee answered. "It's always brought me good fortune. What difference does it make?"
Gold poured a potion over the hat, causing it to glow briefly with magic. "Oh… All the difference in the world. It's your only chance," he said as he threw the hat back to Smee, who quickly put it on.
"What do you mean, my only—" Smee started. He was unable to finished as Gold pushed him over the town boundary and a surge of magic pulsed through his body.
"What's your name?" Gold asked.
"William Smee," Smee answered as he looked at Gold in surprise.
"And who am I?" Gold asked.
"Rumpelstiltskin. The Dark One. I remember everything! How can this be?" Smee asked.
"Well, it seems our little experiment was a success. Now go," Gold said as Smee ran back towards town. "I have a trip to plan."
ISC Storybrooke Facility
Dawn was two years old when she went to her first funeral. Looking back, she remembered nothing but Buffy's tears as they buried their cousin Celia. She knew from talking to their mother later in life how Celia had died, and as a result she understood why her sister hated hospitals.
Dawn was fifteen years old when she went to her last funeral. Looking back, she remembered nothing but her own tears as they buried Buffy. That had almost been the end of her. She had lived because Buffy had asked her to, but only because Buffy had asked her to. Every day had been a struggle to take one more step to take one more breath. She had contemplated suicide several times during the five months that Buffy had been gone. Funerals were now a painful reminder of the pain, the depression and the loneliness she had experienced for five months. She hadn't even gone to the memorial Giles had held for the Slayers who had died during the Battle of Sunnydale. She couldn't because funerals were just too painful.
When Henry begged Dawn to come to Archie's funeral. She had instantly told him no. Neither Henry or Faith seemed to understand, but Buffy did. Buffy had known for years why Dawn had not attended another funeral. She knew very well the pain her baby sister held in her heart. The same pain she had held for a long time after being ripped from heaven or wherever she had truly been. She persuaded Henry to drop the matter and told him and the rest of her family that she would explain after the funeral why Dawn wouldn't come.
Storybrooke Cemetery
David, Joyce, Emma, Buffy, Henry and Faith stood with several of the Storybrooke residents who were gathered around a casket and a tombstone, that read: Archibald Hopper – Friend and Conscience.
"Some of us knew him as Archie," Mary Margaret said. "Others, as Jiminy. But we all knew him as a true friend. And though, he may now be gone, he will always live on inside of us. Reminding us to be our best selves, to do the right thing, to always fight for what we believe in. So, we shouldn't think of today as goodbye, just as a way of saying… Archie, we'll be listening.
Marco walked up to the tombstone and lay Archie's umbrella against it. "I miss you so much, my friend. Well, at least… You are in a better place."
Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop
"Hey," Belle said as she entered the shop. "What, uh… What's wrong that you couldn't tell me on the phone?"
"I did it. I can leave," he told her.
"You can cross the town line?" she asked confused.
Mr. Gold nodded. "Indeed, I can. When I pour this potion onto the object, I hold most dear, that object becomes a talisman, and allows me to cross the town line and still remember who I am."
"And who you're looking for?" Belle questioned.
"My boy," he answered simply.
"What, um…" Belle said. "What will you enchant?"
"Well…" Gold said as he revealed a hidden safe behind a painting. He unlocked the safe and pulled out a well-worn shawl. "This shawl…is all I have left of my Baelfire."
"I don't suppose I could come with you?" Belle asked.
Gold truly wished Belle could go with him. "No, I… I… I truly wish you could, but… I only have enough of this potion for one object." He put the shawl back into the safe. "Hey. This is my journey, Belle. This is my journey. I'm afraid it's something I have to do alone." He pulled Belle into his arms.
"I know," Belle said as she returned his embrace.
ISC Storybrooke Facility
Buffy sat in the living room in front of Joyce, Mary Margaret, David, Emma, Henry and Faith. She let out a sigh. "The reason Dawn refused to go Archie's funeral is because of me."
"What do you mean?" Joyce asked suddenly concerned for her daughter.
Buffy couldn't look any of her family in the eyes. She looked at the ground like what she was about to mention was a dirty little secret. "I died," she said.
"We know," Mary Margaret said as she remembered the story her sisters had told her and Joyce while they were in the Enchanted Forest.
"No, you don't," Buffy answered. "You know I died and why, for Dawn. What you don't know is afterward. Why Dawn refuses to attend any funeral at all. I am the why. Because I died for her. It nearly broke Dawn."
"How do you know that?" Henry wondered.
"Because I told her." They turned and saw Willow standing in the door. She moved to sit next to her best friend. "The five months before I brought Buffy back was hard on Dawn. Dawn is partly the reason I brought Buffy back. I couldn't stand to watch someone I love in that much pain."
"What do you mean?" Faith asked suddenly worried for her baby sister.
"Suicidal doesn't begin to describe the pain and loneliness and the depression that Dawn was under," Willow said with a sigh. Buffy stared at her friend in realization that there had been three things that Willow had not told her. "There were a couple times I know of that Dawn contemplated suicide, just to be with Buffy. I stopped those myself. But I have no idea how many other times there were."
Joyce's hand went to her face in shock. "My poor pum'kin belly," she whispered so softly only the two Slayers heard.
Buffy and Faith moved to Joyce and pulled her into their arms and held her tightly.
"That is why," Buffy said. "Dawn will not go to funerals. It's painful. It's a constant reminder that for five months a decade ago that I had died for her. My funeral was the last she attended. She has never attended another since."
Storybrooke Library
Belle entered the library and grabbed a handful of books to put away. She ran into Hook, who was reading a book in one of the aisles. "Uh, sorry. The… The library's not open yet."
"Oh. I'm not here for the books, love," Hook said.
"You. You're the one who broke into my cell at the Queen's palace," Belle said in realization. She ran out into the main part of the library as Hook followed her. "You wanted to kill Rumpelstiltskin."
"Oh, I still do. But, right now, I'll settle for you," Hook explained.
She pushed a cart of books on top of Hook and ran into the elevator. Hook freed himself from the pile and dashed towards the elevator, but the door shut in his face.
Faith had been walking by the library on her way to a shop to buy a present for Buffy for their birthday. She heard a commotion from inside the building. She rushed in and spotted Hook banging on the elevator door.
"You," Faith snarled. She chased Hook out of the library. She watched as he ran and pulled out her cell phone and dialed. "Come on, pick up."
"Sheriff White," came Buffy's voice from the other end of the line.
"It's Faith, Buffy," Faith said. "I just saw Hook. He was in the library. I think he was terrorizing Rumpelstiltskin's girlfriend, Belle. I think she locked herself in the elevator, he was banging on it. I don't know for sure as I didn't see her. Anyways I scared him off, but if Hook is here then…that means."
"Cora is here also," Buffy said in understanding. "Which also means that Cora likely cast a glamour to set up mom. And we fell for it, Faith. We have to find her."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Inside the library elevator, Belle was on the phone with Gold. "Hey, Belle," he said.
"Rumpel, I'm…I'm in the elevator," Belle said a little bit panicky. "There's a man here. He broke in. He wants to kill me."
"Belle? You're…You're breaking up. Who's in the library?"
"Pirate—" Belle answered.
"Belle?"
"A hand. Missing a hand—" Belle said trying to describe Hook to Gold.
"Belle?"
"Hello?" Belle said and she received nothing but dead silence as a response. She hung up the phone.
ISC Storybrooke Facility
"Hey, pum'kin belly," Joyce said as she walked into Dawn's bedroom.
"Hey, mom," Dawn said as she scooted over on the bed to let Joyce sit down.
"How are you doing?" Joyce asked once she sat there for a few seconds.
"Okay," Dawn shrugged.
"Buffy and Willow told me why you don't attend funerals anymore," Joyce explained. "Honey, it's alright. Buffy, Faith and I are all right here. We're not leaving you again."
Dawn leaned over and laid her head down in Joyce's lap as her mother rubbed her back in small circles, just as she had done when Dawn was young. "It's okay, my little pum'kin belly, let it all out," Joyce said as she felt Dawn sobbing.
Storybrooke Library
Gold stepped into the library and found Faith at the entrance to the elevator trying to get the doors open. "Your Highness," he said. "What are you doing?"
"Trying to get your girlfriend out," Faith replied.
"So, you're the one that…" he started as he glared at the brunette Slayer.
"No," Faith replied. "Hook is in Sunnydale. Which also means…"
"Your grandmother is as well," Gold finished for her just Faith finally got the elevator doors open.
"Belle," Gold said as Belle ran into his arms. "It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. Here." He placed his jacket over her shoulders.
"Where… Where is he?" Belle asked.
"Chased him off," Faith said.
"But you've nothing to fear," Gold added. "I'm here now."
ISC Storybrooke Facility
"Hey," Buffy said as she walked into her sister's room. "Dawnie, you hungry? I managed to wrangle up a pop tart."
"No, thanks," Dawn said not turning to look at her.
Buffy sighed as she walked back out into the hallway to find Joyce and Mary Margaret waiting. "Well, that went well," she said.
"Lizzie, you're doing all you can do," Mary Margaret told her sister.
"She's right, Buffy," Joyce agreed.
"It's been a decade," Buffy said. "And yet my sister can't move past my death. Even though she has me back, it still haunts her."
"Just as Celia's haunted you," Joyce reminded her daughter. She noticed Mary Margaret's quizzical look. "I married a few years before Buffy, Dawn and Faith arrived in this world. Celia was Hank's niece. Which made them cousins by my marriage. As a result, Buffy grew very close to Celia. Celia died when she and Buffy were both eight-years-old. Buffy was there when it happened. She watched her cousin die."
"It's why I don't like hospitals," Buffy sighed as Mary Margaret looked at her in shock at the revelation.
Joyce turned back toward her daughter. "It took you years, remember, to get over Celia's death."
"Yeah," Buffy said as remembered when she had truly moved on. It was when she had avenged Celia's death by killing the demon who had killed her cousin. "How do I help her, mom?"
"Be there for her, Buffy," Joyce answered. "Just as I was there for you."
Buffy nodded. "I may just have the perfect thing," she said. She started down the hall just as Leroy ran up to them, coming from Archie's wake downstairs.
"Ladies?" he said. "The dwarves have been thinking. We have to ask – when do we go back? Back to the Enchanted Forest. To our home."
"You want to go back?" Mary Margaret asked.
"We fought really hard to get here," Buffy said.
"But with what your mother did to Archie, Your Highness, Storybrooke isn't as safe as we thought," Leroy explained.
"Emma and I are going to find her," Buffy said. "There is only so many places Regina can hide."
"We've dealt with her before; we'll do it again," Mary Margaret added.
"But it's not just her," Leroy said. "The curse is broken. There's a whole world full of people beyond the town line that don't know who or what we are. Ever think of what might happen if one of them were to come pay us a visit?"
"First people in the outside world tend to rationalize away what doesn't fall into their world view," Buffy said as she looked at her mother pointedly. "I've seen it plenty of times."
"Buffy is right," Joyce said. "In Sunnydale vampire attacks were attributed to barbecue fork accidents."
"That doesn't change the fact that while we might enjoy things like penicillin, we're a bit homesick," Leroy admitted.
Streets of Storybrooke
Faith walked with Gold and Belle heading toward the pawn shop.
"Where are you going?" Belle wondered.
"The shop," he answered with a glance at the two women. He understood why Faith accompanied them. After all, Hook had attacked Belle. And Faith he knew was a Slayer, which meant she would protect Belle from Hook if he should try something again.
"Why?" the brunette Slayer wondered. It would after all be the first place Hook or Cora might like for either Gold or Belle.
"Well, let's just say, there are many wonderful things in there," Gold told the Slayer, "that I could use to make sure that pirate never comes near Belle ever again."
"Rumpel, no," Belle said suddenly worried for her boyfriend. "We should let Buffy handle it." She and Gold had been informed that Faith had called Buffy shortly after chasing Hook from the library. "She's not only Sheriff but a Slayer she'll take care of him. You're so close to finding your son. Please. Please, don't let your hatred for this man get in the way of that."
Gold looked at Belle with worry on his face. "But he tried to harm you."
"Which is why she has a bodyguard," Faith told the man she hated. "Given what you did with me and my sisters. I hate you with a passion, Rumpelstiltskin. That said I wouldn't be much of a Slayer if I didn't ensure Belle's safety."
"While I appreciated your help, Your Highness," Gold said looking at the Slayer. "This is really not yours or Belle's concern."
"He attacked me," Belle reminded the man she loved. "It most definitely is my concern."
"It is also my concern," Faith added. "Because if Hook is here. So is Cora. And Cora is definitely my concern, because she framed my mother. So, till we find Hook…"
Mr. Gold looked at he two women and sighed. "Many years ago," he started. "I was married to a woman named Milah…Until Hook crossed our paths."
"She was Baelfire's mother?" Belle asked.
He nodded. "Yeah. And because of that marauding cur, he grew up without her," he said.
"So, you repeated Hook's wrongs?" Faith asked. "After all I grew up with my biological mother."
"What happened is not exactly like what you went through, Ms. Lehane."
"It's Mills-White," Faith corrected.
"Of course, Your Highness," Gold said before continuing his story. "Hook took my wife – he took Bae's mother – so I took his hand."
"That's why he came after me," Belle said putting two and two together. "But, uh, what…What about her? What…What did he do? Rumpel, you can…You can tell me anything."
"She died. That's all that matters," Gold answered.
"Bad?" Faith said as she remembered how Diana died.
"Not in the way you are probably thinking," he replied arrived at the shop. "But yes."
Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop
Faith was the first to enter and frowned at what she saw, the shop at been ransacked.
"What happened here?" Belle asked as she and Gold came up behind the Slayer.
"Hook," Gold answered. "This is why he attacked you."
"To get you out of the store," Faith said. "Which meant there is something in here he wanted desperately." She looked at the man. "What do you think he wanted?"
Gold rushed to his safe and opened it and found it empty. Seconds later he was smashing things with his cane.
"Rumpel!" she cried out. "Rumpel! Stop it! Stop, please."
"No, you're right," Gold replied. "I'll have to retrieve what's mine." He stalked toward the exit.
"It's better if I go," Faith interjected.
"This is my fight," he countered.
"And this is my fault! If Hook had never attacked me, you never would have left the shop," Belle reminded him. "So let both Faith and I help."
Gold looked between the two women. "How do either of you propose that we get the shawl back? Have either of you dueled with a pirate before? How exactly are either of you going to help me?"
"I'm a Slayer, Rumpel," Faith said. "I've fought things worse than Hook."
"And I'm not just going to sit here and do nothing!" Belle added.
"No," Gold objected. "Your Highness. You are going to take Belle back to the library, you are going to lock her in and stand guard while I dispense with this problem!"
"And, if we don't?" Belle asked. "You'll…you'll cast some spell that gives us no choice?
Gold looked at the two women. "No," he replied. "Belle, I trust you'll do as I wish, as you trust me to be a better man. And Faith, as you and Elizabeth keep reminding people. You are Slayers, destined to protect people from the evils of the world. You will do as I ask, because of the desire to protect Belle form Hook." He walked over behind the counter and opened a drawer. He pulled out a gun before handing it to Faith. "And in that regard, I want you to take this."
"I don't deal with guns," Faith told the man.
"You will, maybe not for me, but for Belle," he countered. "The best way to deal with him is that way." He turned and made his way to the door.
"W-wait," Belle pleaded. "Promise me that you going after Hook is just about getting the shawl back."
He didn't respond as he abruptly walked out the door.
Faith sighed as she put the gun on the counter. "I hate guns. I will deal with Hook my way. Come on." She headed toward the door. She didn't notice Belle pick up the gun and pocket it before moving to follow her.
Storybrooke Town Library
Belle was cleaning up the mess of books as Faith stood at a window watching for Hook's return. Amongst the pile, she found a knotted piece of rope. "Faith," she said as the brunette Slayer turned to look at her. "Where did this come from?"
"You're the librarian you would know better than I about that," Faith replied.
Belle thought for a second and then looked for a book, a specific book titled: A Nautical Guide. As she looked through it she found a page on on ship knots. "Faith, I think," she said as she compared the knotted rope to a picture of knotted rope, called the Monkey's Fist. "I think Hook came here on his ship."
"Which means it will be at the docks," Faith replied. "What better place for him to hide than there."
Streets of Storybrooke
Carrying a bag, Smee headed down the main street. As he reached a parking lot he found Gold waiting for him.
"Leaving town, Mr. Smee?" Gold asked. Using magic, he pinned Smee to the nearby wall. "I spared your life. And this is how you repay me? That object you stole from me – I want it back."
"I gave it to Hook," Smee rasped out as he was having trouble breathing.
"And, where is he?" Gold asked.
Smee shrugged. "I don't know. W—we met on a rooftop. He didn't tell me anything."
"And why would he?" Gold chuckled. "Hook knows exactly what you are, Mr. Smee – a sniveling rat." In a puff of black smoke, he magically transformed Smee into a rat. "Now, scurry off."
Storybrooke Docks
Faith led Belle down to the docks to search for Hook's ship. "Okay," she said looking at the other woman. "Where is it?" she asked as she waved her hand at the empty ocean before them.
"Look up," Belle said having noticed several seagulls perched on a seemingly invisible object.
Faith followed her gaze and then looked around. She found some feed from a nearby container and threw it around. Some of it landed on the base of what both women was sure was the gangway onto the ship. "Found it," she told Belle.
They carefully walked up the gangway until they crossed an invisible barrier, which allowed them to finally see the ship for themselves.
"Cora is definitely here," Faith said looking at the ship. "Only a magic user could hide this, and Hook is no magical user."
"Hello?" someone called from below deck.
"Uh… H-Hello?" Belle replied.
"Down here!" the voice told them.
Faith opened the grate and found Archie tied up inside.
"Faith! Belle!" Archie said excitedly at seeing the two women. "Oh, thank God!"
"Archie!" Belle said, her eyes having gone wide in surprise. "You're…You…You're okay!"
"Yes, I…I…I am," Archie replied. "I…I…Can…Can either of you, uh…"
Faith looked around and grabbed a nearby sword and cut Archie's ropes. He then untied his legs himself, and climbed out.
"Go," Faith said. "You need to head to my house. Bring my sisters."
"And find Mr. Gold," Belle added. "Tell him I'm here. Bring him along with Buffy back to the ship."
"Wait. You two are not coming with me?" Archie asked as a creaking noise was heard from above.
"Go. Go! Go, go! There's no time to argue," Belle told Archie, who ran off leaving the two women behind.
ISC Storybrooke Facility
After the wake had finished Mary Margaret and David began to clean up needing to do something to distract themselves. Emma and Buffy had gone out on an errand. Faith as far as they knew was still looking for where Cora and Hook were hiding out. Joyce sat looking awkwardly in the direction of her youngest daughter's bedroom. Dawn had still yet to come out.
"Who's he calling?" David asked Mary Margaret as he saw Henry on the phone.
Mary Margaret glanced at her grandson before turning her attention back to the dish in her hand. "Archie," she said.
David gave his grandson a sad smile before heading over to try and offer some comfort.
Suddenly Pongo came running in jumping on the couch next to Joyce. Henry's face lit upon seeing the dog. He sat next to his great, great aunt and wrapped his arms around the dog.
"How did he get in here?" Mary Margaret questioned.
"I brought him," Emma explained as she entered the mansion. "I had had a chat with Marco. Archie knew how much Henry loves this dog. So, I decided Henry should have him. That is, if you're up for taking care of him, Henry." Henry gave a vigorous nod causing her to smile. "But there is a condition. Instead of being cooped up at the apartment he should have room to run. So, he will be remaining here." She looked at her mother and her great aunt. "Maybe he can help Aunt Dawn while he's here."
"Hey," Buffy said as she walked into the mansion.
It was at that moment that Emma noticed the dirt Pongo was leaving behind. "Henry, why don't you go take Pongo outside and clean him up?"
"Get Dawn, while you're at it," Buffy said. "Her gift is tied up outside."
With that Henry ran through the mansion, within minutes he brought Dawn back and they went out the back door the dog by their side. "Alright, look. I know that there's a lot to work out logistically, but—" Emma began thinking Buffy, Joyce or Mary Margaret would freak at the mess.
"I think giving Pongo to Henry is a great idea," Mary Margaret said.
"I have to agree with Snow," Joyce said. "Plus, maybe he will help Dawn. After all both Henry and Dawn are not in the best of places for differing reasons. From what you all told me Jiminy Cricket was one of Henry's best friends. And on top of that dogs can be very therapeutic, I think having a dog around here will help Dawn."
"Actually," Buffy said as she smiled. "There is something that would Dawn just a little bit more." It was then they heard a shriek of excitement come from the backyard. "And it sounds like she just found her gift."
"What did you get her?" Joyce wondered.
"Do you remember when Dawn was eight. She wanted a pony so bad," Buffy said looking at her mother.
"I remember," Joyce said and then her eyes went wide in realization. "You got her a pony?"
"Actually no, I got her a horse," Buffy answered. "A pony she couldn't ride after all."
"Buffy," Mary Margaret said as she looked at her sister. "I've been thinking we should remodel the mansion. Add an additional wing. Bring our entire family under one roof."
Buffy thought about and then nodded. "Let's do it," she agreed.
"Till the new wing is finished," Joyce said. "Dawn and I should pair up with Buffy and Faith so that Emma and Henry have their own rooms."
"Or I could pair up with you Aunt Joyce," Emma offered. "That way you don't have to move. Henry is the only one that wouldn't be able to share. Given the number of women in the house."
"I can room with Buffy," Dawn said as she walked into the house. She looked at her sister and smiled. "Thank you, by the way, she's beautiful."
"Anything for you, little sis," Buffy said as she returned Dawn's smile. She was happy to see that her baby sister was finally feeling happy again.
Storybrooke Docks – Hook's Ship
Belle placed the gun on the counter as and Faith began to search the room for the shawl.
"You grabbed it after I left it behind?" Faith said glaring at the gun.
"Just to be on the safe side," Belle replied as she found a locked box. "I would hate to see you hurt. Hey look at this," she told the Slayer as she tried to open it. "It's locked."
Faith smirked and she grabbed the lock. "You will find I come in handy if you ever lose a key to a padlock. With a sharp tug of her wrist she broke the lock. She then opened it and found only a few pieces of gold.
Holding the shawl, Hook walked up behind the two women. "Looking for this, Faith?" he asked.
"Uh, that doesn't belong to you," Belle said looking at the shawl.
Hook smiled. "Oh, it does now," he said as he and Belle looked at the gun. Belle attempted to grab it, but he was faster. "Oh… My dear Belle, you should've stayed with your books. Real life can get so… Messy." He pointed the gun at her head.
"Faith," Belle said shaking her head at the Slayer. She had noticed that Faith was about to do something and since he had the gun now, well she could be accidentally shot if Faith did what she was thinking. She looked back at Hook. "Neither of us are afraid of you, and I'm not leaving without that," she said.
Hook smirked as he placed the shawl on the counter. "Well, I admire your loyalty. But helping Rumpelstiltskin? I'm afraid you're fighting a lost cause."
"He needs that shawl to find his son," Belle said.
"And what makes you think his son wants to be found?" he asked. "Mm? I'm doing that boy a favor."
"Have you not hurt Rumpel enough?" she wondered.
"Oh. I've hurt him?"
Belle nodded. "You stole his wife."
"Tell me something, love," Hook said. "If a woman comes to you and begs you to take her away, is that theft?"
"Why would she leave him?" Faith wondered.
"Because he was a coward," he explained. "And because she loved me. I should have burned this the moment I acquired it."
"Why didn't you?" Belle wondered.
"Because she made it," Hook admitted.
"I'm sorry she died, but…" Belle said apologetically. "Vengeance? Vengeance won't bring her back."
"Believe me I know that all too well," Faith admitted.
"Died?" he said with a small laugh. "Like it was some kind of accident? Is that what he told you?"
"He… Well, he… He didn't say," Belle admitted.
Hook nodded. "No, of course not. Of course, he'd leave out the most important detail of her passing."
"What would that be?" Faith asked curiosity getting the better of her.
"He killed her," he said angrily. "He ripped out her heart, and he crushed it right in front of me."
Belle glanced at Faith, she didn't see any shock register on the brunette Slayer's face. Given what Rumpelstiltskin had done during Faith's childhood she couldn't blame he friend for that. She turned back to the pirate. "No…"
"Oh, yes. He will do anything – anything – to hold on to his power," Hook explained. "Why do you think anyone who's ever gotten close to him, has either run away, or been killed? Now, what makes you think you're any different? Tell me something, darling. Why would you want to fight for a man like that?"
"Because I still see good in him," Belle admitted. "Because I believe he's changed. Because his heart? Is true. And yours? Yours is rotten." She slammed an oar that was hanging from the ceiling into Hook's head. He stumbled backwards and fell into the storage area where Archie had been held. Belle grabbed the shawl from the counter and followed by Faith ran upstairs. They made their way above deck, where Hook cut them off. "How the hell did you…"
Hook smiled. "Oh, I know this ship like the back of my… Well, you know. I'd suggest you give that back to me now."
"Or what?" Gold said as Hook and Belle spun to find him standing beside the gangplank.
"Ah. You look different in this world, crocodile," Hook admitted. "Like the coward I met so long ago – limp, and all."
"And yet, you still can't kill me," Gold told the captain.
"Let's have it, Dark One," Hook said. "What magic are you going to hide behind today?"
"Oh, no. Not magic," Gold said as he hit Hook upside the head with his cane, causing him to fall back. He then furiously began to beat Hook with his cane.
"Rumpel!" Belle begged. "Hey, let's go. Let's go. Let's go."
"No, not yet, Belle," Gold said as he hit Hook again.
"This – this is what you came for," Belle said as she held up the shawl. "This is what's going to get you back to Bae."
"Ah, you're wasting your breath, love," Hook explained. "He can't resist. He has to prove that he's not a coward.
"You may want to turn away, Belle. This isn't going to be pretty," Gold said as he began to beat Hook with his cane.
"Do it! Do it! Kill me!" Hook said. "He has to show you how powerful he is."
"Rumpelstiltskin," Faith said as she approached the man she despised. "This is what he wants. And believe me I know where that road leads. You want a second chance. You don't want to follow the path I tread."
"Rip my heart out. Kill me like you did Milah, and then I'll finally be reunited with her," Hook begged.
"He has to die," Gold said as he dropped his cane and lunged for Hook's throat.
"No, he doesn't!" Faith said. "If you truly want to be good. Then you won't do this."
"There's still good in you," Belle added. "I see it. I've always seen it. Please. Please show me I'm not wrong."
Gold looked at Faith and Belle and nodded before turning back to Hook. "You take your little ship, and sail until you fall off the edge of the world. I never want to see you again." He took Belle's hand. "Let's go," he told his girlfriend and the Slayer.
As Faith followed him off the ship she smiled. "Maybe, Rumpelstiltskin, just maybe Buffy, Dawn and I have been wrong about you. Maybe you aren't the person who kidnapped us all those years ago."
"Oh I'm him," Gold said looking at the Slayer. "But maybe…"
ISC Storybrooke Facility
David sighed as he looked at his wife who sat on their bed. "We buried a friend this morning, Mary Margaret, and it made me realize…" he said. "I don't want to die here."
"But our home, David?" Mary Margaret said. "It doesn't exist anymore. The ogres are back."
"Which is exactly why we need to return," he explained. "To make things right – to fight."
"I'm tired of fighting!" Mary Margaret said. "That's all we've ever done. We have a chance here–a chance to be together."
"But what if we don't belong here? Isn't it worth it to fight for what we really want?" David asked.
Mary Margaret sighed. "Unless, we don't want the same thing. David, my sisters are here, my aunt is here. Lizzie, Faith and Dawn aren't leaving this world. They were called to protect people from what's out there waiting in the dark. They won't leave and neither will Aunt Joyce. She's already hasn't seen them in a decade so she isn't going to leave either. For me it has been twenty years since I saw Lizzie, Faith and Dawn and longer for Aunt Joyce. I don't want it to be another twenty years till I see any of them again."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
There was a knock at the front door and Buffy headed over to answer it. When the blonde opened the heavy door, she was surprised to see Archie smiling at her. "Archie…" she breathed in shock.
"Hi," the man smiled.
"What happened?" Emma quickly questioned having come up beside her aunt.
"It was Cora. She kidnapped me," he answered.
Joyce and Emma shared looks of surprise which turned to confusion as they wondered how Cora had arrived in Storybrooke. Then they noticed that Buffy and Faith didn't share their confusion.
"Buffy?" Joyce said.
"Faith saw Hook," Buffy answered her mother's unasked question. "We suspected that Cora might be in town also. And that Regina had been framed by Cora, who had likely cast a glamour. It's where Faith as been all day, trying to find where they were hiding."
Henry ran into Archie's arms holding on tight in case he was going to disappear. "Oh, it's alright. I'm fine. I'm fine," Archie reassured the boy but held on just as tight.
"Maybe we should let mom know," Henry said when he looked at his family.
"Yeah. But something tells me, either way, someone in our family is going to pay the price," Emma sighed looking at Buffy and Dawn. She knew Regina wasn't going to let this go easily. Especially when Regina's own daughters had turned against her.
Storybrooke Town Limits
Gold pulled his car to a stop up in front of the town boundary. "This would have been lost if it wasn't for you, Belle," Gold said holding his shawl. "I would have been lost. After everything you've learned about me, after everything I've done, why haven't you given up on me?"
"I learned a long time ago, that when you find something that's worth fighting for, you never give up," Belle said as they got out and walked toward the town line. She watched as Gold poured the potion over the shawl, causing it to glow with magic. "Okay…"
"Here we go," he said as he crossed the spray-painted boundary, causing a surge of magic to pulse through his body. "Belle…"
Belle edged closer to the town line and grabbed his hand. "It… It worked."
Gold smiled. "Yes, it did. It did."
"Now you can find your son," Belle said.
"Oh, Belle, I so wish you were coming with me," he told her.
"As do I, but… It doesn't matter," she admitted.
"And why not?" Gold wondered looking at the love of his life.
"Because you'll find him. And, when you do, I'll be here waiting for you when you get back," Belle said. As she went to embrace Gold a shot rang out. She fell forward across the town line, causing the magic to surge through her. Behind them, Hook was pointing the gun in their direction.
"I wouldn't count on it," Hook said.
"Belle?! Belle? Belle!" Gold said panicking. He lowered Belle to the ground.
Belle looked up at him with a confused look on her face. "W—Who's Belle?"
"Oh, no. No, no, no, no…" he sobbed.
Hook smiled. "Oh, fear not. She'll live. She'll just have no idea who you are."
Gold spun on Hook fury in his eyes. "What you've done cannot be undone."
"Well, now you finally know how it feels!" Hook told the other man. "Well, go ahead, crocodile. Do your worst!"
"Oh, I intend to," Gold said as he magically produced a fireball in his hand. He went to throw it as a car suddenly barreled down the road toward them. He grabbed Belle and rolled them both out of the way as the struck Hook instead.
Hook went flying and as he landed, he was knocked unconscious on the side of the road, while the car swerved and crashes into a large boulder. Gold looked toward the car as it came to a stop and saw that it had a Pennsylvania license plate.
ISC Storybrooke Facility
"Blow out your candles!" Dawn instructed. The thirty-one candles burned brightly on the cake. Neither Buffy or Faith knew how Joyce or Mary Margaret had gotten a cake together so quickly but they had. "Make a wish!"
Buffy and Faith glanced at each other knowing what their wish would be: Many More Birthdays Together. They turned and blew out the candles together and the room went dark, the candles extinguished.
Emma stumbled to find the light switch and turned the light back on.
"You didn't need too, Faith," Buffy said clearly surprised as Faith handed her a brightly wrapped box.
"Just one of many," Faith admitted. "I do after all have twenty-four years to make up for. But this one isn't just from me. It's from Snow and Dawn also."
Buffy glanced at her sisters as she opened it and smiled at what she read on a plaque that was inside:
Snow White / Buffy "Lizzie" White
Faith Mills-White / Dawn White
Sisters Forever
Buffy looked at each of her sisters and smiled. She set the plaque down as she began to hug each of her sisters starting with Faith, then Mary Margaret and finally Dawn. "It's beautiful." She then pulled out a large envelope from where she had hidden it. "Your present, Faith. This is from Diana via Giles." She opened the envelope and took out the paperwork contained within. "I, Diana Dormer," she read as she took periodic glances at her twin sister, "being of sound mind and body hear by declare this to be my Last Will and Testament. I hear by bequeath my entire fortune and my family estate in Boston, Massachusetts to Faith Lehane."
"What?" Faith said in clear shock as she snatched the paperwork from her sister. She read over what Buffy had just read her eyes going wide. "Why didn't I…?" she asked looking up at Buffy.
"Travers," Buffy replied. "He stole your inheritance. Giles found the Will and is in the process of transferring everything into your name. Both the deed of Diana's home as well as your fortune, worth a few million dollars."
"You said Dormer?" Emma asked as Buffy nodded. "I know of that mansion. It's one of the premiere mansions in Boston. It's been sitting empty for years."
"I—I—I'm rich?" Faith asked shocked. "I didn't have to…"
"If Travers hadn't stolen your inheritance, no you would never have had to live in that motel or do what you had to, to survive," Buffy said.
Faith looked down at the paperwork in her hands, tears in her eyes. "Lady Di truly loved me," she sobbed.
"She did," Buffy said as she, Dawn and Mary Margaret all pulled Faith into their arms for a group hug, holding their sister tightly in their loving embrace.
It was at that moment that Buffy's cell phone rang. Buffy stepped out of the group hug as she answered her cell. "Sheriff White," she said. "Okay, Emma and I are on our way." She looked at her family. "Save me and Emma some cake. There has been an auto accident at the town limits."