"Elizabeth."
"What?"
"My name is Elizabeth."
"Good for you."
I was getting annoyed. I had finally decided to make good on my promise and speak to my Papa, but I didn't want to just jump of the bat and say I was his daughter. I suppose I should turn back the story a bit, to when I first arrived back in town with Charlotte.
"So, what now?", Charlotte asked.
"We have to find Emma", I said.
As we walked to the apartment where Emma lived, I thought about the man who had driven me to New York - Walsh. I figured the only way he would have been willing to just drive me would be if he worked for Zelena. And I knew why, too. She'd wanted me out of town, so I wasn't a threat. She had figured I'd be stranded in New York. She hadn't counted on my magic being powerful enough to work in a Land Without Magic. But it had. And I would win now. But I realized that using magic as a shortcut for everything wasn't the best option, so I made a commitment to remain magic-free for a day. After I changed back into the outfit I'd worn before meeting Henry. A pirate is a pirate.
I knocked on the door. Emma opened it.
"Elizabeth. I've been meaning to talk to you. Where have you been? And who is this?"
"I've been out of town, and this is my friend Charlotte."
"Uh, hi Charlotte."
"Hi."
"Anyway, Elizabeth, why did you tell Henry who you were?"
"Because it's true."
"But... now he knows. I told you to be careful what you say to him."
"I didn't tell him about magic!"
"No, but still..."
"Emma, I don't have time for this. I have to tell you something."
"What?"
"The reason I was out of Storybrooke, besides finding Charlotte, was to get something from that world - the Land Without Magic. It's the last thing I need for a spell I'm planning to cast."
"A spell to do what?"
"To allow me to break the laws of magic."
"What?"
"Was I not clear? I thought you were smart, but I guess I was wrong."
"No, I get it, but... is that even possible."
"Yes. Anything is possible, Emma."
"Where did you find a spell to do that?"
"In the book of Analain."
"The what?"
"Have someone explain it. Everyone from the Enchanted Forest knows what the book of Analain is. I gotta go, but I wanted you to know... I'll soon be able to break the laws of magic. Including bringing back the dead. Goodbye, Emma."
"Bye..."
Charlotte and I walked away, and I realized that I had sworn on my life to find my Papa within a year, and I had only a few weeks left. Considering that major changes were about to occur, I figured that now would be a good time to talk to him. And hopefully get him to remember me. First, though, I had to talk to the Dark One again.
"Charlotte", I said, "I have to go speak with someone. You probably want to stay here, and if you come with me, he might kill you."
"Who?"
"Rumpelstiltskin. Also known as the Dark One. He's very skilled in dark magic. You don't want to meet him, trust me."
"Ok, but, where do I go."
"Go to Granny's diner, and wait for me there."
"Oh - ok, but... be careful, Elizabeth."
"Aren't I always?", I replied.
"Do you really want me to answer that?"
"No", I said, walking away. I went back to the cage where Zelena was keeping Rumpelstiltskin. He looked up when I entered.
"You again?"
"Me."
"Why are you here?"
"I wanted to thank you for doing whatever you did that allowed me to cross the town line."
"Kissing Zelena? I didn't do that to allow you to cross, I did it to get the dagger back. It failed."
"I'll get it back for you", I said, at the same time thinking, He kissed Zelena?
"Good luck. Did you find what you needed?"
"Yes, but for the sake of not letting magic get to my head, I won't cast it until tomorrow. I have something to do first, anyway."
"What's that?"
"I have to speak to my father."
I walked away, wishing I had never gone down. The conversation had little purpose, and made me feel like I was retreading old ground.
Then I walked to the docks, very unsure of how to go about doing this. I spotted my Papa on a ship about 60 yards away, and I walked over to him. As I approached, I yelled, "Captain!"
He whipped around. "Why are you here, girl, and why would you call me Captain?"
"Elizabeth."
"What?"
"My name is Elizabeth."
"Good for you."
"You need a memory jog."
"What? Have we met?"
"Yes, Papa."
"What? Why would you call me that?"
"Because it's what you are", I said, yanking off the necklace. The feeling I'd had earlier, of retreading old ground, intensified.
"No, I'm not. I don't have a daughter."
I handed him the necklace. "Just look at it."
Irritated, he looked at the necklace. It took a moment, but eventually the magic worked. He remembered.
"Elizabeth! I haven't seen you in over a century! How - how are you alive?"
"Actually, you have seen me, but Zelena wiped your memory of it, and I'm alive because I was in Neverland."
"And I never saw you?"
"Briefly, when you were there to rescue Henry."
"Wha - oh yes, I remember that. If I'd only known."
"Well, you didn't, thanks to that potion."
"It's the Dark One's fault. He killed your mother."
"Yes, but he's also the father of my half-brother."
"Yes, I suppose he is."
"Also Papa, you should know, I have magic."
"Of course you do. You're the product of true love."
"Yes, I am. And I plan to cast a spell that will allow me to break the laws of magic."
"What?"
"I have all the ingredients, and tomorrow I will cast the spell."
"But you could hurt yourself."
"I won't, Papa, I'll be fine. I'm a pirate, remember?"
"That you are, Elizabeth. That you are."
A/N: Please review!