Author's note: Okay guys, here's the big showdown! I did my best with what the promo gave us for Miller's daughter, as well as adding a bit of my own flair, so I hope you like it!
~..~..~..~..
Cora and Regina stood on the pavement outside Gold's Pawnshop.
"At last," Cora smiled. "We can get you your son back, sweetheart. With the power of the Dark One, there will be nothing I can't do."
"They'll be expecting us, Mother." Regina warned.
"Of course they are," Cora said calmly. "Can't you feel the magic surrounding this building?"
Regina closed her eyes, focusing...
"Gold's put a protection spell on the place," Regina realised.
"Yes, to keep us out." However, Cora was calm as she simply raised the dagger. "The Dark One may have cast the spell, but I have the Dark One's dagger."
~..~..~..~..
"Here they come," David announced. "Get ready!"
Emma, Neal, David and Snow all lined themselves up before the pawnshop counter.
The door of the Pawnshop burst open and Regina and Cora boldly walked in.
"Where's my son?" Regina demanded.
"Do you really think Henry will want to go with you?" Emma demanded.
"Wait, Henry's her son too?" Neal asked.
"I put Henry up for adoption," Emma explained quickly.
Regina's eyes fell on Neal.
"And who are you?" She asked.
"Baelfire," Cora realized. "You're Rumplestiltskin's son."
"Yes," Neal answered. "And Henry's father."
Regina's eyes widened.
"What?"
"Small world, huh?" Neal commented.
"Enough of this." Cora was getting impatient. "We'll have what we came for, now."
"You want to hurt our family?" Charming challenged. "You'll have to go through us first."
Regina smiled sweetly, her eyes as cold as ice.
"As you wish."
A ball of fire appeared in her hand.
As the flame shot towards Emma, Charming leapt forward, using his sword to deflect the fire.
Regina stretched out a hand towards the Prince before pulling backward sharply, and David went flying out the shop door to land heavily on the pavement outside.
Emma and Neal attacked as Snow rushed to retrieve David's dropped sword.
Cora blocked Neal's sword in midair with a wave of her hand, freezing it in place.
"You should be thanking me, Baelfire," she told him soothingly. "I'm going to take your father's curse away, once and for all."
"By killing him and taking the power yourself?" Bae spat through gritted teeth. "Not gonna happen."
"Oh, yes it will," Cora whispered. "Ever since I met your father, all I wanted was to be like him."
"You'll never be like him," Bae told her. "He still has a heart."
"Then you shouldn't be fighting me and instead use this time to say good bye to your father," Cora smiled as she sent him flying into the back wall.
Regina sent Emma's sword flying before aiming another fireball.
Knowing she was the only thing standing between Regina and Henry gave Emma the strength to deflect the fire with a wave of her hand.
Regina paused in shock.
"How did you do that?" She demanded.
"With the love for my son," Emma answered, before summoning a dagger in a display case to her hand. Punching Regina in the face, Emma was able to grab a hold of her, pressing the tip of the dagger into her throat.
Outside, David was slowly opening his eyes, moaning against his throbbing head. Reaching down, he grabbed his phone and dialled.
"Blue," he said as his call was answered. "We need some magical help, here. Gold's pawnshop."
Snow rushed forward, taking Neal's place against Cora.
"You are not going to win this time," Snow said fiercely. "This is my family and I will protect it!"
"Sweet Snow," Cora told her step grand-daughter, "the pure of heart cannot kill."
"Mother."
Cora turned to see Regina with a dagger against her throat.
Reaching out, Cora pulled Emma toward her, forcing Emma to let go of Regina as she was dragged across the floor into Cora's grasp.
"Leave her alone!" Bae yelled, coming forward again.
But he was too late.
"My daughter will have her wish," Cora smiled, raising the Dark One's dagger. "Henry will have only one mother."
"Noooooo!" Snow screamed as Regina threw both her and Neal backward while Cora stabbed Emma in the chest.
"MOM!"
Henry had heard everything and came running out into the store. His eyes filled with tears as he saw his birthmother lying on the ground, bleeding from the hole in her chest.
"Henry get back!" Neal pushed the boy in the direction of the back room before rushing towards Cora. Picking up the dagger Emma had held against Regina, he stabbed Cora in the heart.
Cora simply laughed as she withdrew the dagger from her chest, with not even a drop of blood spilled.
"You were right Bae," Cora smiled. "I don't have a heart. Or at least I don't keep it where everyone else does."
Neal knelt down and gathered Emma in his arms. She was still alive, but bleeding badly.
"Is mom gonna be okay?" Henry voice was trembling as Snow gripped him in a hug.
"She's gonna be fine, Henry." Bae was determined. "I promise."
David came back into the store as fast as his throbbing head allowed him. Seeing his daughter bleeding on the ground was enough to send him into a rage.
"NO!" David picked up his sword, which Snow had dropped on the ground in shock, and made to stab Regina, only to be flung into a display cabinet.
"STOP!"
All eyes turned onto Henry, who looked tearfully up from his bleeding birth mother to land on his adoptive mother.
"I'll make you a deal," he said. "If you leave my family alone... If you promise not to hurt my dad, or my grandparents...I'll come with you freely. And I promise," Henry swore, "I'll never try to run away. It'll be just as you want...I'll be your son again."
Regina's eyes softened as she gazed at her son.
"Oh, my boy," she whispered.
Henry nodded.
"It'll be just as you want," Henry repeated. "Just, please, don't hurt my family anymore."
"Henry, don't," Emma gasped.
"We'll protect you, Henry," Neal told his son. "That's what families do."
"You don't have to do this, Henry." Snow told him.
"Yes I do," Henry hadn't taken his eyes off Regina. "Because Good has to play by the rules and Evil doesn't. At least this way," Henry paused to wipe his eyes. "I can protect my family."
Regina smiled as she opened her arms to her son.
"Deal," she agreed.
"No!" Snow, David, Neal and Emma objected, all reaching to grab Henry protectively. But he shook them off.
"I am the grandson of Rumplestiltskin," Henry told them all as he made his way towards Regina. "And I honour my deals."
Regina wrapped Henry into a hug before turning to her mother.
"Gold's not here, Mother," she told Cora. "But we have Henry now. Let's go home."
After considering for a moment, Cora smiled.
"Well, I would like to finally get to know my grandson," Cora said softly eyeing Henry thoughtfully. "And I suppose I can always go after Gold later."
"But," Henry objected. "What about our deal?"
"You made that deal with Regina, dear, not with me." Cora told the boy plainly. "You clearly still have a thing to learn about dealing, Henry."
"Wait," Henry objected as Regina held him in a tighter grip.
"Time to go home, sweetheart." Regina smiled.
"No!" Henry's voice was the last thing anyone heard as the two woman, and Henry, disappeared in a swirl of smoke.
"Henry!" Emma sobbed, hands clutching at he still bleeding wound.
Neal gathered Emma into his arms, picking her up and took her into the back room.
"Don't worry Emma," Neal told her. "My dad can heal you, you'll be alright."
Rumple looked up with sad eyes as the group hurried into the office.
"Put her on the table," Rumple instructed, and he watched his son tearfully lay Emma on the polished wood.
"Why didn't you come to help?" David demanded.
"Why did you let Henry leave the room?" Snow's voice was raw with emotion. Her grandson had just been abducted and her daughter was bleeding to death before her eyes.
"If I had gone out there," Rumple told them roughly, "then I would be dead and Cora would be the Dark One right now. I had to stay here."
Magic lit up his hands as he passed them over Emma's wound. In moments, the blood had disappeared and Emma's breathing became steadier.
Emma's eyes were empty as she looked into Gold's face.
"I guess this makes us even now," she muttered.
"Oh, Emma," Snow and David held their daughter close.
"What about Henry?" Neal demanded. "We have to get him back."
"And we will," David assured the group.
"How?" Emma asked, sitting up slowly. "Cora still has the power of the Dark One at her command, how will we get close enough?"
"We'll need magic." Snow said, turning her eyes onto Gold.
"I still can't leave," Rumple said apologetically. "If I do..."
"Cora will use the dagger to control you, make you attack us, and then kill you." Neal finished numbly.
"I called Blue," David told them. "She'll help us."
"A fairy against Cora and Regina?" Rumple said sceptically.
"Don't forget me," Emma said. "I was able to block Regina's fireball."
"You still don't have full control yet, Miss Swan," Rumple told her.
"It's better than nothing," Emma hissed. "I'm not going to give up my son."
"Me either," Neal added without hesitation.
"Then let's go," David ordered, making his way to the door.
"Wait," Snow pleaded, turning to Gold. "Is there anything you can give us to help?"
Rumple smiled. "To defeat two of the most powerful magicians in our realm, as well as the power of the Dark One?" Rumple held up a finger. "Only one thing."
Flicking his wrist, a candle appeared in his hand.
"You recognise this, don't you Snow White?"
Snow took a shaky breath.
"That's the dark candle Cora gave me to save my mother." She whispered. "A life for a life."
David didn't like the way his wife was gazing at the candle. "Don't take it, Snow," David told her. "We'll find a way to get Henry back."
"Well, if one of you becomes fatally wounded in the next battle," Rumple put forward, "I won't be around to heal you. This," he offered the candle to Snow again, "could be the only thing that saves you. All you have to do is hold it over the heart of the dying person and whisper the name of the one you want to send to death in their place." He explained to the others in the room.
"Cora," Emma whispered, fire in her eyes.
"No," David insisted. "We can't stoop to her level."
"If you truly want to be rid of Cora for good," Rumple told them, "then her death is the only way to do it. You've killed before, Prince Charming," Rumple reminded him. "What's the difference between magic and a sword, really?"
"He's right." Snow said quietly. "There's no difference, really."
She reached out and claimed the candle.
"And if one of us does end up wounded in the coming battle," she added, "at least we can ensure that Cora won't hurt anyone else."
David sighed, seeing his wife was decided. "We'll use it only as a last resort. Now let's go."
"Good luck," Rumple told the group as they filed out.
"Oh, Snow White," Rumple called before she'd made it to the door.
"You know, there is actually another way you could be rid of Cora without the candle," he told her. "One which ensures that no battle even need to take place. Why risk more lives, the lives of your family, when you can stop all of it yourself?"
"I can do that?" Snow asked hopefully.
"Yes," Rumple told her. "By killing Cora yourself."
Snow regarded the man before her warily.
"You've just found out that Cora doesn't keep her heart in her chest," Rumple said slowly.
"Where does she keep it?" Snow asked, taking the bait.
"You'll find it in the vault below Regina's family mausoleum," Rumple explained.
"All you have to do is find it, and crush it. Cora will then be dead, and no one else need to suffer for her existence."
Snow swallowed.
"There's no coming back from murder," she said quietly.
"There's no coming back from death either," Rumple told her firmly. "Cora will keep coming at everything you love until she gets what she wants. The only way to protect your family, our family," Rumple amended, "is if she's dead."
Snow lowered her eyes, wanting to protect her family, but unsure of the road being paved before her.
"I did it," Rumple confided in her. "I committed murder, and became cursed for all eternity, just so I could spare my son's life."
Rumple stepped closer, his dark eyes boring into Snow's.
"Now," Rumple whispered. "You have to ask yourself, Snow White: how far are you willing to go to protect your family?"
Snow considered for a moment before raising her eyes to meet the Dark One's.
"As far as it takes," she answered.
Snow rejoined the group outside the shop just as the Blue Fairy arrived.
"You're a little late, you know," Emma told her.
"Apologies," Blue answered. "I can't move myself as quickly here as I did back home."
Then her eyes spotted Neal.
"You," she whispered.
"Hi," Neal smiled.
Emma moved her eyes from one to the other.
"You two know each other?" She asked.
"Reul Ghorm," Neal gestured to the Blue Fairy, whose eyes widened at the name, "was the one who gave me the magic bean that was supposed to bring me to this world. But I wound up somewhere else instead," he finished.
"You're the son of the Dark One," Blue realized and Neal nodded. "I'm sorry," she told him. "I hoped the bean would've taken you to where you needed to go."
"Never mind, we don't have time," Neal said quickly, getting priorities back in order. But, he had to ask: "How's Tamara?"
"Oh, she's fine, "Blue assured him quickly.
"And you haven't told her about magic, right?" Neal asked. "She's not from our world, she won't understand."
Something flickered through Blue's eyes, but she smiled reassuringly.
"We haven't told her anything she doesn't need to know," Blue told him.
"Great, now that that's settled," Emma interrupted. "Do we have a plan to get Henry away from Regina and Cora, and get Gold back his dagger?"
"We need to face them," David said. "Blue, do you think fairy magic could hold them both long enough for us to get the dagger and Henry away safely?"
"Perhaps," Blue considered. "If there was a distraction allowing me to get close enough to bind them."
"All right," David said with a nod. "Then that's our plan: divide and conquer."
"Classic." Neal commented dryly. "And if that doesn't work?"
"Then we have the candle," Snow held it up.
David took the candle from his wife gently.
"Only as a last resort," he reminded her. "Not as a back-up plan."
Snow was pensive before her expression became determined.
"Then I might just have a back-up plan," she announced.
"What?" David asked slowly.
Snow shook her head. "Never mind 'what'." She told them quickly. "We don't have time. You all head to Regina's house, that's where they'll be keeping Henry. Lure them outside and then freeze them with fairy dust so we can get the dagger and Henry away safely. I'll work on the back-up plan."
"Someone should go with you," David told her, but Snow shook her head.
"They may not notice if one of us is missing, but if two or more people don't confront them, they'll know we're up to something." Snow placed a hand on her husband's shoulder. "Please trust me," she said. "I will protect our family."
Slowly, reluctantly, Charming nodded.
"All right," he announced. "Let's go."
Snow watched her family drive away towards Regina's house before heading to the cemetery.
~..~..~..~..
Opening the door to Regina's family mausoleum, Snow eyed the large tomb that filled up most of the space.
'Henry. Beloved father.' She read.
'So that's how Henry got his name,' she realized before noticing the scuff marks on the floor.
Walking to the other side of the marble casket, Snow put her hands against the cool rock and pushed.
Slowly, the stone tomb moved aside to reveal a staircase leading downward.
Taking a breath, Snow made her way down into the vault.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Snow had to pause to allow her eyes time to adjust to the darkness.
After a moment, she saw what she was looking for ahead of her.
In an alcove ahead, Snow could see a whole wall patterned with squares. Curtains were draped, framing the wall, attached to two pillars that stood on either side.
And listening in the darkness, Snow could hear the rhythmic, steady beating of many hearts.
Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump...
Cautiously, Snow made her way over to the alcove, listening to the steady beats from the hearts within the wall.
'But which one was Cora's?' She wondered.
Hesitantly, Snow raised a hand, trailing her fingers and palm across the vault. Each square was protruding slightly from the wall and decorated by a gold circle. Each one appeared identical to the one beside it.
"Where is the heart of Cora, the Queen of hearts?" Snow whispered.
Suddenly, one of the square drawers pushed outward, revealing a wooden box.
Snow froze. How did that happen? Then she remembered how Mr. Gold had told her where to find the heart. Was he using his magic from afar to help her?
"Thank you, Rumplestiltskin,' she whispered, carefully lifting the wooden box from the vault draw.
Placing the box on the ground, Snow stared at it, listening to the steady 'thump-thump' sound of the beating heart within.
Was she really prepared to do this? To callously take someone's life?
"There's no coming back from murder," she whispered.
If she did this, Snow would have to go against everything that she was brought up to believe in.
But if she didn't...
"There's no coming back from death, either."
If she didn't do this, Cora would continue to hurt others, without any regard for morality. Snow could end up preventing many future deaths if she made this one kill now.
Just as she could have saved many lives, had she allowed Regina to be executed, all those years ago...
Slowly, Snow lifted the lid of the box.
~..~..~..~..
David, Emma, Neal and the Blue fairy arrived at Regina's house, and as Blue made her way along the side of the house, the others were surprised that they even made it through the front gate without being attacked.
"I don't like this," Neal whispered, getting a tighter grip on his sword.
"Me either," Emma said quietly. "But this is for Henry."
"And my father," Bae whispered.
The front door opened as they approached.
"Visitors already, how nice." Cora greeted as she stood on the front steps.
"Hand over Henry," Charming demanded, wielding his sword. "And surrender the dagger, Cora."
"Or you'll what?" She laughed, holding up the dagger she held.
"Or your flame," Charming held up the candle, "will be snuffed out."
Cora raised her eyebrows.
"Do you really expect me to believe that you would do something like that?" Cora called his bluff.
"Prince Charming, protector of all, would fatally wound someone simply for my life to replace theirs?" She smiled. "And what if you were too late to get the candle lit, with both myself and my daughter free. You would lose a loved one."
Charming stayed silent.
Neal could see Blue making her way towards them, staying out of Cora's line of sight.
Just a little further...
"Can we at least see that Henry's okay?" Emma asked, trying to buy time.
Cora smiled.
"Of course, dear." She told them. "Regina?" She called.
Regina stood in the doorway, holding Henry's hand.
"Henry!" Emma and Neal cried out with relief.
"Mom! Dad!" Henry made to move forward, but Regina held him firm.
"We made a deal," Regina reminded everyone. "You are not taking my son from me."
Pushing Henry behind her and into the house, Regina closed the door to stand beside her mother.
"Wait," Cora whispered and there was silence in the air.
"Where's sweet Snow?" Cora asked.
"Now!" Charming yelled.
Blue rushed out from her cover and, with a yell, threw a large quantity of fairy dust before aiming her glowing blue wand at the two women.
"When did you get your wand back?" Charming asked curiously as both Cora and Regina became frozen by the double-attack.
"Not long ago." Blue explained, coming forward. "The fairies made preparations just before the curse struck."
Neal examined Cora and Regina's frozen forms with relief.
"It actually worked?" He wondered. It was strange...too easy.
"I guess so," Emma commented stepping forward. "I promised Gold I'd get his dagger back," she told Neal. "You go in and get Henry."
Nodding, Neal made for the front door as Emma approached the frozen Queen of Hearts.
"You've lost this time, Cora," Emma told her, reaching for the dagger in the woman's grasp.
Suddenly, Emma found herself flying back into her father, and they both landed hard on the ground, followed closely by Neal, who was blasted back from the front door as soon as he touched the handle.
Cora laughed as she and Regina made their way down the front steps.
"Did you really think that fairy magic would be enough to defeat me?" She asked as the three of them scrambled to their feet.
Emma noticed that the dark candle had fallen to the ground.
'Last resort,' she thought before snatching it up, along with Neal's sword.
"You either release my son, and the dagger," Emma demanded before putting the sword blade at her own throat. "Or you will be the one saving my life, Cora."
"Emma don't!" Neal begged.
"There are other ways," David told his daughter.
"Oh yeah?" Emma asked. "Like what?"
"Like this."
Everyone turned to see Snow White walking up the path leading to the house, and nestled in the woman's hands was...
"Is that what I think it is?" Emma whispered.
Snow's eyes were hard as they focused on Cora, whose smile had fallen from her face as soon as she realised what Snow held in her hand.
"My grandson, and the dagger, for your heart," Snow demanded.
"Snow," David whispered in shock. "What are you doing?"
"Whatever it takes to protect my family," Snow replied, tightening her grip on the heart in her hand.
Wincing, Cora grabbed her chest in shock.
"My grandson, and the dagger, for your heart!" Snow demanded, her expression determined.
"You wouldn't do it, Snow" Cora told her. "You can't. You're too good."
"If it means ensuring my family's safety from you, as well as preventing the deaths of future innocent lives, I will do this." Snow was determined. "I will protect my family, even if it means condemning myself."
Snow squeezed the heart tighter in her hand, and Cora cried out in pain, collapsing as she clutched at her chest.
"Mother!" Regina cried out, reaching quickly to support her.
"My grandson, and the dagger, for your heart!" Snow yelled.
"And how do we know you won't just kill her anyway?" Regina demanded.
"She'll be true to her word, sweetheart." Cora panted as she slowly regained her feet as Snow lessened her grip. "She's a good girl, after all."
"I'm not giving up my son," Regina growled.
"But Snow has demanded both Henry and the dagger. Very greedy on your part, my dear," Cora smiled at Snow whose hard expression never wavered. "So both she must have."
"I'm not giving up my son." Regina repeated. "And how will we protect ourselves from Gold once he regains his dagger?"
"I do have other tricks up my sleeve, my dear," Cora assured her daughter. "Never fear. As long as I'm alive, I promise: I will do anything for your happiness, Regina. We'll get Henry back."
Regina appeared conflicted. Who was more vital to save? Henry or her mother? If Regina gave Henry up, she would lose her son. But then Snow would return her mother's heart, and they could again work to get her son back.
However, if she refused, Regina would then be able to keep Henry, but Snow would kill her mother...
No, Regina realised. Snow wouldn't kill Cora. She had given up the Dark One's dagger to save a single life, the life of her mother handmaid. She wouldn't commit cold-blooded murder...But seeing the expression on Snow White's face gave Regina pause for thought.
Perhaps something had changed?
And if Regina refused, and Snow did kill Cora, then she would be alone with Henry, who had in no uncertain terms told her that she was unforgivable when they arrived home.
And she would have to face Gold, the Charmings, Emma and Henry's new father as well as the fairies, in order to keep Henry for herself...
"Well?" Snow demanded. "What's it going to be?"
Regina closed her eyes before waving her hand.
The front door opened and Henry came running out.
"Mom!" He cried out happily. "Dad! Gramps!"
"Henry!" the boy was wrapped up into a hug by his family, but Emma knew they couldn't stick around.
"Get him out of here, Neal," Emma told him. "Quick, before they change their mind."
Nodding, Neal took Henry's hand in one of his own, before reclaiming his sword in the other, just in case.
"Let's go, kid."
As Henry and Neal left, Snow kept her eyes on Cora.
"Now the dagger." She demanded, squeezing the heart slightly.
Moaning slightly with the pain, Cora held up the blade submissively.
Emma quickly rushed forward and claimed it.
"Get to Gold," David told his daughter. "Quick, before Cora gets her heart back."
Nodding, Emma raced off after Neal and Henry.
David, Snow and Blue were the last ones remaining to face Cora and Regina.
"There," Regina said numbly. "We did what you asked. Now return my mother's heart to her."
Snow looked down at the heart in her hand, feeling the beat pulsing through her skin, pumping blood that wasn't there.
"And what will you do when I hand it over?" Snow asked.
"We promise to let you leave freely." Regina said quickly. "Now give my mother her heart!"
David's eyes were wary as he watched his wife's face.
"I've always thought of myself as a good person," Snow said quietly, seemingly to herself. "And yet my actions, my decisions, have lead to the deaths of so many people. And they all could have been avoided."
Snow looked up at Regina and Cora.
"And now I have a direct threat to my family," she continued. "And if I give you back your heart, Cora, you will never stop trying to hurt my family, killing anyone else who gets in your way."
"But you'll do it anyway," Cora smiled. "Because that's just who you are."
Snow's face hardened as she lifted her chin.
"I know who I am," Snow answered. "I am a wife. I am a mother. And I am a grandmother. And I will protect my family, no matter the cost to myself."
Cora's eyes widened with shock at the unflinching determination on Snow's face.
Snow squeezed the heart in her hand as hard as she could.
Crying out in pain, Cora clutched her chest before collapsing onto the ground.
"Mother!" Regina screamed, kneeling over Cora's body.
Opening her fist, Snow numbly watched as dust fell from her hand.
At the same time, Snow could feel something being dug out of her own heart.
She had gone against everything she had believed was right, in order to protect her family...
Tears streaming down her face, Snow fell to her knees on the grass.
"Oh, Snow," Charming gasped, reaching for his wife. "What did you do?"
Regina slowly raised her eyes to land on the person she hated most.
"You," she growled. "You killed my mother!" She rushed to her feet.
"You've taken everything from me!" Regina was inconsolable. "Daniel, my freedom, my kingdom, my son and now my mother!"
"You took my father!" Snow shot back, scrambling to her feet as her throat tore with sobs. "You've taken countless lives without regret! Your list of crimes goes far beyond mine, and now you will never be able to hurt anyone again!"
Furious, Regina summoned fire in her hand and threw it at Snow with a scream of grief and outrage.
Waving her wand, Blue dissipated the fire before it could hit Snow.
"We have to go."
"Come on, Snow," Charming pulled his wife along with him as Regina continued to hurl fireballs in her grief, each one deflected by the Blue fairy.
As the three of them ran out of sight, Regina stopped throwing fire, turning to numbly gaze down at the woman who had raised her.
Falling to her knees, Regina broke down into sobs, mourning all the things that she had lost.
She was alone, now...
~..~..~..~..
Author's note: So, what do you think? I really wanted to show a parallel between Snow, Rumple and Regina in this story. All of them did the things they did because of their family. Rumple cursed himself to be the Dark One in order to protect his son from the ogres war, Regina teamed up with Cora and was willing to kill/control anyone she had to to get her son back, and Snow White was willing to go against everything that her mother taught her to protect her family.
I also think Regina really deserves some sympathy as well, as she is now all alone, with no family whatsoever who will help her.
Now as for the chapters coming up...
No idea what to do for the episode of 'Welcome to Storybrooke' so I may leave that episode out and go straight to 'Selfless, brave and true' to see August/Pinnochio return.
I've got a couple of ideas for 'Lacey' though...
Thanks to those of you for helping me stay up to date with spoilers- hard to get this far downunder- and judging from the 'Racey Lacey' nickname for Belle's counterpart, as well as the set pictures I saw of her standing in the doorway of a place called 'The Rabbit Hole' wearing a blue sequinned skirt that only just covered her butt and the highest heels I've seen her wear...
I really hate to write this, but I think Belle's cursed counterpart is ...shall we say...a 'Lady of the night'?
Although, Eddy did say that she was the opposite of Belle, and to be honest, as much as I hate to think of our sweet, innocent, ladylike Belle being...well, not so sweet and innocent... I'm also thinking: How much more of 'Belle's polar opposite' can you get?
Can't wait to see the look on Gold's face.
I'm not sure how the writers (or me for that matter) will pull it off without anyone complaining though...Maybe something along the lines of 'Pretty Woman'?
Any ideas?