"Where is Emma?" David asked anxiously.
"In Zelena"s storm cellar with Gold," Regina rubbed her head as she replied.
"Now, wait a minute," Killian interjected. "You said she'd have to be a moron to take her there!"
"Can I help it if my sister is dumb?" Regina eyed him with disdain.
"Dumb, but powerful, right?" Mary Margaret asked.
"Precisely," Regina answered. "We need to get over there."
"Has it occurred to any of you that this may be a trap?" David ventured.
"Of course it's a trap!" Regina was irritated. "That's why I've got to get over there!"
"You're not making any sense, Regina," Mary Margaret added.
"The trap is for her. Emma and I have it all worked out."
Mary Margaret nodded in the affirmative. "I knew you would."
"Let's go then," David said. "I'll follow you in my truck."
"No. I'm going to get there faster," Regina stated. "David, grab that bucket!"
She nodded towards a bucket in the corner of the garage. As he picked it up, Regina took his hand and disappeared with him into a cloud of purple smoke.
"Well, that was unexpected," Killian's eyebrows rose.
"C'mon," Mary Margaret commanded. "We'll take the truck. Mulan, Tinkerbell… you coming?"
"You have my sword!" Mulan declared.
"Wouldn't miss this for the world," Tinkerbell smiled excitedly.
/
Regina appeared in a cloud of purple smoke.
"Regina!" Emma shouted as she clutched the cage bars.
Regina gave her a knowing look as she surveyed the room.
"Is she here?" she asked.
"Hard to say, dearie," Gold responded. "Time and space relative are, hmmm?"
"Shut up, Gold!" Regina and Emma replied in tandem.
Regina was suddenly jolted across the room by a shock of green light. As she hit the wall, she fell, unconscious, to the floor.
"That's it!" Emma exclaimed.
A gold light emanated from her as the cage disappeared.
"Now you've fucked with my girl!" she called out to Zelena.
She hit Zelena with a bolt of bright light. The witch bounced off the wall and stood up.
"Nice try, Golden Child," she snarled as she hit Emma back with a stream of green voltage.
Emma was jolted against the wall next to Regina, who was starting to come around.
"David," Regina breathed out as she saw him running down the stairs. "The bucket…"
David threw a bucket of water on Regina.
"Not me! The witch!" Regina was dumbfounded.
"Oh, um, I guess I misunderstood!" he offered.
"A bucket of water?!" Zelena cried out. "You people are monstrous!"
Regina and Emma joined hands. They focused their energy on Zelena. An immense ray of magic emanated from them. It held Zelena airborne as it drained all magic from her.
"Melting, melting," she wailed. "Who would've believed a couple of goody-two-shoes like you could destroy my beautiful wickedness!"
As she fell to the floor, devoid of all magic, David reappeared with another bucket of water, which he promptly dumped upon her.
"Overkill," the witch gurgled as she shrank into her dress.
"Hey, did I just get called a goody-two-shoes?" Emma looked at Regina quizzically.
"Hold on," Regina was adamant, "I'm not done with her, yet!"
She dragged the shrinking carcass of Zelena out of her dress.
"What were the ingredients for the memory curse?" she demanded.
"Snaps and snails and puppy dog tails," Zelena spit out.
"I already tried that," Regina grabbed her by the hair.
"All right then: two eye of newt, one half toe of frog, a quarter wool of bat, a quarter tongue of dog and a dash of fenny snake. Also, a little blood of your own."
Regina smacked herself in the head.
"My own blood. Why didn't I think of that?"
"I don't have to tell you to blend this on low in a neutral medium, do I?" Zelena questioned as she began to lose consciousness.
"Of course not," Regina answered as she rolled her eyes.
"Oh," Zelena added with what seemed like her last breath, "I like to add a teaspoon of sugar to cut the bitterness."
"Yes, I use that trick often," Regina agreed. "Honey also works."
"I sometimes use organic blue agave nectar as a natural sweetener," Zelena revived again.
"Blue agave? Hmmm…" Regina pondered. "I hadn't thought of that!"
"It makes a great mixer with a Scotch," Zelena's voice drifted off as her eyes fluttered shut, "single malt."
"Enough with the cooking tips!" Emma grew irritated. "Die already!"
The sound of a sword being unsheathed could be heard as Mulan ran down the steps.
"Shall I run her through?" she offered.
"Yes!" Emma called out.
"No!" Regina said almost simultaneously. "Tinkerbell, do you have a 250 milliliter jar with tapered sides and no shoulders with a charmed cap seal that's talisman protected?"
"Duh," Tinkerbell shrugged. "What kind of fairy do you think I am?"
"Hand it over," Regina demanded as she held out her hand.
Tinkerbell reached into her bag and produced the jar. She placed it in Regina's hand.
"What are you doing, Regina?" Emma asked with trepidation.
"I've got her magic. It has to be stored and protected."
"Let's just kill her!" Emma's eyes grew wide.
"If you kill her while I possess her magic, I will die, too," Regina looked at her incredulously.
"Oh."
Regina placed the jar close to her mouth. A thick, green ooze emanated from her lips and was deposited in the jar. She quickly replaced the lid.
"Tinkerbell, now!" she stated anxiously.
Tinkerbell touched the lid as a light emanated from her hand.
"Sealed!" she announced proudly.
"That was fairly disgusting," Hook made an unpleasant face.
"I'm not sure there's enough mouthwash in the world," Emma looked queasy.
"What's going on down there?" Mary Margaret called from the top of the steps.
"Nothing!" they all replied as their stomachs turned.
"Nothing for a pregnant woman to see, at any rate, darling," David called up.
"I'll just go wait in the truck then, shall I?"
"Yes!" They all called up to her.
"Well, that wasn't very nice," Mary Margaret complained to herself as she waddled back to the truck.
"What are you going to do with that jar?" David queried.
"I have just the place for it," Regina answered.
"Or maybe you could give it to Robin Hood for safe keeping," Emma smirked.
"Maybe I will," Regina teased with a wicked smile.
"What about me?" Zelena jerked up suddenly.
"Now, we get to kill you!" Emma stated emphatically as Mulan placed the tip of her sword at the base of Zelena's neck.
Zelena's eyes filled with tears.
"But, Regina, we're sisters…" her voice trailed off.
"What do you want to do, Regina?" Mulan asked. "Just give the order!"
"Emma," Regina took the other woman's arm, "a word with you?"
"Well, okay," Emma relented. "Just don't breathe on me."
"Don't do anything until I return," Regina ordered as she headed up the steps with Emma.
"You're not going to tell me you want to let her live," Emma was adamant.
"I don't want to do anything rash," Regina stated. "We need time to see if the memory potion works."
"And then?" Emma's eyebrows arched.
"She is family," Regina stated.
"You cannot be serious!" Emma was livid.
"Look, I changed, shouldn't we give her the same chance?"
Mary Margaret looked up from her knitting in the truck. She called out the window.
"Hey, I can hear you guys, you know?"
"Well? What do you think, Mary Margaret" Regina called back.
"Regina's right, Emma. We have to give her a chance."
"Fuck this," Emma spat out.
"Language!" Mary Margaret gave her a motherly glare.
"Why didn't that bucket of water thing work?" Emma asked Regina angrily.
"We had already drained her power. She wasn't the witch anymore."
"Yeah, but she shrank and acted like she was dying," Emma protested.
"That was all in her head. No one ever said she was smart!" Regina smiled.
Emma couldn't help but smile back. Regina moved in for a kiss, but was blocked by Emma's hand in her face.
"I was serious about that mouthwash thing!"
"I'll settle for holding hands then," she replied as they joined hands and walked back down into the storm cellar.
Mary Margaret smiled and shook her head.
"Knit one, purl two."
"So, what's the verdict?" Hook asked.
"She lives," Emma sighed.
"Fine. I'll lock her up in the jail tonight!" David declared.
"No, David. That's not safe," Regina informed. "Until we get our memories back, we don't really know who's working with her and what they may do. She has to stay with us."
"It is the best plan," Emma nodded her agreement. She turned to Gold. "Yoda, get your dagger and go see Belle. The poor girl's been suffering without you. God only knows why" she added under her breath.
Gold jumped up and took her hand.
"You have my gratitude," he looked into her eyes earnestly before bounding up the steps.
"Your vault, Regina?" Emma asked.
"No. Tinkerbell and I will go there and gather the necessary ingredients. The rest of you go back to David's. We'll meet you there."
/
Henry was sitting very close to Ariel on the couch.
"Show me how to blow-up the warehouse while decapitating the monsters again, Henry!" Ariel said excitedly as she fingered the video game controller.
"Okay," he sidled even closer to her, "it's like this."
Suddenly the door opened and Emma entered with Mary Margaret, David, Killian, Mulan and a bedraggled looking Zelena. Emma surveyed the two on the couch as Henry jumped up.
"Hi, Mom!" he squeaked out.
Emma eyed him.
"What's going on here?" she asked suspiciously.
"Oh, nothing," Henry stammered nervously. "I'm just teaching Ariel how to play video games."
"So, what did you do today?" Emma queried further.
"Oh it was great!" Ariel offered without looking up from the game. "We went swimming, took a walk in the woods, came back here and made hot chocolate! Lovely!"
"You went swimming?!" Emma blurted out astonished. "It's freezing out!"
"Ariel went swimming," Henry explained. "I, um, watched."
"I'll bet you did," Emma shook her head at him reproachfully.
"Hey," Ariel called out. "How come no one ever told me about gaming before? This is great fun!"
"Ariel," Emma said, "thanks for watching Henry. I really appreciate it. But, we're back now."
"Okay. Just one more minute," Ariel continued to work the controller. "I'm about to make the next level!"
"Ariel?" Emma tried to get her attention.
"Die, Motherfucka's!" Ariel screamed. She turned to Henry. "Did I say it right that time?"
"Oh, you said it just right," Emma shook her head at Henry. "And this lesson is over."
"Oh," Ariel sighed sadly as she placed the controller on the table. It was then that she glanced around and noticed Zelena.
"Oh!" she gasped. "I must be going! We'll do it again sometime okay, Henry?"
She kissed him on the head hurriedly as she rushed out the door.
"You ruin all my fun, Mom," Henry pouted.
"We'll discuss this later, young man," Emma gave her best Mary Margaret impression.
Henry gestured towards a bound and gagged Zelena.
"What's she doing here? Shouldn't you have turned her over to the police by now?"
"I'm the police in this town, Henry," David volunteered. "Pay no attention to the woman in the corner."
"It's too late, David. He's already seen her," Mary Margaret took his arm gently.
"So that's why we're here? To catch her?" Henry asked.
"As a matter of fact, kid" Emma nodded in the affirmative.
"So, I guess that means we're going home now," Henry said dejectedly. "It was just getting fun here."
At that moment, Regina and Tinkerbell burst through the door.
"Got it!" Regina said triumphantly. "Everything we need to reverse the…"
She looked at Henry and became silent.
"Two eye of newt, one half toe of frog, a quarter wool of bat, a quarter tongue of dog and a dash of fenny snake," Tinkerbelle blurted out. "All we need now is Regina's blood!"
"I want to see!" Henry exclaimed.
"No you don't!" both Regina and Emma yelled as Regina gave Tinkerbell an incredulous look.
"What?" Tinkerbell shrugged.
"Henry," Regina turned to him gently, "my friend, Tinkerbell here, has a strange sense of humor. I just brought over some ingredients to make mixed drinks in celebration of your mother's success in tracking down this criminal." She nodded to Zelena.
"Her name is Tinkerbell? Whatever…" Henry sighed as he went back to the couch and picked up the controller.
"Well," Emma whispered to the others, "at least that will keep him distracted."
"Let's get this over with," David shook his head.
Regina began mixing the ingredients in the kitchen. Toes were whacked. Tongues were hacked. The blender whirled. Finally she took a kitchen knife and pricked her finger. Everyone watched as she dramatically dripped her own blood into the concoction.
"I can't believe you guys are going to drink that stuff," Emma grimaced.
"You already drank it, remember?" Regina arched a brow.
"So… I drank your blood," Emma pondered. "Not sure how I feel about this. I'm gonna' need time to process."
"Didn't she mention something about single malt Scotch?" Hook reminded.
"She did!" Tinkerbell brightened.
"Oh, we don't have anything like that here," Mary Margaret smiled sweetly.
"As a matter of fact," David started nervously, "we do."
"David?" Mary Margaret eyed him curiously.
"I just keep a little around for extra courage."
"David!" Mary Margaret was surprised.
"Well, it's for a good cause, I suppose," she relented. "But just ginger ale in mine," she patted her belly.
David smiled as he retrieved the Scotch. Glasses were filled with a combination of the concoction and the single malt. No one drank.
"Somebody's gotta' go first!" Tinkerbell pointed out.
"Are you volunteering, love?" Killian lifted an eyebrow and smirked at her.
"Shut up, bitch," Tinkerbell snarled back at him.
"Before anyone drinks," Regina cautioned, "let me have a word with my sister. This stuff could give us our memories back, or…"
"Kill us all," Mulan interjected.
"Thanks for the clarity, Mulan," Mary Margaret lifted her glass.
"Maybe we should get a test subject," Tinkerbelle proposed. "Like that fat guy who'll drink anything."
"Leroy?" they all questioned.
"Yeah, him."
"That would not be right, Tinkerbell," Mary Margaret gazed at her sternly. "Besides, he and the other dwarves collect fairy dust for you guys."
"Really? I've never seen him working at anything. He seems pretty useless. And if anyone could survive, it's him," she shrugged. "I'm just sayin'."
"Actually, not a half bad idea," Killian agreed.
"If we're going to use a test subject, I think it should be Dr. Whale," Regina chimed in.
"Regina!" Emma and Mary Margaret chastised her.
"What?" Regina protested. "He's an asshole. You all hate him! He was trying to reanimate dead flesh, for crying out loud!"
"No! There will be no test subjects!" Mary Margaret stated unequivocally.
"All right then. Just let me get the truth out of Zelena," Regina reiterated.
They all followed her over as she ripped the tape off Zelena's mouth.
"If this potion does anything but restore our memories, I'll let them kill you. Are we clear about that?" Regina threatened her.
"How will you remember?" Zelena sneered. "Especially if your dead!"
Regina backhanded her across the face as the others gasped. Unnoticed by anyone, Henry got up off the couch to watch.
"Tell me the truth," Regina's hand rose as a purple light emanated from it. It looked as though Zelena's face was melting.
"Whoa!" Henry whispered to himself.
"Stop!" Zelena cried out. "All right! I'll tell you the truth!"
"Which is?" Regina's eyes narrowed as she bore a hole through her with her gaze.
"The potion will work," Zelena exhaled wearily. "It will restore your memories."
"Regina?" Emma put her hand on her shoulder.
"She's telling the truth… I think. Let me try something else."
She turned back to Zelena.
"Why did you do this to us?"
"I was jealous of you. You had it all! I literally turned green with envy in that hellhole you call the Enchanted Forest. I didn't like being green."
"That's the stupidest reason I've ever heard for turning evil!" Regina leered at her.
"Stupider than turning evil because a child betrayed your secret?" Zelena shot back.
"Oh," Regina was taken off guard. She turned to Mary Margaret.
"Snow, I'm so sorry," she eyed her earnestly.
"That's okay, Regina. After all, I did trick you into killing your own mother."
Henry stood behind them in disbelief. This is epically weird! He took a glass off the counter and began to drink. Emma turned around in time to see him.
"Henry! No!" she hollered.
The others were startled and screamed as they watched Henry down a shot of the potion. There was a sudden silence in the room. Henry's eyes glassed over, as he turned white as a ghost. He seemed to wobble on his feet.
"Mom?" he muttered pitifully.
"I'm here Henry!" Emma ran to him.
He walked right by her.
"Mom?" he looked at Regina as tears filled his eyes.
"Henry?" she gazed back at him astonished. "You remember me?"
"Mom!" he began crying as he fell into her arms. Regina broke down in tears as she gathered him in a deep embrace.
"Where were you?" he sobbed.
"I'm here now, sweetheart!"
"I missed you so much," he cried. "I didn't remember, but I missed you. The extra placemat I wanted on the table… it was you."
"I love you, Henry," Regina held him tight. "More than words can say."
All eyes were moist as they watched the tender mother-son reunion. Killian hid his face from the others as he brushed back a tear.
"What's with all the waterworks," Zelena sighed sardonically. "I told you it would work."
"Hey," Tinkerbell shouted, "it worked!"
"Bottoms up then, eh mates?" Hook recovered his jaunty persona.
Regina took Henry's face in her hands as she laid her forehead upon his.
"I think we should drink then, right everyone?" she smiled.
Regina, Mary Margaret, David, Tinkerbelle and Mulan all took their glasses from the kitchen counter and raised them in a toast.
"To?" Mary Margaret asked cheerily.
"Absent friends," Regina proposed.
"And on that note," Killian interrupted, "I think I should make myself scarce."
"Why?" Emma asked.
"I have my memories, love, as do you. No need for us to down this swill!"
"But, I'm not afraid to be here. Why do you want to leave?"
"No reason, really," Hook said as he poured two straight shots of Scotch and handed one to Emma. "But my experience with these Enchanted Forest folk is that you don't want to be around when they start drinking stuff and remembering things. Tends to get messy!"
"Absent friends," Emma raised her glass.
They all downed their drinks. Mary Margaret, David, Mulan, Tinkerbell and Regina's eyes grew wide as they looked from one to the other.
"Oh shit."
"Guess they're not in Kansas anymore," Zelena smirked.