Within the wilderness of the Enchanted forest, just outside of King George's castle, a golden carriage was approaching the palace. The aforementioned king was waiting as the gate as the carriage pulled to a stop, allowing Princess Abigail to come out. She gave the king a curtsey, which he returned with a bow.
"Princess Abigail," King George greeted. "Your beauty grows with each passing day. It is an honor to have you join my family."
"Thank you, your majesty."
As she came out of her curtsey, she looked around to see a rather large number of guards preparing for battle. The Princess straightened, raising an eyebrow at the entire spectacle.
"Is everything alright?"
"Just the excitement of the royal wedding," King George insisted. "We want to ensure the safety of our guests. So please, excuse me."
He bowed before approaching one of the guards, speaking quietly under his breath.
"Find him."
…
Miles away, Prince Charming rode through the woods as fast as he could, hiding beneath a cloak to try and remain hidden. Unfortunately, several royal guards were on his tail, determined to bring in the wayward shepherd. The soldiers opened fire on him with crossbows, hoping to slow him down, but he was careful to evade the shots, allowing them to hit the trees around him. Charming kept up his escape, not even slowing down when he saw a fallen tree in the middle of the path. He whipped the reins of his horse, cuing it to leap over the tree. He landed on the ground safely as the soldiers quickly came to a stop, unable to follow.
"Go around!" one of the soldiers ordered as Charming continued to get away.
…
After a bit of riding, Charming hid himself in a nearby brush, seeing the soldiers following him had lost his trail.
"Split up!" one of the soldiers commanded, prompting them to ride off.
Once he was sure he was safe, Charming turned to leave. Unfortunately, two men in purple cloaks came up from behind and threw a bag over his head before taking him away.
David and Kathryn were sitting in their home, eating their dinner in a strange, awkward silence. The tension was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. Desperate to try and break it, David swallowed and cleared his throat.
"Chicken's delicious," he noted.
Kathryn just nodded, then seemed to come to a decision. She set her fork and knife down, facing her husband.
"David, there's something we need to discuss."
David felt a nervous shudder pass through him, which he covered with a sigh as he set his own utensils down.
"Okay."
"I applied to law school."
That caught David off guard.
"That's amazing! Why didn't you ever tell me?"
Kathryn shrugged.
"I don't know. Honestly, I didn't think I could actually get in. But, somehow, I did." She reached over to a letter sitting on a nearby counter, handing it over to David. "I got this today."
He opened the letter, surprised by what he read. When he saw the school's insignia, he paused, looking surprised and confused.
"It-it's… in.. Boston."
"I know, but… I think it'll be good for us. A fresh start somewhere new. Perhaps in Boston, we can start making new memories, instead of fighting so hard to recapture old ones."
She reached out, gently taking David's hand in hers with a longing expression. David still seemed conflicted, feeling nothing but concern for Mary Margaret. He looked down at the letter in his hand, unsure of what to do...
On a deserted road in the Enchanted Forest, Charming's captors pulled off his hood, allowing him to face them.
"Who are you?" he demanded, only for one of the men to pull out a dagger. "What are you waiting for? Do you think I fear you?!"
The guard then cut Charming's bonds, much to his surprise. He then moved out of the way to reveal Abigail leading a horse towards him.
"Abigail?" Charming questioned. "How did you know I was going-"
"Because I have ears in your father's court," Abigail cut off. "I know the truth, about how you're not the real Prince James, and how you're in love with Snow White. I also know that you're running away, with no intention of ever marrying me."
"I won't marry someone I don't love… or give that despot the satisfaction that I helped him. If that means suffering the consequences, so be it."
Abigail laughed lightly.
"I can see why you're known as Prince Charming. Snow White is a lucky woman to have your heart. But you need not fear. I am not here to see you die. I'm here to help you escape."
That caught Charming off guard.
"Why would you help me?"
"Because… I don't want to marry you either."
On the streets of Storybrooke, Mary Margaret got out of her car as David was explaining everything.
"What did you tell her?" she asked.
"That I needed to take a walk," he answered as the two strolled along. "Clear my head, think about it."
"I'm guessing you didn't tell her that the walk was with me."
"No, no, of course not."
Mary Margaret let out a bitter sigh, adjusting her jacket.
"Why is that our default? Lying."
"Because, I don't-"
"We're not being honest. I know it's hard, but—we have to tell her the truth! About everything: about us…"
David stopped as Mary Margaret walked forward a bit, before turning to face him.
"I don't know if I can," David admitted.
Mary Margaret paused for a moment.
"You have to," she insisted. "If we can't be honest with other people, how can we be honest with each other?"
"Is it really the best plan?" David pressed, clearly worried about the outcome.
"Well, what's your plan? Moving to Boston?" Mary Margaret pressed, only getting a half-hearted shrug from David. "The only way no one gets hurt here is if we don't want to be together. Is that what you want?"
With a long sigh, David shook his head.
"No."
Then we have to stop hiding and do something. It's better she hears it from you than from someone else. You have to make a choice."
David reached out, taking Mary Margaret's hand in his..
"I choose… you."
"Good," Mary Margaret said, pulling her hand free. "Then it's time to tell Kathryn."
…
The next day, Eve was standing outside the sight of her store, where construction crews were hard at work restoring her building. Emma drove up to her, pulling over and stepping out.
"I see you finally got everything worked out," she noted.
"Yeah," Eve replied. "Finally getting my shop back, and I even have a shipment of goods already planned and ready. Once everything's back in order, Intrinsic Things will be open once more."
"That's good to hear." Emma crossed her arms. "Strange how quickly this got fixed, given how much trouble you've been getting."
Eve grimaced at that, looking to the side.
"Let's just say that I had an… acquaintance fix things for me."
"You mean Gold?"
"He may have had something to do with it, yes."
"I don't get you two. Some days, you hate each other's guts, and others, you're… I don't know, secret partners or something."
"My… relationship with Gold is..." Eve paused, mulling over her words for a bit before sighing. "To say it's complicated is an understatement. However, at the moment, he and I are… in a ceasefire, so to speak."
"Because of what happened with Moe French? Gold was holding back on something, and I have a feeling you know why."
Eve groaned, rubbing her face.
"Look, what happened to Mr. French was wrong, but I will not be divulging personal information. What happened between those two is… a story that even I cannot bear to tell."
Emma just sighed, knowing she wasn't getting anywhere.
"Alright, just be careful. You're the closest thing I have to a friend in this town, and Henry's fond of you."
Eve nodded, and Emma got back in her car, driving off. Eve watched her go, rubbing her amulet nervously.
"Believe me, Emma, I have no intention of letting my guard down again..."
…
Emma arrived at Granny's diner, heading for the front door. As she reached for it, the Stranger was making his way out. Upon seeing her, he smiled, holding the door open for her.
"Hoping to bump into you," he greeted. "As a matter of fact, I was hoping we might grab that drink you promised."
"Oh, is this you asking me out?" Emma retorted.
"I wouldn't put it quite like that, but if it makes you more comfortable, then yes."
"What happened to just coming here to write and find inspiration?"
"I'm optimistic about our date. Might be quite inspiring."
"See, I have a policy. I don't go out with guys who won't tell me their first name. Find it weeds out the ones who have secrets."
"What, like I'm married?"
"That's one possibility. Or maybe you just store body parts in your freezer or something."
"Fortunately, Granny won't let me use the freezer."
Emma cocked an eyebrow and the Stranger laughed.
"It's August. August W. Booth."
"Really? With the middle initial."
"Stands for Wayne. So, now that we're properly introduced, Emma, you have no reason to turn down that date. So, how about tonight? After work?" He gestured to the ground. "We meet right here."
Emma paused for a moment.
"See you then."
August smiled as he walked off, mounting his motorcycle and driving off. Emma watched him go, then made her way into the diner. There, at her usual table, Mary Margaret was sipping on some tea, watching Emma as she approached the table. Once the sheriff sat down, Mary Margaret set her tea down.
"Who was that?" she asked.
"His name is August, and that is the extent of my knowledge so far."
"And you're going out with him?"
"Just a drink. It's nothing.
"'Nothing' with you usually means something with you. If it really were nothing, we wouldn't be talking about it."
"Right…" Emma groaned, running her fingers through her hair. "Sorry, it's just… I'm not sure who to trust right now. Eve's hiding something from me, and August… I don't even know what to make of him."
"That sounds rough. I'm sorry."
"It's fine, I'm used to it." Emma then took a quick breath, facing her roommate. "But, we're here to discuss you and what you're going through."
Mary Margaret tensed, groaning herself.
"Yeah, but talking about you is easier right now..."
"Really? What's wrong?"
Mary Margaret glanced around, then leaned in.
"Remember when you told me to stay away from David and I agreed?" she whispered.
"Yes?" Emma whispered back.
"I didn't."
"I know.
That caught Mary Margaret off guard. She leaned back, blinking owlishly in surprise.
"Wait, what? How- How could you know?"
"Because I'm sheriff, and you are a lovesick school teacher. Covering your tracks isn't your strong suit."
"What? Come on, I've been dis-" Mary Margaret quickly realized she was talking normally, and went right back to whispering, "-discreet."
"Two tea cups in the sink," Emma listed off on her fingers, "new perfume, late nights, plunging necklines..."
"Plunging?" Mary Margaret repeated, glancing down at her blouse, which did indeed have a very flattering neckline.
"When I met you, you were a top-button kind of girl."
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"I'm not your mother."
That got a small chuckle out of Mary Margaret as she picked up her tea cup.
"No, according to Henry, I'm yours."
"Not relevant," Emma cut off. "Besides, I figured that you'd tell me when you felt the time was right. And clearly, I was right. So, what's changed?"
"He's telling Kathryn."
Emma blinked, shaking her head slightly.
"Everything?"
"Everything."
...
At the Nolan house, Kathryn was looking at apartments on her computer when David came into the room.
"David, come take a look," she called as she heard the door. "I've been trying to find some apartments, but I don't know what kind of neighborhoods to look for. Have you ever been to Boston?"
"No," David answered. "No, never been."
"Maybe we should talk to Sheriff Swan. Isn't she from there? I'm sure she could help fill in the blanks."
"Kathryn… I can't go to Boston with you."
Kathryn paused before turning to face him.
"Can't… or won't."
"I am sorry," he told her, kneeling down. "I'm so, so sorry. I don't know what to say."
To David's surprise, Kathryn didn't seem angry, just soul crushingly sad.
"Try the truth," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "I know there's something going on. Just- just please… tell me."
"I… I don't know what it is. But there's something that's...preventing me from connecting, and it's not fair to you to let that screw up your life. You're right, you need a fresh start. It's just not with me."
Charming rode out with Abigail and two guards through the forest, unsure of her intent or their destination.
"We have reached my father's realm," she told him. "We should be safe here."
They brought their horses to a stop, allowing them to dismount.
"I have provisions waiting for you."
She held out a leather bag, which Charming took… only to promptly throw aside.
"What's your game?" he pressed. "What's really going on here?"
"I've already told you-"
"Quit lying to me!" Charming snapped, the guards making for their weapons before Abigail waved them down. "Why are you helping me if you have no feelings as you claim? What aren't you telling me?"
"I'm helping you because I know exactly how you feel. You're not the only one whose heart belongs to another." Abigail's voice cracked slightly. "I was promised once, to a man by the name of Frederick."
"What happened?"
"We all have our tragedies," she told him, sighing mournfully, "and lost love is the worst of them all. I had hoped that reuniting you with your love would help alleviate some of my pain."
"Yes, well, I'm afraid that is easier said than done. When last we met, Snow told me that she did not care for me in the slightest."
"And do you believe that to be true?
"I don't know, but clearly, there is more to this tale that I am unaware of. Until I know for certain that what she said to me is true… I cannot give up hope."
Abigail smiled sadly at Charming.
"At least there is still hope for you and your True Love..."
Charming lifted his head, now curious.
"What do you mean?"
In answer, Abigail held out her hand.
"Come. Let me show you my tragedy."
…
Sometime later, Abigail led Charming to a small wooden pavilion. Inside was a golden statue of a man in armor with a drawn sword. The pavilion was watched over by two guards, but their garb suggested that they were watching over a grave rather than a treasured statue. They both straightened when they saw Abigail, who gave them a small nod of her head.
"Leave us," she requested, the two guards bowing before taking their leave.
"What is this place?" Charming questioned.
"This is the spot where my beloved Frederick sacrificed his life for my father."
"I'm sorry. Did he die in battle?"
"We were traveling with my father, King Midas. When our caravan was ambushed, Frederick bravely defended us, and was cut down, saving my father's life."
"It's a fitting tribute," Charming commended, examining the statue. "The craftsmanship is… remarkable."
"That is not a tribute," Abigail informed him, "It is Frederick himself. He saw the attack aimed for my father and pushed him out of the way. When he did, my father's curse immediately took hold, transforming him into solid gold."
"If it's a curse, then surely it could be broken."
Abigail let out a sad, small laugh.
"My father summoned the Alchemist herself, but the curse was given to him by The Dark One himself. Not even she could undo the magic binding Frederick. "
"What about True Love's Kiss?"
"I tried. I tried over and over again until my lips bled. Sadly, the gold prevents me from reaching the man I love."
"There has to be something else to do. Anything at all."
"The Alchemist did mention a legend that could provide the solution, but it was so treacherous, even she would not dare to see it through."
"Why? What danger would be there that even the Alchemist would fear?"
"The lake is guarded by a ghastly creature that drowns its victims. No one has ever faced it and lived."
"That's about to change. I'll face this… guardian. And return with the water to save your True Love."
"None have succeeded!"
"None have my fearless bravery."
"Or your fearless disregard for your own safety."
"Either way, one of us should have our happiness."
"I have come to terms with my lot in life," Abigail pressed. "You still have hope. Do not let it go so easily for this pointless crusade!"
"It's not pointless," Charming cut her off, taking her hand in his. "You are willing to risk everything for my happily ever after. How can I not do the same?"
Inside his room, August carefully dipped pages from Henry's storybook in a clear fluid. Once they were soaked, he pulled them out, carefully drew them out, and hung them to dry. Once he was finished, he walked over to where the cover rested, expertly taken apart. He took out a needle and thread, carefully stitching new pages into the book.
...
Henry was sitting on the couch in Regina's office, a box in his lap. The Mayor was smiling at her son, who was just staring at the box in confusion.
"Oh go on, open it," she urged. "It's not going to bite you."
"What's the occasion?" Henry asked.
"The occasion is I love you."
Henry shrugged before opening up the box, revealing a Nintendo Switch inside.
"Now I know you miss your book, but with this, you can do your heroics. There's already a few games on there for you to choose from. You can save the princess. You can be the hero."
Henry looked at the gaming device uninterestedly, causing Regina to sigh.
"Henry, you have to believe me, when I tore down the playground, I did it for your safety. Please don't be upset with me. I really didn't mean to destroy your book."
"It's... not just the book," Henry admitted, sliding the switch into his backpack.
"Then what is it? I can't fix this if I don't know what's wrong."
"It's Emma," Henry pressed, giving his mother his most pathetic, endearing, puppy-dog eyes. "I miss her… Please let me see her."
Before Regina could answer, there was a knock at her door. Regina got up and went over to answer it. To her surprise, it was Kathryn who looked like she had been crying.
"Kathryn?" Regina let out in surprise.
"Can we talk?" Kathryn asked, her voice shaking. "I- I don't know who else to turn to."
"Of course," Regina assured her, turning to Henry. "Why don't you head home and start working on your homework. I'll be there in a bit for dinner, okay?"
Henry nodded, walking out of the office. Once the door closed behind him, Kathryn broke down. Regina quickly ushered her over to the couch, sitting her down.
"What's wrong?"
"It's David… he's leaving me."
Regina's eyes narrowed in response.
"That little homewrecker."
"Excuse me?"
"She just couldn't stay away, could she?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Why, Mary Margaret of course," Regina answered in a puzzled tone.
"What's Mary Margaret got to do with this?"
Regina kept her expression controlled, putting on the persona of a concerned friend.
"You don't know? I thought-..."
"Don't know what?" Kathryn all but sobbed. "What aren't you telling me, Regina?"
"David and Mary Margaret… They've been having an affair.
Kathryn was stunned to say the least. She rose to her feet, looking betrayed in every way imaginable.
"How do you know this? How- did you see something?"
"I... saw pictures. Sidney was always looking for scandal, it sells papers, he showed me. I buried them of course."
"Show me."
"Kathryn-"
"Show me!"
Stunned by Kathryn's violent outburst, Regina stepped back, making her way towards her desk. She opened a drawer, removing a manilla envelope before holding it out. She handed it to Kathryn, who opened it and saw several pictures of David and Mary Margaret together. In almost all of them, they were holding each other, if not kissing.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Kathryn sobbed.
"Because I thought you two were working it out. I wanted you to work it out. Believe me, no one wants you two together more than me."
"But why? Why do you care about this? About any of this?!"
"Because I'm your friend."
"No, you're not. A friend wouldn't do this. A friend wouldn't lie. Everyone is lying to me!"
Kathryn then stormed out of the office, leaving Regina alone in the office.
As night fell, Charming and Abigail arrived at a strange looking shrine with various trinkets and candles surrounding it.
"What's this?" Charming questioned.
"A shrine to the guardian of the lake," Abigail answered. "Every man who faces it leaves an offering here first, asking for the creatures mercy."
Charming picked up a helmet from the shrine, looking it over out of curiosity.
"I go the rest of the way alone."
"No, this is for me. You have to let me come with you."
"No, the only life I want in my hands is my own."
"Then I wish you luck." Abigail then gestured to the shrine. "And don't forget an offering."
"A lot of good it did them," he remarked, throwing the helmet back into the pile.
At Storybrooke Elementary, Mary Margaret was walking through the halls when Eve came walking up.
"Eve, hey," she greeted. "I heard about the progress on your shop, congratulations."
"Thanks, Mary Margaret. I actually came to tell you that I'll be able to deliver your usual shipment of birdhouses within the week. The crew is working surprisingly fast."
"You should be fully back in business in no time."
Just then, Mary Margaret's cell phone started ringing, much to their surprise.
"Uh, could you hold on a moment?" Mary Margaret asked.
"Sure, go ahead," Eve allowed as Mary Margaret answered.
"Hello?"
"Hey, it's me," David answered.
"Hey. Did, uh, did you do it?"
"Yeah. it's bad."
"I'm sorry."
"No, it was, um, it was really bad."
"But you told the truth, so now we can pick up the pieces. We can start over from a real place."
David was silent for a moment, leading Mary Margaret to check to make sure the call wasn't disconnected.
Hey. I wanna see you," he finally spoke. "Can I come by when you get done at school?"
"Of course! I'll see you then! And David, you did the right thing."
They hung up as Eve cleared her throat.
"So, I take it things with you and David are finally working out."
"I believe so, yeah. How'd you know about that?"
"Uh… it just seemed obvious."
Mary Margaret sagged slightly.
"Am I that obvious?"
Before Eve could answer, the doors to the school opened up, and a very angry Kathryn began strutting in. She nearly barreled over Freddy, the gym teacher, making a beeline for Mary Margaret.
"Hey!" Freddy called out. "Watch where you're going!"
Eve cocked an eyebrow at seeing the man's face, but quickly repressed it as Kathryn approached. The irate woman pushed Eve out of the way, then slapped Mary Margaret hard across the face. Those in the hallway who saw the slap gasped at the sight, silence falling as all eyes fell on the women.
"How dare you!".
"I- I'm sorry," Mary Margaret stammered, holding her cheek.
"Screw you, you're sorry!"
"I know you're upset. You have every right to be-"
"Thank you for the insight."
"Can we-can we please talk somewhere private?"
"Private!? Why do you get any consideration at all? You have shown none for me! Either of you! All you did was lie!"
Eve was backing away from this as slowly as she could, slipping into the crowd that was closing in on the two.
"We should have talked to you sooner," Mary Margaret admitted. "but we've been completely honest. We didn't lie."
"You didn't lie?" Kathryn scoffed. "You snuck around, you had him break up my marriage with a pack of lies, with some crap about 'not being able to connect'?" Mary Margaret looked confused, but Kathryn didn't bother stopping to explain. "He didn't have any trouble connecting with you."
"David didn't tell you about us?" Mary Margaret questioned.
"No, of course not. That would have been the honorable thing to do."
"But he said he would tell you."
"Well, then he lied to you too." Kathryn turned to leave, giving Mary Margaret a cold glare. "Good luck making it work. You two deserve each other."
With that, she left, leaving a devastated Mary Margaret in her wake.
After a fair amount of trekking, Charming reached Lake Nostos. The lake was quiet, an eerie mist rolling across the surface. He approached the lake, kneeling down on the shore before pulling a canteen from his belt. As he pushed it under the water's surface, the water rippled, sending a shudder through the lake. Charming instantly stood up and discarded the canteen, searching for the guardian.
"Where are you?" he demanded. "Make yourself known to me! Beast!" he drew his sword in defiance. "Show yourself!"
Slowly, a beautiful woman rose up from the water's surface. She was adorned with jewels, her hair such a pale blonde that it was almost white. She had an almost ethereal beauty to her, and when she spoke, her voice rang with an almost hypnotic quality.
"Here I am," she called out, smiling seductively.
Outside Granny's Diner, August pulled up on his motorcycle just as Emma walked out to meet him.
"Glad to see you didn't change your mind," he remarked, holding out a spare hammer. "Shall we?"
"Thought you wanted to get a drink," Emma reminded.
"I do. Didn't say here though."
"And where are we going? We could take my car."
"Or you could take a leap of faith, and let someone else take control for once." August gave the helmet a small shake. "Now hop on. I know a good watering hole."
"If you won't, I will!" Granny called out.
Emma turned towards Granny in amusement before turning back to August as he pulled out a second helmet. Begrudgingly, she took the helmet and put it on before climbing onto the back of the bike. Once she was on, the two drove off together, Granny smiling at them before heading back inside.
...
After some riding, Emma and August arrived at a well outside of town.
"A watering hole?" Emma questioned. "Literally?"
"Well, actually," August corrected as they both dismounted. "Though I can see the confusion."
"Just when you said a drink, I thought you meant like, wine or whiskey."
"What, you want me to get you drunk?"
That got a small laugh out of Emma.
"No."
"Next time then."
"Pretty optimistic."
August grabbed two metal cups from his saddle bags.
"Well, they say that there's something special about this well. There's even a legend," he then proceeded to draw water from the well. "They say that the water from the well is fed by an underground lake, and that lake has magical properties."
"Magic? You sound like Henry."
"Smart kid. So, the legend says that if you drink water from the well, something lost will be returned to you."
"You know an awful lot about this town for being a stranger."
"And you know very little for being the sheriff."
"How do you know all of this? You've been here before?"
"I know all of this for one very simple reason… I read the plaque."
Emma looked confused, so August reached over, tapping an engraved plate resting on the lip of the well. Indeed, everything August had said was written on the plague.
"You actually believe that?" she asked.
"I'm a writer. I have to keep an open mind."
"Yeah, but magic?"
"Water is a very powerful thing," August explained as filled the cups. "Cultures as old as time have worshiped it. It flows though all lands, connecting the entire world. If anything had mystical properties, if anything had magic, well I'd say it'd be water."
"That's asking a lot to believe on faith."
"If you need evidence for everything, Emma, you're going to find yourself stuck in one place for a long time."
"Maybe," she remarked as he handed her a cup. "Or maybe I'll just find the truth before anyone else."
"Well, Miss skeptic, there's one thing I can tell you for sure that requires no leap of faith and I know you'll agree with me."
"What's that?" she asked as he took a drink.
"It's good water."
Emma smirked before the two clinked cups and she took a drink.
…
In town, Mary Margaret walked down the street, seeing two women who were whispering to each other as she passed. When she got close, they darted into a shop, clearly trying to avoid her. She was so busy watching them that she ran right into Granny.
"Oh, Gosh!" Granny let out. "I'm sorry!I didn't-"
"Excuse me!" Mary Margaret said at the same time. "I must not have been looking-"
"Oh," Granny cut off, her voice growing hard and disgusted. "You."
Mary Margaret stopped, dread welling in her throat. "Excuse me?"
"You should be ashamed of yourself."
Granny then hastily started walking off, leaving Mary Margaret on the verge of tears.
Charming gripped the hilt of his blade as the woman approached.
"What's your name?" she asked, but was only met by silence."would you like to know mine? Because I can be anyone you want me to be."
"Stop," Charming demanded. "I know what you are. You're a Siren. Your deceitful words are a spell meant to lure me to my death."
"Perhaps..." the siren smiled. "But every man has a weakness. And… I do believe I just found yours."
The siren tipped her head back, brushing her face and hair with her hands before straightening back up. When she did, she looked exactly like Snow White. Charming faltered, staring in shock.
"How do I look, Charming?" she asked in Snow's voice.
"No… you're not really her. It's an illusion. I know it's not real."
"I can be real enough for you," she enticed, approaching Charming. "Everything you want, I can give to you right now. All you have to do is kiss me."
Charming tried to fight it, but the Siren pressed forward, kissing him passionately. For a moment, Charming got lost in the kiss, even dropping his sword into the lake. However, something made him stop, realizing something was wrong.
"No," he let out, trying to push her away. "No, this isn't real. The real Snow is out there. It's her I'm in love with, not this illusion you've concocted."
"Doesn't it feel real?" she asked, moving in to kiss him again.
This time he was taken in for only a moment before pulling away.
"No! No, it's not Snow."
"Yes it is! I love you!"
"No, it's not real love. I've felt it, and this isn't it. I know the difference."
The siren backed off, stopping her seductive routine.
"Congratulations, Prince Charming. You're the first."
The Siren then pushed Charming into the lake, causing him to flail desperately as she dragged him towards the bottom of the lake. He managed to free himself, gaining enough composure to see the Siren beckoning him towards her. He pulled his gaze away as he looked towards the bottom, seeing several skeletons of fallen warriors below. He tried to make a break towards the surface, but a strand of lake vegetation shot out and grabbed him by the leg, dragging him down. Charming pulled hard on the vine as he was dragged to the bottom of the lake. Seeing the Siren fast approaching, he searched for any means of escape from his perilous situation. Finally, he spotted a dagger amidst the dead warriors. He grabbed it just as the Siren reached him, pulling him into what she intended to be his final kiss. Before his mind could slip entirely, he stabbed the Siren in the chest with the dagger, causing her to go limp and let go of Charming. Her face then transformed back into its original state as she floated lifelessly in the water. Charming wasted no time freeing himself from the plants before swimming towards the surface.
As Mary Margaret approached her car, she was shocked to see the word "TRAMP" written across it in red spray paint. Both David and Eve were doing their best to clean it off, sleeves rolled up as they scrubbed at the paint. When Eve bent down to dunk her sponge, she stopped when she spotted the teacher.
"Mary Margaret..."
David looked up, wincing when he saw Mary Margaret.
"Who did this?" Mary Margaret asked.
"I don't know," David admitted. "I'm sorry, I don't know how any of this happened."
"I brought some strong soap," Eve spoke up. "It should get rid of this bloody paint."
"Thank you Eve," Mary Margaret replied. "Nice to know there are still some decent people in this town."
"You don't deserve this," Eve told her. "Not this, or what happened at the school."
"What do you mean?" David questioned. "What happened at the school?"
Mary Margaret turned to David with an angry look. Eve took one look at the two, then tipped her bucket with her foot.
"Oh dear. I better go refill this," she declared before beating a hasty retreat.
Once she was gone, Mary Margaret finally vented her rage.
"What happened?" she repeated. "What happened was that you didn't tell her the truth. Like we agreed. Why?"
"I… I thought we could spare her feelings-"
"You thought. Not we. you. And we discussed this."
"I didn't want anyone to get hurt."
"And now everyone is hurt." Mary Margaret let out a shuddering breath. "We had an understanding. We had an agreement. But you not only lied to her, you lied to me."
"Mary Margaret, Please. Listen to me. If we want to see if- if this- if what we have is love, we have to do what you said. We have to pick up the pieces, and we gotta move on."
"David, this isn't love. What we have is something else entirely. What we have is destructive, and it has to stop."
"Come on-" he pleaded, trying to reach out to her before she turned away. "What are you saying?"
"That we shouldn't be together."
As Mary Margaret walked off, Eve peeked out of her hiding place in a nearby alley. She covered her mouth in horror, watching the entire scene.
"No… No, it can't end like this..."
…
Later, Eve returned to her room at Granny's, lamenting the fate that had befallen her friends. As she laid on her bed, silently crying, there came a knock on the door.
"The card says Do Not Disturb!" she shouted.
"Won't be long!" a familiar voice called out. "Just have something for you!"
Eve sighed, getting up and wiping her face. She unlocked the door, opening it to reveal August standing there.
"Well, if it isn't the Stranger. What do you want?"
"Name's August. And I feel you and I haven't been… clicking, so to speak."
"I don't know you. There's nothing to click with."
"I know. Which is why I wanted to give you this."
He held out a red metal box, one Eve was all too familiar with. She took it and opened it up, seeing Henry's storybook inside. Her eyes went wide at the sight, casting the box aside as she looked the book over.
"How did-" she looked up at August, suspicion lacing her tone, and her gaze. "How did you get this? Did you take it?"
"Does it matter? It was missing, and now it's back. When someone hands you a gift like this, the common courtesy is to say thank you."
"Except you know this book belongs to Henry. So, why give it to me, and not him? And for that matter, how did you know it was missing?"
"Saw the kid trying to write down what he knew at the diner. Didn't take much to figure out he lost it. As for why I'm giving it to you, well, it seems like something that would come from you. A book of stories, like all those legends you used to tell everyone back home."
Eve's eyes went wide and she was immediately on the defensive.
"Who are you, 'August'?"
"Just a friend. With the same mission as you. Help Emma. And since your approach hasn't been entirely successful so far, how about letting me take a turn?"
...
Inside her office, Regina was watering her plants when Kathryn entered.
"It's beautiful," she commended. "I had no idea you were so good with plants."
"Better than with people it would seem," Regina admitted before turning to face her. "What are you doing here? I thought after what happened yesterday, I would be the last person you would want to see."
"So did I. And then I thought about it and I realized I owed you an apology."
"Kathryn-"
"I know you'd never do anything to hurt me. I was just so angry...and confused and I snapped. I'm sorry. I've just been fighting so hard to hold onto David, I've never stopped and asked myself why."
Regina looked confused.
"He's your husband. Of course you'd fight for him. You love him."
"But he doesn't love me," Kathryn lamented, pulling one of the pictures of Mary Margaret and David out of her coat pocket. "See the way he looks at her? He's never looked at me like that. Not even before his accident."
"So your relationship needs work," Regina scoffed. "You can't just give up."
"Have you ever been in love?"
"Yes," Regina replied, before pausing and looking down slightly, fiddling with a simple, iron ring on her finger. "Once."
"Because what I am coming to understand is…" Kathryn sighed, looking mournful and resigned, "is that I haven't. What they have is… is real, it's true. My marriage to David… i-it was just like an illusion. I don't know how it happened, but it was never real. I know that now. The way David looks at Mary Margaret, that's what I want for me. And I'm going to go out there and I'm going to find it."
Now Regina was concerned.
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm sticking to my plan, I'm moving to Boston." Kathryn drew in a breath. "Alone. If I stay here, I'll never be happy."
"And what about David?"
"I wrote him a letter. Him and Mary Margaret. I told them they should be together."
Regina felt she had to do a double take upon hearing that.
"I-I'm sorry, you did what?"
"I can't see him, not now," she admitted, shaking her head. "It's just too painful."
She then pulled Regina into a hug, which she hesitantly returned.
"I'm going to miss you Regina, you've been a good friend to me."
"You're really going?
"It's funny," Kathryn admitted, breaking the hug. "I've always had this irrational fear of leaving Storybrooke. Like something is just holding me back, is that crazy?"
"No," Regina reassured. "Change is always frightening. But do you know what Kathryn? This just may be what you need. Maybe you'll find what you're looking for."
The two hugged, Kathryn looking relieved, and Regina looking utterly pissed.
Abigail waited with baited breath at Frederick's pavilion, praying that Charming was to succeed. As she looked up though, the sight of Charming's return instantly brought a smile to her face.
"Water from Lake Nostos, as requested," he declared.
"Remarkable!" she let out. "But how did you manage to slay the beast."
"Oh the fate of your true love was at stake. It wasn't a battle I could afford to lose."
He handed her the canteen, which she gratefully took and carried over to Frederick. She didn't waste a second before pouring it on top of him. The second the last drop left the canteen, the water's magic began to take effect, causing the gold encasing him to melt away. As his body became flesh and blood once more, he dropped to his knees, gasping from beneath his helmet. Abigail knelt down and removed the helmet, overjoyed to see his face once more, the same face as Freddy the gym teacher.
"Abigail, what happened to me?" he asked.
"You were trapped," she explained. "But now you're free," she turned towards Charming. "Thanks to him."
"Then I am forever in your debt," Frederick declared, rising and shaking Charming's hand..
"You can repay me by walking down the aisle with your true love," Charming told him. "And perhaps a horse and supplies for my own journey."
"Done."
"Where will you go?" Abigail asked.
"To find Snow White."
"Then you are certain of your love?"
"Now more than ever. True love isn't easy, but it must be fought for, because once you find it, it can never be replaced."
"How will you know where to find her?"
"Well, a friend helped me track her down once, hopefully she can again."
"Well, then good luck." Charming prepared to board his horse before Abigail called out once more. "Oh, and Charming, please make haste. When King George discovers that the union of the kingdoms has been ruined, he will come after you. Some people will stop at nothing to destroy the happiness of others."
The silence of the Nolan house was suddenly broken when Regina opened the door using the ring of keys Emma found in one of her drawers. She walked through the house towards the kitchen, where Kathryn's letter was resting on the counter. Not wasting a moment, she scooped up the letter and placed it into her bag before leaving the house.
...
Outside the school, Henry was playing an old arcade game on his Switch when Emma came up.
"Wow!" she let out, sitting next to him. "I love that game. Space Paranoids, right?"
"Yeah," Henry answered. "My mom got it for me."
"I used to play this all the time when I was a kid. You just need to be patient and relax. It's all in the wrists."
"Emma, I'm really happy you're here, but my mom's picking me up in five minutes."
"I know, I just… I miss you."
Henry paused his game, looking up.
"I've missed you too..."
"Then perhaps I should come back later," Eve spoke up as she approached the pair with her hands behind her back.
"Eve?" Emma questioned. "What are you doing here?"
"Got something for Henry," she answered, pulling out the book from behind her back.
Henry all but dropped the Switch, reaching out and grabbing the book. Emma caught the game, but her eyes were locked on the book.
"You found it!" he let out. "Where'd you get it?!"
"In the gutter outside of my shop," Eve answered, making Emma perk in suspicion. "As best I can figure, it fell off one of the dump trucks on the way to the scrapyard, got tossed around in the rain, and washed up near me. Nearly tripped over the bloody thing."
"So, it found its way back to you?"
"In a matter of speaking, yes."
"Wow," Emma let out in a slightly skeptical tone. "That's… something."
"Maybe this means our luck is changing," Henry proposed. "Operation Cobra is back on. It's a sign things are gonna be better."
"I hope so, kid," Emma replied. "Come on, Eve, we'd better go. Before Regina does something else."
"Right," Eve agreed as the two went off.
As the two walked off, Emma made sure they were far enough away from Henry before speaking again.
"So where'd you really get the book from?" she asked.
Eve sighed, rubbing her face.
"Super power, right," she recalled. "Look, all that matters is the book is back where it belongs. Isn't that enough?"
Emma looked back, seeing Henry with his nose stuck in the book, happier than she'd seen him in a long time. She couldn't help but sigh in admittance.
"Yes. But sooner or later, you're going to have to come clean with me. I'm tired of feeling like you're giving me the runaround."
"Believe me, Emma, I want nothing more. But for now, all I can say is that you need to be patient with me. In time, everything will make sense."
Nicholette stood before the cabin Snow was staying at to make sure all of Snow's things were gone. She was tucking a few odds and ends into her cloak, preparing to return them to their rightful owner as soon as she got the chance. As she worked, she heard a horse fast approaching the house. Nicholette's eyes went wide as she instantly went on the defensive, thinking it was one of King George's men. The second she saw the horse clear the forest, she struck, sending a blinding ball of golden light flying right at the rider. The rider just barely dodged the ball, being revealed to be Prince Charming.
"Wait!" he called out.
"Cha-, Prince James?" she called back, catching herself before killing her magic. "What's going on? What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to find Snow," he explained, getting off his horse.
"She's not here… why are you? What purpose could you have to come here?"
"I know she lied to me when she said she didn't love me. I don't know why she did, but-"
"King George," Nicholette cut off, almost desperate to explain the truth. "I don't know the full story, but she went to the palace with the full intention of running away with you. She was captured, and the next thing I know, she's leaving the palace with a heart so broken, I'm surprised she didn't perish right there in the woods."
"Where is she now?"
"I don't know for certain. She's taken up residence with some dwarves, but I don't know where they live."
"Then I'll find her…" Charming declared, getting back on his horse as he looked out at the horizon. "I will always find her. And I will reassure her that no matter what, our love will survive."
"I believe you just might. You should set off-"
Nicholette was cut off when the sound of soldiers on horseback reached their ears. Both of them turned, seeing King George leading a small army of men right towards them.
"Bring me his head!" the king shouted.
"As I was saying, you should set off immediately!" Nicholette blurted out.
"Then let's go!" he declared, holding out his hand.
Without hesitation, Nicholette took the offered hand. Charming pulled her onto the back of his horse and they both took off. As they did, Nicholette summoned a golden ball of light, throwing it behind them.
"Close your eyes!" she shouted.
Charming obliged, allowing the magic to shine bright, blinding the guards as they rode off into the woods.
Back at the loft, Mary Margaret was laid out on the bed, tears pouring down her eyes. Emma entered the room, seeing her roommates depressed state as she sat down on the bed.
"You feel like talking about it yet?" Emma asked.
"Nope..." Mary Margaret whimpered.
"...you wanna be alone?"
"Nope..."
Emma just laid down on the bed next to her, keeping her company and silently rubbing her arm comfortingly.
…
Meanwhile, Regina pulled Kathryn's letter from one of her drawers, sliding it out from under a can of red spray paint. She then took a lighter to it, burning the letter before tossing it into the fireplace.
…
Freddy the gym teacher was driving down the street that led to the exit of Storybrooke. As he approached the sign, he saw a broken down car on the side of the road. Curious, he pulled over and got out. The car belonged to Kathryn Nolan, and from the looks of it, she'd been in a terrible accident. However, the most shocking thing of all was that Kathryn herself was nowhere to be seen...