Anya sat in the furthest corner of the Library and drove her hand into her chest. With a gasp she pulled out her heart. There were so many lines, cracks, and fractures all around it. It was only a matter of time before it shattered. Anya took a deep breath and with a wave to her hand she spread a glowing white magic all around her heart to hold it together. The light started to dim even though she spell wasn't complete because what fueled this spell was love and hope and Anya had those in short supply.

Not wanting to use up the last of that magic, she did what she could to her heart before shoving it back into her chest, always such an awkward thing to do herself. With her heart back where it belonged, she took a deep breath and started to move through the shelves of books, hoping there was something there that could help her and she found it. Anya plucked the 'cellphones for dummies' book off the shelf and sat herself down at the table to get herself better acquainted with that blasted contraption Belle made sure she carried with her.

Anya was just about to open the book when Henry came into the Library and went right over to her saying, "Why didn't you tell me Regina was your mom?"

"Because she's not," Anya answered, not looking at him. "Not here at least. What does it matter to you?"

"Because she's my mom, too," Henry answered, taking the seat across from her.

Anya's head shot up as soon as she heard that. "No. No, that's impossible. You look exactly like Henry Charming, son of Emma and Baelfire. My mother is your – his Godmother, but that's as far as it goes for relations."

"Regina adopted me. She and Emma are both my moms," Henry explained. "So that makes us kinda like brother and sister, doesn't it?" He grinned at her, hoping she'd feel the same.

"Not in this dimension," she answered, looking back to her book.

"I don't get it, Anya, you have a second chance with everyone you love…" Henry was about to say more, but she cut him off.

Anya slammed the book shut and looked at him. "No, Henry, I don't. These people are not my people. I can't go up to Regina and hug her and tell her how much I love her and miss her because she isn't my mom. I can't tell that to anyone." Anya felt the tears coming as she said, "I can't go up to anyone and tell them how glad I am to see them alive and well because they have no idea who I am. All these people mean the world to me and I mean nothing to them."

"It doesn't have to be that way, Anya," Henry gently reasoned. "Let them get to know you and you can get to know them."

"My heart can't take any more pain, Henry. I'm barely keeping it together as it is." Anya didn't know that Henry didn't realize just how literal she was. "Did you only come looking for me to talk about Regina or was there another reason?"

Henry took the hint and didn't say anything else about it but said, "I don't know if I'm the Author in your Realm, but that's what I am here and I wrote some weird…runes or something. I didn't know if you could tell what they mean."

"It's not my forte," Anya admitted as she stood, "but I'm willing to take a look if it means getting rid of the Black Fairy once and for all."

"It does," Henry assured and smiled when Anya answered with, "Lead the way."

Anya didn't realize that when she agreed to look at the mystery rune-glyph-things that Henry wrote while under an Author's trance meant being in the Charming's loft with Emma, David, and Regina with Snow asleep on the bed.

Anya enquired as to what the deal was with that and they explained to her how Snow and Charming shared a heart and the Sleeping Curse was shared between them so when one sleeps, the other wakes and vice versa. "Huh," Anya said in reply as she took in the information, already pondering over a way to maybe help break it.

"Are you familiar with the Sleeping Curse?" David asked, having been filled in on who Anya was.

"In use, no," Anya answered as she looked at the Glyphs Henry wrote, "but magic is a little different in my Realm, so I'm thinking on it." Looking at Henry and the others, she said, "I only recognize the Glyph standing for 'battle'. I'm sorry, I don't know what the others mean."

"Worth a try," Emma sighed, taking the book from her. "Come on, Henry, let's see if we can find something to decipher what this means." She held it out to Henry, her hand shaking as she did.

"Hey, mom, it's going to be okay," Henry assured her and left with Emma to most likely back to the Library.

Anya sat at the table and pulled the Storybook to her to try and give her a better insight to the people here. While doing this, she heard David say,

"Her story can't end like this. Hook's trapped in another realm. Her parents are stuck apart. She can't go into the Final Battle without her family."

"I agree," Regina replied, "but unless you or Snow sleepwalk, Emma is going to have to settle for only one Charming."

"Unless you break the Curse you put us under," David countered.

Anya looked right at Regina when she heard that. "You put them under that Curse? Why?"

"I was the Evil Queen," Regina answered with a bit of reluctance. "But I'm not, now."

Anya closed the Book and slid it away from her. "I really don't want to know anymore." She stood up and went over to Regina saying, "I have magic, obviously, so let me help with an antidote."

"Are you sure you can handle doing magic with me?" After their last meeting, Regina was sure that Anya would want nothing to do with her.

Anya almost said 'it wouldn't be the first time', but instead what came out was, "I'll deal."

Anya stood with Zelena and Regina down in the Crypt to work on the antidote for the Sleeping Curse. Finally, Anya reached her wit's end because no one had said a word about anything other than the magic. "Someone please say something," she pleaded. "This silence is killing me."

Zelena jumped right in there asking, "So there are other versions of us in your Realm?" She grinned in intrigue. "Am I there?"

"Yes, Aunt Zel," Anya answered without thinking as she stirred the pot. "You live in Oz as the Good Witch of the West. Cora gave you up as a child but a loving family took you in in Oz and eventually we all discovered one another. We were all very close." Anya had to swallow a lump in her throat to push down the pain accompanied with those memories.

"But I'm Wicked," Zelena countered, sound appalled at the idea of being good.

"I'm starting to get the feeling that everyone who I knew as good in my Realm is evil in one way or anther here," Anya sighed and felt a pang in her chest after saying it. "Excuse me."

Regina and Zelena shared a concerned look with each other and Regina went after Anya. She turned the corner to find Anya holding her fractured heart in her hand, using magic trying to mend it. "Oh, Anya."

Anya turned around with a gasp as the last bit of magic to keep her heart together was used. "I wasn't kidding when I said I'm barely keeping my heart together."

"Let me help you," Regina said as she approached but Anya held her hand out to stop her.

"No, Regina, it just makes me hurt more," Anya countered, ready to put her heart back into her chest.

Regina went with her instincts and took Anya's free hand. "Then give me some of your pain, Anya. You shouldn't go through this alone."

This act of love, putting Anya before herself, was enough to charge Anya's magic and the hand holding her heart started to glow as it mended itself as best it could. There was only one thing that could mend it completely – True Love – but for Anya…that wasn't possible anymore. Her True Love was killed a long time ago.

Anya gasped when the magic worked and when the spell ended she put her heart back into her chest with a teary eyes. "Thank you, Regina."

Regina cupped Anya's face saying, "You may not see me as your mother, and I will learn to accept that, but know that I will always be there for you."

Zelena turned the corner at that moment to say, "Hate to break up this little bonding, but the potion is ready. Time to bring in the Charmings."

Snow was awake now while David slept and when they were teleported into the Crypt, it was time to get down to business. Regina walked over to Snow to ask, "Are you sure you don't think you should tell Emma what you're doing?"

"Well, we know what she would say," Snow answered. "She wouldn't let us take the risk. I agree with David. We have to do this now." Rising to her feet, she asked, "So, how does this work?"

"I'm sorry, but this is going to hurt," Regina answered and right before she and Zelena were about to reach into Snow's and David's chest for their halves of the heart, Anya said, "I can't watch this again," and walked out of the Crypt.

Anya had already seen the Charming's hearts being ripped out once before and there was no way she could see it happen again in any way – even if it was to help them.

Anya waited outside the Crypt and turned around when she heard someone coming. At seeing Regina she asked, "How are they? Did it work?"

Regina shook her head. "My evil half, the Evil Queen, she put a fail-safe in her Curse. The potion didn't weaken…it weakened their hearts. By the end of the day they'll both be asleep with no way of waking up."

Anya felt her body start to shake as she blamed herself for this. "No…no…It was supposed to have worked!"

"Anya, there's no way you could have known. None of us knew," Regina reasoned but she couldn't get through to her.

"Snow and Charming died trying to protect my heart and I just helped destroy theirs!" Anya couldn't be there any longer and used her magic to send herself to anywhere but there.

"Anya!" Regina called out in an attempt to stop her, but it was no use. Even though she was gone, Regina said aloud, "It's not your fault."

Anya reappeared in the woods and adjusted the blue knit cap on her head before walking off in a random direction. She'd lost track of time for how long she'd been walking but the sun had set and it was growing dark in the forest.

Anya's strength started to give out and she leaned against a tree for support. "I hate you!" Anya shouted out. "You sent me here all alone! You abandoned me!" She screamed this out, her words echoing in the forest around her. "I hate you, Gideon!"

Anya didn't mean these words, but she was in so much pain that she had to place her anger somewhere and since her Gideon wasn't there to defend himself, she chose to place it there. She didn't consider that the Gideon of this realm would happen to hear her.

"Those are strong words for someone whom I have never met before," Gideon's voice said from behind her.

Anya quickly turned around and seeing Gideon standing there almost made her forget that he wasn't her Gideon. "Gideon," she said with tears in her eyes. "What the devil are you doing?"

Gideon opened his mouth to speak then suddenly he felt an odd sensation move through him. It was almost like a familiarity, like he was drawn to her in a way. "Who are you?"

"Anya," she answered. "You don't know me, but I knew a version of you." Anya walked closer to him as she said this. "Whatever the Black Fairy has done to you, you can fight it."

Gideon spoke defensively, "Don't speak like you know me."

"Oh, but I do," Anya countered. "That goodness, that light just doesn't go away – no matter what you have been put through. And if somehow it has…" she drove her hand into Gideon's chest, "then I'll have to stop you." After speaking those words she pulled out her hand in shock because his heart wasn't there. "She's controlling you…"

Gideon answered this by trying to return the favor by thrusting his own hand into her chest but was met by such a strong forcefield that it threw him back a ways.

"The Queen of Hearts has been after my heart for almost a decade," Anya said to Gideon as she walked over to him. "I would be very stupid if I didn't have a protection spell over mine."

Gideon got to his feet and readied himself for whatever surprises she might have up her sleeves next. "Who are you?" he demanded to know.

"I've already told you," Anya simply answered, "I'm Anya. And believe it or not, I love you and now that I know the truth, I'm going to stop at nothing to save you." Before or the one controlling his heart could stop her, she used her magic and took herself away.

Gideon was about to follow but the Black Fairy beckoned him and thus he had to go to her instead.

"Dark One!" Anya called out as she went into his shop. "We have to talk!"

"I would appreciate you using my name, Anya," Rumple countered as he walked out into the front of the Shop. "And a change of tone would be appreciated."

Anya ignored all that and came right out with why she was there. "I just met Gideon."

Now she had his attention. "And?"

"And I've discovered something," Anya felt like this was good news despite its downsides, "he's heartless."

Rumple scoffed upon hearing that. "I thought you were going to try and help my son. Not damn him like the others."

"No," Anya quickly interjected. "What I mean is…he has no heart. It's not there, Rumplestiltskin. I drove my hand into his chest and there was nothing there."

Now he understood what she was trying to tell him. "So what you are saying is…"

She finished his thought for him, "The Black Fairy has his heart. But the goodness is still there, I could see it in his eyes. It's just…weakened." An idea went into her head and her face actually brightened a bit. "I have to go."

As Anya ran for the door, Rumple asked, "But…where are you going?"

"I've solved one mystery today," Anya answered as she stood at the door, "And I think I just figured out the answer to another." With that said Anya darted out the door and not wanting to get distracted and lose thought of her idea, she ran all the way to the Charming's Loft instead of teleporting herself there.

Anya was breathless when she ran into the Loft and joined the group present there. The first thing she said was, "Whoa, Hook, you are really young." The Hook she knew was an old drunk with one heck of a belly. But she quickly pushed that aside and went over to Regina. "I think I have an idea to break the Curse but I'm worried because it's risky and the risk didn't pay off last time."

Regina was intrigued and wondered if they had come up with the same idea. "You want to dilute the Curse as well?"

Anya's mouth gaped open a bit in surprise because that was indeed what her idea was. "How did you know?"

Henry was the one to answer that for her, "Like mother, like daughter."

Hook turned to Emma to ask, "Who's the new girl?"

Emma just laughed lightly, saying, "I'll explain later."

Regina brought the sleeping Charmings to her Mayor's Office and gathered a group of those closest to them to ask for their help. Anya recognized almost every single face there, images of their deaths flashing before her eyes like lightning. They only stopped when she felt someone squeeze her hand.

Henry held onto Anya's hand, giving her a supportive smile. "You're gonna be okay," he assured her, having faith that he would.

"You always used to say that," Anya answered with a bittersweet smile and didn't let go of his hand as she looked at Regina who was speaking to the crowd.

Regina stood in front of her desk as she said, "Thank you all for coming. I know living in Storybrooke isn't easy. I certainly didn't always make it that way. But I learned something today - that, once, Snow and Charming had a chance to leave this town to find their own happiness. But they chose to stay for the good of everyone here. Now I'm going to ask you to do something for them." She turned to her desk, picked up a silver goblet, and explained. "This is the Sleeping Curse the Evil Queen placed on their shared heart. It was meant for one heart. But if we share the Curse, we might dilute its power."

"Might?" Leroy asked, not liking the sound of that.

Anya let go of Henry's hand and went over to Regina. "None of you know me but in my Realm Snow and Charming sacrificed themselves to save my life, so I am going to try and return the favor." Anya took the goblet from Regina, lifted it in cheers, then took a sip.

Hook was the next to come forward. "I'd be ash if it weren't for them." He took the goblet with a, "Cheers, love," had a sip, and handed it back to her.

Regina took her turn then, raised the goblet to the Charmings and drank it.

Emma came next, then Henry, and Leroy. One by one every person in that room took a sip from the Curse. With every person who put the Charmings before themselves, Anya felt a warmth inside her. The hope and love she'd been running short of was radiating into her. Anya looked at Henry with a little smile – maybe he was right after all.

When the last of the Curse had been taken, it was broken over Snow and Charming. Everyone else in the room had fallen asleep for a short bit and when they awoke, they found them awake and alright.

Anya just about burst into tears as she flung her arms around Snow and David. "You're okay," she said to them both before adding in, "I'm so sorry."

Snow didn't know what she was talking about. "You didn't do anything wrong, Anya."

Anya didn't answer that directly but said as she looked at them both. "I can never make up for what Snow and Charming of my Realm did for me. I just hope I'm heading in the right direction." She moved away from them then so they could be reunited Emma and the others.

Regina went over to Anya and smiled, "See? Sometimes it's worth the risk."

Anya took Regina's hand and squeezed it, letting her guard down just enough to do that. She didn't say it aloud, but…she was starting to agree.

End Episode 3