Amara woke up as she heard the clock tower ding. She felt a sense of change in the air like she could finally breathe and everything was fresh in the air. She got dressed and headed to Granny's for breakfast. She spotted Emma sitting at the counter and walked over and sat down next to her. "Hey I thought you would be back in Boston by now. What changed your mind?" Emma looked over at her. "Henry asked me to stay for a week so I figured what was the harm for one week." Amara agreed with her and got Ruby to take her order. Ruby came back over with a hot chocolate and placed it in front of Emma. "I didn't order this" she said pushing it away. "I know" Ruby winked "It looks like you got an admirer." She walked off to get Amara's food to go. Emma walked over to Graham thinking that he was the one that bought her the hot chocolate with cinnamon. Amara laughed when she found out it was Henry. He walked up to them and asked them to walk him to school.
* " I shall destroy your happiness if it is the last thing I do" Regina stated as she looked at Amara and then turned to walk away. Charming grabbed Amara's sword off her. "Hey!" He shouted causing her to turn around as he threw it at her. She dissolved in a cloud of black smoke as Joseph walked out the door laughing. Joseph walked through the castle looking for Regina he found her talking to her mirror. " How exactly do you plan on making everyone lose their happy endings?" He asked her unamused with her threat. "By reenacting the dark curse of course." She smirked and walked out leaving him in a state of shock.*
Regina and Joseph stand as she gets all the evil creatures to give a lock of hair from them to help with the curse. He stood off to the side watching her as she failed to create it.*
""So what's the plan here kid?" Emma asked as the three of them walked to his school. "We got to get everyone to believe. Just ask someone about their pasts or how long they've been here i bet you they can't." "Henry that doesn't make sense i know how long I've been here." Amara said arguing with Henry about his plan. "really than answer how long you've had your bar." He argued right back sounding really smug. He turned to look at her with a i told you look. "I know how long I've had my bar...I've had it..." she stumbles over her words as she actually tries to figure out how long she actually had her bar. "I told you so" he said to her before turning back to Emma. "time has been frozen before you got here" Emma goes to take a bite of the apple that Regina gave her earlier that morning. "Hey! Where did you get that?" He asked Emma taking the apple from her hand and throwing it behind him startling both Amara and Emma. "OK?...so for decades people have been walking around in a haze not aging in a cursed town that have kept them oblivious?" Amara still not believing Henry all the way stayed silent as Emma and Henry talked. "I knew you'd get it. We need you you're the only one who can stop the curse." "because I'm the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming?" "Yes and right now we have the advantage, my mom doesn't know and we have Amara, she's the first part in helping you break the curse. I ripped out the ending so she wouldn't read it. See your mom is Snow White and look Amara that looks just like you." Henry showed them pictures ripped out of a book of charming holding a baby Emma and another one of Amara sitting next to Snow White as she delivers her baby. "Kid?" Emma is baffled that they look a like. Amara is staring at the picture in shock. She never really looked at the story book he always talked about, but now she was curious to what else the book had inside it. "I understand." Henry continued sensing the disbelief still. "The hero never believes at first, if they did it wouldn't make a very good story. If you guys need more proof take them and read them but whatever you do not show my mom these pages. They're dangerous if she found out who you are or if you knew the truth things would get very bad. Amara and Emma just look at the pages as they continue to walk Henry to school.
They finally make it to the school after a long debate on whether to believe Henry or not. "I've got to go, but I'll find you both later and we can get started." He ran across the street but turned back around to look at them. " I knew you'd believe me! And Amara you'll believe fully soon enough i have faith." "I never said i did!" Emma said at the same time Amara saying "we'll see!" He smiles and runs towards school "Why else would you be here?" He shouted and ran inside catching the attention of Mary Margaret. She walks over to them. "Its good to see his smile back" "I didn't do anything" said Emma looking slightly uncomfortable. "You stayed. So does the Mayor know you're still here?" " She knows…What is her deal? She's not a great people person how did she get elected?" "Oh god she's been mayor for as long as i can remember." "Yea no one has ever been brave enough to run against her, even though Mary Margaret wants me to though." Amara teases, bumping her shoulder against Mary Margaret. " Especially since she evokes a lot of fear and I haven't helped anything by giving Henry that story book now he thinks she's the evil queen." Mary Margaret continues looking kind of sheepish it. "Who does he think you are? I know he's mentioned a couple times about Amara being a princess with a sister." Emma asked curiously. Mary Margaret laughs without any humor. " Oh! Well its silly really." " Oh come on M! It can't be that bad." Amara pleads with her wanting to know who Henry thinks she is. " Okay, he thinks I'm Snow White." Both Emma and Amara looked surprised and looked at each other in disbelief. Henry couldn't possibly be right that would make her Emma's mother and Amara's little sister. Amara looked at Mary Margaret differently then something telling her to believe this. Sensing the tension and looks she was getting Mary quickly asked who he thought they were in the book. "Umm" Amara starts but doesn't know how to really tell her. "He thinks I'm just some princess who lost her sister. Hey look I have to go but we should totally have dinner later after work." "Uh OK." She quickly hugged Mary and told Emma she would call her later and left.
Amara walked to the bar and unlocked the door. She went and sat down thinking about what everyone said to her this morning. There was no way she could possibly believed everything that Henry was saying to her. It was all fairy tales and wishing. But why did every time she started to have doubts about Henry the images of that man would pop in her head? She sighed and got up wanting to get the bar open for lunch time. She just finished the lunch time rush when Joseph walked in. She looked up from the bar and started to get nervous. She knew that he would watch her sometimes but never really interact with her, so why was he now?
"Hi Amara, how are you doing today?" he asked as he sat down at the bar right next to Leroy. "Hi Joseph, what can I get for you?" She walked over to him and stood in front of him. He seemed to be in thought for a couple minutes just looking at her which made her nervous. Then he gave her a big smile. "How would you like to go on a date with me?" She smiled at him. " The offer sounds really nice, it really does but I don't think i can. " She let him down gently. He took a deep breath and tried to hold in his temper remembering where he was and went to stand up. He came around the bar to cage her in between him and the bar. "With all due respect Amara I've been watching you and I really thing we would have a good time together." He leaned down to whisper in her ear. " Plus I don't really take no for an answer." He leaned back up and went to walk back out when she turned around. " I'm free this weekend, I got someone covering the bar for me." He paused and turned around to face her with a smile on his face. "Excellent, I'll pick you up then, but I'll text you in the mean time. Good bye Amara." He walked out the door. She took a deep breath and thought what did she get herself into.
Amara walked in the diner and instantly spotted Ruby. She sat down on the stool and waved her over. "I had the most interesting day so far." she started as Ruby walked over after giving a customer his drink. "Oh really?" she smirked "Do tell I'm dying for some good gossip." Amara smiled and leaned forward as if to whisper to her. "Guess who came into the bar and asked me out today." Ruby rolled her eyes in mock annoyance. "I have no idea you always get asked out but for some reason always turn everyone down, so who?" "Joseph Mills." Ruby's eyes got wide and started squealing. " I knew he had a thing for you! He always looks at you with this need to be with you." " I know I wasn't going to but for some reason I said yes. I know it's been a while but-" "But nothing get back out there you haven't been on a proper date in" she stopped to try to remember " in I can't even remember. I will want details lots of details and you better not leave anything out." Amara rolled her eyes at that. "Yes I will tell you details I promise, now are we still on for tomorrow I want this card game to be fun?" "Yes, I'm still coming Granny gave me the night off just for Poker Night I wouldn't miss it." She walked off when an order was up. Just then Henry walked through the door with Mary Margaret. "Hey Henry what are you guys doing?" "You need to come with us my mom had Emma arrested again, she framed her! We need to get to the Police Station quickly!" he said quickly. Amara looked up at Mary Margaret and raised her eyebrow. "Yes, it's true Regina made a stop at the school, I'm heading over there now to bail her out." "Well I'll come right along then." She swung around in the stool and grabbed her jacket and purse and followed them out the door to the police station.
They walked in just as Sheriff Graham was booking Emma. They over heard Emma try to convince Graham that she was being set up. Henry rushed in the room and Amara and Mary Margaret followed behind. "Henry, what are you doing here?" Graham asked noticing all the people in the room. "His mother told him what happened." Amara stated not happy with Regina for including Henry in that. Emma seemed just as mad. "Of course she did! Henry I don't know what she told you." "You're a genius!" he exclaimed cutting her off excitedly. "I know what you were up to, you were gathering information for operation cobra." All the adults looked at him confusingly. " I'm sorry, I'm a bit lost." Graham said. Henry looked at him and said, "All you need to know sheriff is that Miss Blanchard is going to be bailing her out." Emma looked at her in shock and suspicion "You are? Why?" Mary Margaret looked a bit taken aback about it. " Because I trust you." "See sheriff so if you would be so kind and uncuff my friend that would be so nice of you." Amara said with a smirk as Emma held out her wrists to Graham. "You heard them, now I just have something to do."
Regina and Joseph were sitting in her office when they heard a chainsaw. Regina got up from her desk and looked out the window and saw Emma cutting down a part of her apple tree. She stormed out of her office and bumped into Amara on the way out. " This is your fault" She glared at her and stormed off. Amara laughed in amusement and walked in to see Joseph. "Hey." She said as she stood by the doorway. He looked up from his chair and smiled at her. " Well Hello yourself." She walked in and sat down next to him. "I came with Emma, she's not very happy with Regina." He rolled his eyes in annoyance " Regina just likes to start stuff it'll blow over in a bit I don't feed in to her drama." " Its OK I'll just let them duke it out." They both laughed when they heard arguing coming from outside. Amara left with Emma with a smile on both their faces.
* The evil queen and Joseph were standing where Regina's first attempt at trying to cast the curse. " I don't understand what went wrong!" "Maybe it's for the best." Joseph turned as their father came to stand next to Joseph. "The forces you are trying to summon are darker than you both can conceive." Regina slowly turned to look at him as Joseph scoffed "So now you're trying to protect us?" "Its what I do for my children." "She knows father you're the only one who does." "Helping you two is my life's destiny." Regina turned her head. "Then help me to understand why this curse isn't working!" "If you really need to know then go back to the person who gave it to you in the first place." "Revenge and obsession are two lonely roads that once you go down it there is no heading back." " There is nothing for us to head back to father, the only path is forward where I will finally have my bride and Regina will have her revenge." Joseph finally stated after listening to his father try to talk Regina into giving up. "Go back? What do I have to go back to?" Regina asked.
Regina and Joseph both went to Rumpelstiltskin's prison cell. "You can come on out now dearies its just you and me." They heard him say as they appeared from mice. Joseph cracked his neck as he was trying to readjust himself. "I hate when you have me do that." Regina just looked at him as Rumpelstiltskin laughed his laugh and came forward. "The curse you gave me." She started as she slowly turned her head toward him. "isn't working." She told him unamused. Rumpelstiltskin laughed again without a care all relaxed and Joseph raised an eyebrow at him. "So worried, so so worried just like Snow and her new husband and that sister of hers as well." "What?" Both siblings asked at the same time. "They paid me a visit as well, they we're so very anxious, about you two and the curse." Regina walked forward toward the bars. "And what did you tell them?" She asked menacingly. "The truth! That nothing can stop the Dark Curse!" Regina smirked evilly as Joseph laughed quietly to himself. "Except of course for Snow's unborn child." He continued with a mock frown. "You see no matter how powerful, all curses can be broken." He looked smugly at both siblings "Their child is the key, but of course the curse has to be enacted first." "Tell me what I did wrong." Regina pleaded to know. Rumpelstiltskin scoffed at her. "Even for that there's a price." "What do you want?" She asked him in a bored tone. "In this new world I want comfort, a new life." "Fine! You'll be rich and have an estate." " I wasn't finished yet! There's more!" "There always is with you imp get on with it!" Joseph said growing tired of this game they were playing. "Should I come to either of you for any reason you should take my every request!" Joseph rolled his eyes. "You must do whatever I say, the both of you!" He included looking up at Joseph. "As long as I say please HA!" "You do realize that if Regina does succeed you won't remember any of this right?" Joseph asked him in a smug voice as he walked closer to stand beside his sister. Rumpelstiltskin turned to look at him "Oh well then what's the harm?" He asked very sarcastically. "Deal." Regina said as she smiled at him. "What must I do right to enact the curse?" "You need to sacrifice a heart." "I did that my prized steed's heart." He jumped forward and grabbed her by the neck through the bars. "A horse?" He asked angrily. "This is the curse to end all curses the thing that gives nightmares to nightmares and you think a horse is gonna do? Great power requires great sacrifice my dear. The heart you need must come from something more precious to the two of you." "Tell us what will do." Joseph asked. " The heart of the thing you both love most." He whisper to the pair of them. Regina jerked out of his hold. "The thing I love most died because of Snow White." "Awe is there no one else you truly love? Remember has to be for the both of you. This curse isn't gonna be easy, vengeance and obsession never is. You two have to answer this one question, how far are you willing to go?" The siblings look at each other." As far as it takes." "Then quit wasting everyone's time and just do it already. You know what you two love together, so. Go. Kill. It." He tells them both as they turn to leave with glares on their faces. *
Emma and Amara go up to Emma's room at Granny's before heading to dinner when they get stopped by Granny. "Miss Swan?" Granny asks as Emma put the key through the door. "This is terribly awkward of me." She starts nervously looking between Emma and Amara. "I'm afraid I need to ask you to leave." Emma raises her eyebrows in surprise. "I'm afraid we have a no felons rule." Amara scoffs as Emma laughs quietly. "Let me guess the Mayor just called to remind you." Amara said pushing her way inside the room. She nods quickly. "You can gather your things but I'm going to need your room key back. I am so sorry about this Miss Swan." "Its OK here you go." She hands over the key and Granny leaves. "This is ridiculous! Regina can't do that to you! That's OK I'll help you figure out something." Amara helps Emma quickly pack her things in her bag. "Thanks, you have been very helpful to me." "Of course that's what friends are for." She smiled as they left the room. They walk down to her car as Emma's phone starts ringing. She looks at the caller ID but doesn't know the number. She walks over to her car to answer it. Amara sits down on the sidewalk ad waits for Emma to get off the phone. She sees her throw her jacket in the front seat and slam the door. She walks back over to Amara. "Hey can we cancel that dinner? That was Regina I guess she wants to talk about Henry." Amara stands back up. "OK do you want me to come with you?" "No that's OK, I'll call you when I'm done with her." "OK, yea just let me know." Emma walks away as Amara heads back to the bar. She gets the back room set up for dinner with her friends.
* Regina walks down the hall of her castle as her mirror tries to talk to her. "What happened? Did you get your answer?" He kept asking. Regina walked to where her father was. "Did Rumpelstiltskin tell you what you needed to know?" He asked her sensing how troubled she looked. "I'm not too sure if I should say." "Well where's your brother does he know?" "He'll be along." She looks at her father briefly as she walks away. "I'm conflicted." She tells him in a monotone voice. "How bad is it? Maybe I can help you two." She sighs and for once in a long time feels an emotion that she hasn't felt in a long time. "I have to cut out the heart of the thing I love most." She almost whispers but he still hears her. "Me." She turns back around slowly with a sad look on her face. "Daddy I don't know what to do." "My dear, please you don't have to do this." She scoffs "I have to do something." " You both can move past this, I know you don't want to hear this but you don't need to enact the curse." "I can't keep living like this, what Snow did to me, what she took from me. Not to mention Joseph wants Amara he deserves her. She use to be my best friend I know that they would be good together. This whole thing is eating both of us alive Daddy! Snow must be punished and Amara must submit to Joseph." She tries to walk away but he follows her. "If the price is a hole that can never be filled why do it? Stop worrying about Snow White and Amara and start over. We can have a new life the three of us together." "But what life? All I worked for all I built would be gone! My power will disappear. They already think I'm nothing! And what about Joseph why can't my big brother have the girl that he wants." " Don't do it. Love. You can have that again." Her dad embraces her as she almost starts to cry. "I just want to be happy." " And you can be. I believe given the chance we can all find happiness the right way. But the choice is yours and your brother's." Regina closed her eyes and when she opened them she saw Joseph step closer to them. "You're right." She moved so she's looking at her father, she smiles at him. "I think I can be happy, just not here." Just then Joseph thrusted his fist through his father's chest and grabbed his heart and yanked it out. He fell to the floor dead as Joseph looked at Regina and murmured a small "sorry" at their father with just one small tear rolling down his cheek. *
Amara, Ruby and Mary Margaret are all sitting down at dinner at the bar when there's a knock on the door. Amara stands up to answer it. "Coming!" She yells as she goes to the door. When she answers it Emma is standing there with two envelopes. "Hey" Emma greets her as she stands there. "I just wanted to say thank you for everything that you and Mary Margaret have done and here you go." She hands her one envelope as she hands Mary Margaret the other one. " Just want to pay back the bail money." They accept the money and Mary Margaret speaks up. "You look like you need to talk." Emma comes in and see Ruby sitting there. "I didn't mean to interrupt anything." "Don't worry about it I was just leaving." She turns to Amara. "I will see you tomorrow for the tournament." "yea see you then." Ruby leaves and Mary Margaret comes back in the room with three hot chocolates with cinnamon on the top. Emma takes a drink and is surprised to taste the cinnamon. "Cinnamon?" She asked surprised. "Yea sorry I should've asked it's a habit both of us like it you don't mind do you?" "No, not at all I actually love cinnamon on my hot chocolate." They all sat down and Emma started talking. "When you both bailed me out you both said that you trusted me, why?" Both Mary Margaret and Amara looked at each other before looking back at Emma. "Its weird but since you've come to town I've had the oddest feelings that we've met before and I'm not sure I know it's crazy." Mary Margaret said as Amara agreed with her. "It feels like I've known you for a long time and that I can trust you with anything. Is that crazy?" Amara asked after agreeing with Mary Margaret. "I'm starting to evaluate my definition of crazy." Emma said looking at both of them. "For what it's worth we both think you're innocent." Amara said looking straight at Emma. "For breaking and entering or just in general?" She asked with a small smile. "Whatever makes you feel better." Mary Margaret added with a small smile herself. The three of them laughed before Emma spoke again. " It doesn't matter what I did or didn't do, I'm leaving. I think it's for the best. If I stay Henry's gonna only end up getting hurt." "Who are you trying to convince us or you?" Amara asked and Emma just sighed not knowing what to say. "What's gonna happen if you go?" Asked Mary Margaret looking liked it pained her to think of Emma leaving. "I think the very fact that you want to leave is the reason why you need to stay." She continued not breaking eye contact. "You care about him." Emma is at a loss of words not knowing what to say back. "Whose gonna protect Henry if you don't?" Amara asked her trying to get her to stay. "You guys are right." Emma says standing up and grabbing her jacket. "There's something that I have to go do." She leaves to go see Henry.
* Regina and Joseph gather around the fire. Regina holds the box that holds their father's heart. She opens it and Joseph grabs it out of the box and throws it in the fire. There is a ball of thunder and dark green and purple smoke appears from the fire. It grows bigger and wider and pours out. Later Regina and Joseph walk to a grave. Its their father's grave. His name is Henry.*
Amara walks home after she closes down the bar for the night. As she walks home she feels like she's being followed. She turns around but nothing there. She pulls her maze out of her purse, and quickly runs down the street to her apartment. She unlocks the door and heads inside. She takes a deep breath that she made it home. As she falls asleep she can't help but think about Emma and Henry and about this curse he talks about. She falls asleep and dreams. In her dream she is being chased by Regina in a strange dress and a mystery man saves her.
