"You're certain there aren't any more beans?" Hook persisted, clearly hoping for a different answer.

"I already told you," Anton replied. "While there are bean pods forming, it takes time for the beans to mature. Your friend, Neal, took the only two beans that were ready. One for the trip there, and the other to come back to Storybrooke." In frustration, Hook spun around to glower at his crewmates, who were standing nearby.

"Why didn't any of you stop him?" The three pirates looked down at their feet, visibly chastened.

"With all due respect, Sir," Smee replied, gathering the courage to speak, "You tasked us with helping the giant guard the bean field against the flying monkeys. Your orders didn't include keeping the people from town from using the beans."

"And Bae…well, Neal; he said he needed the beans in order to stop the Wicked Witch," Billy added. "We thought that was a good reason to let him go." Hook turned away in disgust, muttering to himself. Deep down, he knew his crew were right. He really hadn't said anything about preventing anyone from using the beans. It wouldn't be fair to punish them for not trying to stop Neal. How could they have known the man was doing something foolhardy?

"Just get back to your posts," Hook finally ordered, waving his hand in dismissal as he turned and walked off to rejoin Jefferson and Belle, who were waiting at the edge of the field.

"He really took the last beans?" Jefferson grumbled. "How are we supposed to reach Neal in time?"

"I don't know," Hook admitted, running a hand through his hair in pure frustration as his jaw started to clench. After a brief second, however, Belle's expression shifted into one of cautious hope.

"I think I know someone who could help," she realized. "Jefferson, how fast do you think you can drive us to the harbor?"

Less than 15 minutes later, the trio were in the den of the seaside cottage where Eric and Ariel now lived, sitting across from the couple in question.

"I know this is might seem like a rather big favor that we're asking," Belle said, wrapping up her explanation. "But if we don't stop Neal in time, not only will he die, but Rumpelstiltskin will be resurrected, and Zelena will undoubtedly use that to her advantage." Briefly, Ariel and Eric shared a look, but then Ariel turned back to face her friend, sadly shaking her head.

"Belle, believe me, I do want to help you," she said. "I haven't forgotten how you helped me locate Eric in Storybrooke. But…I'm afraid I can't take you to the Enchanted Forest after Neal."

"But you're a bloody mermaid," Hook pointed out, ignoring the angry look Eric was giving him, clearly not liking the tone he was using with Ariel. "Belle said you can travel between worlds. You did so back in Neverland, when you brought Pandora's Box."

"Yes, I know," Ariel confirmed. "But the problem is, to get to the Enchanted Forest from Storybrooke, I'd have to swim through deep waters, miles away from shore. From what I know of humans, you wouldn't be able to hold your breath long enough. If I tried to take you with me through an underwater portal, you'd probably all drown before we even made it halfway."

"Ariel," Eric spoke up, an idea coming to him. "What if you went after Neal yourself? You could get there in plenty of time."

"It's possible," Ariel agreed. "But I doubt he'll listen to me. I barely even know Neal. We only caught a glimpse of each other one time, when everyone returned from Neverland."

"So, is that it?" Belle asked in mounting despair. "Are we just supposed to give up and wait here, completely powerless while Neal…" Belle trailed off, unable to finish that thought.

"No," Jefferson stated after a very long pause. "No, it's not over yet. Ariel may not be able to take us through a portal, but there's someone else who could. The only problem is, he…isn't in Storybrooke. Because of that, it's next to impossible to contact him. But you, Ariel? You could take one of your underwater portals to the land he is in and ask him to come here. Would you do that?"

"Of course!" Ariel agreed without hesitation. "Who is it you want me to find?"

Hook, Jefferson and Belle waited in silence along the coastline, everyone far too anxious to say anything. Ariel had swam off not that long ago, and while they all knew mermaids were fast swimmers, they were still left wondering how long they'd have to wait. No one even dared to verbalize what they were all fearing. That Ariel would have trouble navigating the land Jefferson had sent her to, as she'd never visited it before. Or that it was already too late, and Neal had already reached the Vault of the Dark One.

Just as their nerves were reaching the breaking point, the ground began to shake, as if an earthquake had started. Seconds later, a loud explosion was heard as a gaping hole appeared out of nowhere a few feet away. Both Hook and Belle started in surprise, but Jefferson's expression remained unaffected, as if he'd seen this happen before. As the dust began to clear, a figure came into view, casually polishing a pair of rose-tinted spectacles.

"Ah, hello, Hatter. Long time, no see," the portal jumper said upon noticing Jefferson.

"Hello, Rabbit," Jefferson said, returning the greeting.

Neal trudged his way through the woods, occasionally checking his location by consulting the map he'd taken from Belle's book in the light from his torch. While he had to go out of his way to visit Rumpelstiltskin's castle, it had been relatively easy to locate the book that Walsh had described from the stories, along with the key hidden inside it. Just when he started to wonder if he was reading the map correctly, he found himself at the edge of a clearing. There, in the middle of the mossy clearing, was a circular stone seal. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the seal was adorned with a series of carved symbols, one of which was a triangle. Noticing the same symbol appeared on the key in his hand, Neal knelt down next to the seal, reaching out to insert the key into the center.

"Neal, STOP!" Upon hearing the alarmed voice crying out, Neal started to look over, but before he could turn completely around, someone grabbed him from behind and roughly dragged him away from the seal. The moment Neal started to try to wrestle himself away, the unseen person released him without hesitation. This time, Neal was able to turn around and saw the person who had dragged him back had been Hook. To his further surprise, Belle and Jefferson were also standing nearby.

"Stop this, Neal," Hook instructed, holing out his hand in expectation. "Just give me the key. Don't be foolish."

"What are you three doing here?" Neal demanded, ignoring Hook's request.

"Neal, you can't do this!" Belle beseeched. "You can't resurrect Rumple."

"What are you talking about? With my father's help, we can stop Zelena."

"You don't understand," Jefferson stepped in. "The person who told you about all this? About the vault and the ritual to bring Rumpelstiltskin back?"

"Yeah, Walsh," Neal said. "What about him?"

"He's a monkey. One of Zelena's flying monkeys. Zelena must have sent him into town as a spy," Belle explained.

"But then why would he tell me how to…."

"Think about it, Neal," Hook stated. "Why would Zelena have one of her monkeys try and convince you to bring back the Dark One? It's because she wants you to bring him back. For whatever reason, she needs him for something. Bringing him back will be helping Zelena, not hindering her."

"Hook's right," Belle agreed. "Rumple didn't sacrifice his life for good so he could return to be an instrument for evil." Neal paused for a moment, as if considering what he was being told, but then a set expression appeared on his face.

"My father is the king of loopholes. I'm sure he'll figure out a way to deal with her." With that, Neal began to step back towards the stone seal.

"Neal, wait!" Belle cried beseechingly. "You don't understand! The book you found the map in contained a warning: 'the vault will only restore the Dark One in exchange for another life.' If you bring Rumpelstiltskin back this way, then you'll die." After another pause, Neal turned to look back at Belle, but the skepticism on his face showed he didn't believe her.

"You know, I'm surprised that you, of all people, would be that desperate to talk me out of it," Neal commented. "I would have thought you'd want him back. Don't you?"

"I…." Belle stammered, at a loss for words.

"You know what I think, Belle?" Neal asked, side-eying Jefferson. "I think you'd prefer it if you didn't get to see my father again." Belle immediately let out a shocked gasp at the accusation. In a flash, Hook grabbed Neal by his shoulder and spun him around to face him.

"Bloody Hell, Neal," Hook snarled, his eyes flashing with irritation. "When did you get this short sighted? Are you really that much of a fool that you'd put your trust in the words of a man you only met this morning? Over the people who actually know and care about you?" Without warning, Neal lunged forward, aggressively punching Hook in the face. The unexpected attack made Hook stumble back a few steps, grunting in pain. Belle, jumping in shock, instinctively stepped forward to try and break up the fight, but a wide-eyed Jefferson reached out and grabbed her arm, holding her back.

"And I'm supposed to trust you?" Neal growed. "I haven't forgotten, Hook. I remember what you did to me in Neverland, when you let Felix take me prisoner."

"You think I don't regret that?" Hook exclaimed. "It was one of the biggest regrets of my life, and I'd give anything to take it back. But I also had my crew to think about. If I tried to stop them from taking you, then Pan would have killed us all. And I knew you were never in danger after that day. I'd asked Tink to keep an eye on you for me. If you were ever harmed or threatened, she would have told me, and I would have stepped in."

"Don't pretend like you ever gave a damn about me!" Neal shouted. "I was just a means to an end to you."

"If that was true, I never would have risked my life returning to Neverland to help save your son. I wouldn't have turned my ship around and simply continued on with that bean. But I did turn around, and took everyone to Neverland to help rescue Henry from that bloody demon, Pan. It was my attempt at making up for my actions that day."

"Don't give me that! We both know you were only trying to get on Emma's good side," Neal accused, rolling his eyes.

"Neal," Hook began, a note of weariness in his voice. But Neal interrupted him before he could say another word.

"Why'd you have to go and set your sights on Emma, anyway?" he yelled. "Hadn't you done enough by running off with my mother?" The moment these words were spoken, a defining silence fell as the two men simply stared at one another. It was only then that Hook realized that Neal's face wasn't twisted up with rage, but with misery.

"So. That's what this is really about, isn't it?"

"She just left," Neal whispered, pain lacing his tone. "She left and ran off with you. Without saying a word to me."

"Neal," Hook spoke gently, a compassionate look on his face. "I told you a long time ago that your mother regretted what she did, and I meant every word. She felt so guilty, there some nights when she'd even cry herself to sleep."

"Yeah, I heard this story," Neal huffed. "And you and my mother talked about coming back for me when I was older. I've had hundreds of years on Neverland to think about that, and I figured it out. You might have planned on coming back, but it was all talk. You never seriously considered it, did you? Otherwise, you would have showed up at least once." Hook bowed his head, appearing conflicted about something, until….

"We did," he finally confessed. "We…we did come back for you."

"Oh, yeah, sure," Neal scoffed. "And when was this? Because I sure don't remember." For a moment, Hook didn't reply, or even move, but then he slowly looked back up, grief shining in his eyes.

Flashback

Because the Jolly Roger had been out at sea for quite some time, the whole crew were eager to reach port and visit the local tavern, among other places. So no one had seemed to notice that the port where they'd made berth was one that they hadn't gone near in quite a few years, especially not after they'd received the same orders they'd always received upon coming into port- to have the crew divide itself into groups, with each group venturing off the ship in stages to ensure the Jolly Roger wouldn't be left unguarded. In actuality, there were only three people on the ship that knew the real reason why this particular port had been chosen.

"Cap'n!" a member of the crew called out upon noticing that Killian had fallen back from the rest of the group that had been allowed to leave the ship first. "Are you not going to join us?"

"I'll join up with you later, mates!" Killian called back, a gigantic carefree smile on his face. "There's a matter of business I have to attend to, first." Accepting this without question, the crew continued on their way to the local tavern, leaving Killian alone with Milah, who was standing a few feet away. The moment the crew was out of sight, the grin on Killian's face vanished and he turned to face Milah, visible concern gracing his face.

"Milah," he spoke gently. "Are you certain you wish to go on your own? I'd be more than willing to accompany you, if it will make it easier for you."

"Killian," Milah replied, reaching out to lovingly stroke his cheek, with him leaning into her touch. "You have no idea how much it means that you'd offer to do that for me. But…we both know we waited far too long to do this. Right now, my concern shouldn't be my comfort. It should be his comfort. And having you present might overwhelm him. It might make him think he has to make the choice of coming with us on the spot. No, if there's one thing our adventures have made me realize, it's that it's time I showed a little bit of courage. Even if it means seeing my son, and asking for his forgiveness. Please understand, Killian. This is something I want… no, something I have to do by myself."

"I understand," Killian said with a brief nod. "Just remember, if you need me…."

"I know where to find you," Milah stated, finishing his sentence. The pair shared a brief but tender kiss before Milah turned and headed off. But it was only when she was completely out of sight that Killian tore his eyes away and headed off towards the tavern where his crew were waiting.

"Where's my scurvy crew?" he called out as he entered the tavern.

"Ah! Here we be, Cap'n!"

As the Jolly Roger came into sight, the haunted look in Killian's eyes was replaced by hardened steel.

"Remember," he instructed the crew members who had been following him in somber silence. "No one is to say a word about this to her."

"Cap'n…."

"Not. One. Word," Killian repeated, giving each man a challenging glare. Even as he said those words, the sinking feeling in his chest returned tenfold at the mere thought of Milah finding out what had occurred. Knowing her, she'd try to stop him from going to the duel, or would step in somehow. Regardless of what happened to him, he had to keep her safe.

Upon setting foot on deck, Killian immediately noticed something was amiss. A few members of the crew who had remained behind were standing guard over a heavyset man that had been bound and gagged. Immediately, Killian frowned, realizing he didn't recognize the captive.

"What's all this, then?" Killian demanded.

"Sir! We found this miserable dog sneaking around amongst our cargo," Robert Mullins announced. "When we searched him, we found he'd been trying to make off with the magic bean we'd pilfered from the Agrabahn merchant ship."

Killian, with a firm, no-nonsense expression designed to intimidate, stepped over to the prisoner, unsheathing his sword in the process. Taking note of the fact that the man's eyes had suddenly widened with fear, he allowed himself to display a sinister grin. With a well-controlled movement, Killian slowly dragged the gag away from the man's mouth with the tip of the blade.

"Tell me," he began. "Whatever compelled you to try and steal from my ship?"

"Please, have mercy," the man begged. "I was only after the bean."

"What use does a man like yourself have for an old bean?"

"Nothing; nothing at all! It's the Dark One who seeks the magic bean. He promised I'd be rewarded if I delivered one to him."

Killian's jaw clenched instantly at those words, but he managed to mask his true reaction. If the Dark One was after a magic bean, and he had sent this would-be thief to obtain one from the Jolly Roger's stores, was it possible that the Dark One knew they'd had a magic bean in their possession? What if he came onto the ship to find it? That would mean he'd undoubtedly locate Milah. As that thought crossed his mind, he was overwhelmed by the desire to determine her whereabouts. He hadn't seen her on deck when they'd arrived. Had she not yet returned from her long-overdue talk with Baelfire? Trying to keep a mask on his growing panic, Killian turned his back on the prisoner.

"Take him below deck," he instructed his crew. "I'll deal with him later."

As the prisoner was once again gagged and dragged off, Killian's eyes scanned the deck until he caught sight of Starkey, standing up on the quarterdeck. Making sure to keep a calm air, Killian made his way over to him.

"Milah?" Killian inquired the moment he was close enough to engage in a whispered conversation.

"She arrived back an hour ago," Starkey said. "She's in your quarters, waiting for your return." Killian instantly frowned, detecting a subtle tremor in Starkey's voice, as if the man was troubled.

"Did something happen?" Killian questioned. "What's wrong, Starkey?"

"I think its best that you go to her, Captain," Starkey replied with a heavy sigh. "You might be the only one who can console her." Feeling his heart sinking down to his stomach, Killian headed straight for the Captain's Quarters. As he headed down the ladder, his eyes immediately fell upon Milah, who was lying face down in bed. Right away, he noticed her body was shaking and realized she was sobbing. Throat too tight to speak, he stepped over to her side and knelt by the bed, reaching out to rub her back in comfort. The moment his hand made contact, Milah jerked upward, lifting her head up off the pillows to look at him. It was all Killian could do to keep from crying himself when he took in her tearstained face.

"Oh, Milah," he soothed. "What happened?" In a flash, Milah shot forward, wrapping her arms around Killian as she continued to sob.

"He's gone," she choked out. "Bae. We waited too long. He's gone."

"I'm sorry, Darling," Killian whispered, pulling her closer. "I'm so sorry. I can't imagine what you must be feeling right now. May I ask how it happened?"

"No, no. He's not dead," Milah clarified, wiping her eyes. "At least, I hope he isn't. When I returned to that old hovel, it was deserted. It looked like it had been months since anyone had set foot inside. When I was there, I happened across a young girl from the village, who had been friends with Bae since they could walk. She told me that…. Bae had been pulled out of this world, with a magic bean he got from Reul Ghorm. It took him to another world. A world without magic." Killian remained silent as he took this in, thinking back to what the prisoner had said, about how the Dark One, the man he now knew had been Milah's husband, was looking for a magic bean. Was this why? So he could go off and try and find the boy?

Killian's thoughts were interrupted when Milah's sobs started up again.

"Oh, Killian," she cried. "Why did I wait so long? Why couldn't I have been braver and come back sooner? Now, I'll never be able to see my son, again, or tell him how sorry I am." In a desperate attempt at consoling her, Killian began gently rocking her back and forth, stroking her hair.

"Yes," he finally said. "Yes, you will see him again."

"But…Killian, what are you talking about? Bae's… trapped in some other realm."

"Aye, but…among the treasures we took from that merchant ship, there is another magic bean," Killian explained. "You could use it. Go to whichever world Balefire ended up in. Then, you'd be able to see your boy again."

"I…Killian," Milah whispered, eyes wide with amazement. "You have no idea how much I'd love to do that. But…what about you? I can't just leave you."

"You won't," Killian insisted with a soft smile. "Not if I come with you."

"You…you'd come with me?"

"If you want me to."

"But…what about your crew? Your ship? You'd be giving up everything. Your whole life. I couldn't ask you to do that."

"You don't have to," Killian insisted. "If going into this other world to be with Bae is what you want, and if you want me to be there, too, I'd gladly come with you."

"You…you would really leave the Enchanted Forest?" Miliah spoke in awe. "Even if it means never seeing the Jolly Roger again? Killian, I know how much this ship means to you."

"Aye, she's been a fine ship, and we've been through a lot together," Killian agreed. "But I know she'll be in good hands; Starkey will treat her right. And in the end, you're the one I can't live without." Once again, tears began to form in Milah's eyes, but this time they were tears of happiness.

"Killian," she cried, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug. "Thank you. Thank you so much! I'd love you to come with me."

"Then that's what we'll do," Killian promised, thankful that Milah was hugging him and therefore couldn't see the grief and guilt in his eyes.

Killian sat by the bed, watching Milah sleep. He had been unable to find the will to sleep himself that night. Knowing that Rumpelstiltskin would be waiting for him at dawn, and that there was a good chance he wouldn't be walking away from that duel, he didn't want to squander his last moments with Milah. As such, he'd sat up all night, memorizing her face and engraving it into his memory, wanting to be able to visualize her at the last possible second.

He finally tore his eyes away from Milah's sleeping form to glance out the window, taking in the beginning hints of dawn's first light. Letting out a shaky breath, he slowly got to his feet and reached for his sword to affix it to his belt. Before he stepped out, he turned to glance one last time at Milah, feeling relief that she was sleeping soundly, not knowing about what was going to happen. Once again, he felt guilt wash over him, knowing that he wasn't going to be able to keep his promise to her, and that she'd have to venture after her boy on her own. He only hoped that she'd forgive him for not telling her the truth about his encounter with her former husband, and that she'd realize he was only trying to protect her.

Before leaving, Killian knelt down beside the bed, carefully leaning over and placing a gentle kiss on Milah's cheek before running his left hand though her dark tresses.

"I love you," he whispered. Steeling himself for what was to come, Killian forced himself to turn and climb up the ladder leading up to the empty deck, pouring all his willpower into not turning around, knowing that doing so would make him want to stay.

Just as Killian reached the gangway, he was stopped when he heard the familiar voice speaking.

"So, you're going off to face him, after all," Starkey observed, stepping into view. "I heard from Ed Teynte what happened when you were returning from the tavern."

"Aye, I'm going," Killian replied, fixing Starkey with a warning look. "Were you expecting otherwise? You know I'm not a coward."

"Never said you were," Starkey pointed out. "I'm just shocked you tried to go without saying goodbye."

"No," Killian said, shaking his head. "It's…best if I don't." After a pause, Killian turned to look Starkey in the eye. "Consider this my final order, Starkey. If I don't return in one hour, then rouse the crew and set sail. Do not hesitate for my sake. Be sure to get as far from here as you possibly can."

"And what do you want me to tell Milah?" Starkey asked.

"Tell her…that this was the only way to keep the Dark One from finding her. Tell her that my actions today were about keeping her safe."

Before Killian continued on his way, he paused once more.

"Starkey?"

"Aye, Captain Jones?"

"Promise me… that you'll take care of her for me."

"I promise," Starkey vowed with a brisk nod. With that promise being made, Killian left the Jolly Roger and walked off, ready to meet his fate.

As the newly born Captain Hook steered the Jolly Roger into the whirlpool that would lead to Neverland, the accursed isle he'd sworn to never return to, he found his eyes drifting back to the open ocean behind them. He could no longer see the linen-wrapped body of his fallen love, but he knew it was out there, slowly sinking to the bottom of the sea.

"I'm sorry, Milah," he whispered. "I'm sorry I'm not keeping my promise by going to find your boy. I hope you can forgive me."

End Flashback

Neal gazed out in the direction of the tree line, but he was not actually looking at anything, too lost in thought.

"Is…is that really what happened?" he whispered after a lengthy pause.

"Aye," Hook confirmed with a nod. "So, if you want to be mad at someone, then by all means, be mad at me. I was the one who failed to use the magic bean to find you like we'd planned. Instead, I used it for my own desire, to get revenge on your father for killing her. As a result, I not only failed you, but I failed her, by not honoring her wishes. I'm so sorry, Neal." Neal gave Hook a half-hearted glare, but it melted away seconds later. Instead, he simply looked emotionally and mentally spent.

Slowly, he turned to look at the stone seal on the ground.

"You were telling the truth, weren't you? About what bringing my father back would do?"

"Yes. I won't deny there's no love lost between your father and me. But for all his faults, he did love you." When Neal didn't react, Hook once again held out his hand. "Please, Neal. Just give me the key, and let us take you back to Storybrooke. Your father gave his life so you would live. It was quite possibly the first selfless thing he'd done in a long, long time. Don't take that away from him. Don't make his sacrifice be in vain."

Once again, a tense silence filled the air as Neal continued to look at the stone seal. Then, to everyone's relief, he slowly held the key out, allowing Hook to take it. The moment the key was safely in Hook's possession, Belle strode forward and pulled Neal into a tight, comforting hug.

"I'm sorry, Belle," Neal apologized, returning the hug. "I'm sorry for what I said. You know I didn't mean it."

"It's okay," Belle said in reassurance. "Let's just go home. It's been a very long day."

"Yeah, okay," Neal nodded, reaching into his pocket for the remaining magic bean.

"You can put that away, Neal," Jefferson said. "Save it for a rainy day. We've got another way to get back to Storybrooke."

"I take it that's my cue," the White Rabbit announced, stepping out from the shadows where he'd been watching the confrontation at a safe distance.

"No way," Neal muttered, shaking his head. "Is that the White Rabbit? Funny, I always pictured him…stockier."

Emma sat with Ruby in the corner of Regina's office, watching as the woman performed tests on the contents of the syringe while Robin explained what had happened when they'd confronted Zelena.

"So, first courage, and then a heart?" Emma listed.

"And then, she sends one of her flying monkeys after you," Ruby pointed out. "What exactly is she planning?"

At that moment, the door flew open, and David, Mary Margret and Henry all entered the room. The moment Henry saw Emma, he ran over and threw his arms around her.

"Mom!"

"Henry?! What are you doing here? You should be in bed!"

"We got a text message from Ruby, saying you were attacked by a flying monkey," Mary Margret explained. "Emma, are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Emma insisted. "Ruby, you told them?"

"I thought they should know," Ruby explained with a shrug.

"What happened?" David asked. Emma let out a slight huff, but not one of annoyance. This was why she hadn't wanted her parents to find out about tonight's incident. How was she supposed to explain what she was doing with Walsh? To her relief, Regina decided to step in.

"It would appear that Zelena had sent one of her winged monkeys into town under the guise of a man named Walsh," Regina explained. "The wolfgirl and her grandmother stepped in right when he was trying to inject Emma with whatever was in that syringe."

"Wait, Walsh?" David cried. "He was one of Zelena's flying monkeys? But I actually spoke to him this morning!" As that thought sank in, his expression shifted to anger. "So THAT'S why he was looking for Emma at the station."

"What was he trying to inject into Emma?" Mary Margret asked.

"I don't know, yet," Regina admitted, looking back at her work. "That's what I'm trying to figure out."

Emma was about to say something, but she stopped when she felt Henry hug her tighter.

"Hey, Henry, it's okay," she reassured. "The monkey didn't get me. Ruby and Granny stepped in in time. I'm all right."

"I know," Henry said, looking up at her with tears in his eyes. "But Dad's not."

"Neal? Why? What happened?"

"Emma, I'm sorry," Mary Margret said. "We tried to call you, but you never answered." In surprise, Emma reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, remembering she'd put her phone on vibrate when she and Walsh had left the Rabbit Hole and that she'd never turned the ringtone back on. Sure enough, there were a number of 'missed call' notices.

"If it hadn't been for Ruby's text, we wouldn't have been able to find you," David stated.

"I'm sorry about that," Emma apologized. "But what about Neal?"

"Henry got a phone call from his friend, Paige. She called him after Jefferson left her with her cursed parents. Neal's gone to the Enchanted Forest to try and resurrect Mr. Gold. Apparently, he thought doing so would give us an advantage over Zelena. But he doesn't realize that the method he plans to use will take away his life in exchange."

"He's what?!" Emma cried, getting to her feet. "What was he thinking? We have to stop him!"

"Grace said her dad already went after him, with Belle and Hook," Henry said, fighting back tears. "But what if they don't get there in time?"

"Henry," Emma consoled, kneeling down so she'd be at his level. "I'm sure they'll get there in time."

"But what they don't?"

"We just have to have faith that they will," David pointed out.

Before Henry could say anything else, Ruby's phone started to ring.

"Granny?" Ruby answered after checking the caller ID. "What is it? OH! Oh, that's a relief. No, not that…yeah, I'm sorry about the floor. Okay, we'll be right there."

"What is it?" Mary Margret asked when Ruby ended the call.

"Henry," Ruby announced with a smile. "You'll be happy to know that… they did manage to stop Neal in time."

"They did?!" Henry exclaimed in excitement. "Where are they?"

"They're down at Granny's. And they apparently have a new friend. But Granny's not too happy about their method of entry."

"Wonderful," Regina spoke up. "You go and see to the idiots. If you want me to figure out what was in this syringe, I'm going to need to concentrate."

When the group entered Granny's, they were greeted by the sight of Neal and Belle sitting in the corner booth while Granny bustled around the room, occasionally glaring at the large hole in the middle of the diner floor.

"Wow, you weren't kidding about the floor," Ruby commented.

"Well, at least I know what caused it the last time," Granny sniffed, shooting a look at the bar, where the White Rabbit was sitting next to Jefferson. "All this time, I thought it was part of the damage done by that wraith."

"I do apologize for that" the White Rabbit replied. "It's just how the rabbit holes form."

"It's okay, Granny," Emma spoke up. "I'm sure there's enough in the town budget to handle the repairs."

Henry, meanwhile, had made a beeline for Neal, who was now conversing quietly with the boy. Deciding to allow the two to talk, Emma, David and Mary Margret took seats on the barstools.

"Thank you for stopping him," Emma said, turning to Jefferson and the White Rabbit.

"I appreciate the thanks, Emma," Jefferson replied with a smile. "But if you want to thank anyone, you should thank Hook. He was the one who managed to talk Neal out of it."

"He did?" Emma blinked in shock.

"Yeah, he did good," Jefferson declared. "You should have seen him."

"Where is he?" Mary Margret asked, noticing Hook was nowhere in sight.

"He headed out a few minutes before you arrived," Belle explained, joining them at the counter. "I think he wanted to be alone."

Emma only was partially listening. She was too lost in thought, processing the information about how Hook had seemingly saved the day once again. After a moment, however, she looked back at Neal and Henry, just in time to see Henry try to stifle a yawn to no avail.

"Okay, then," she announced. "It's late, and we've all had a very long day. It's time to get home and get to bed." Henry looked aghast at the news that he had to leave, but Neal just chuckled, tussling his hair.

"It's okay, Buddy," he said. "Emma's right; you should have been in bed hours ago. I'll see you in the morning." Henry still didn't look happy, but he relented and, after hugging Neal tightly, followed David and Mary Margret out.

"Neal?" Emma began before heading out after them, "Promise me you won't do something like that again. Not without letting us all know, first."

"Yeah, sorry," Neal apologized, looking slightly sheepish. "I probably should have told someone, first."

"Yes, you should have," Emma spoke firmly. "Because you weren't the one who had to see Henry reduced to tears, thinking that he was going to lose you. I do not want to see Henry that crushed ever again."

"Hey," Neal said with a frown. "I didn't think…"

"No, you didn't," Emma interrupted. "I told you a while ago, Neal, not to break Henry's heart. And for you to go and do this, even if your intentions were good? All I can say is that this better be the only time. Because if you ever put Henry though Hell like this again, then I'm not going to be okay with you spending time with him.

"Hey, he's my kid, too," Neal pointed out.

"Then start acting like it, and put him and his feelings, first," Emma demanded. With that, she turned and left the diner, leaving a visibly shocked Neal behind.

Hook stood alone at the bow of the Jolly Roger, simply looking out at the horizon, the only sounds being the creaking of wood and the lapping waves. The sky that night was clear, with not a cloud in sight, so there was nothing hindering the reflection of the moon in the ocean. The centuries-old pirate considered the presence of this view to be a small blessing. After everything that happened tonight, he needed some way to settle his mind right now.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone coming aboard his ship and walking towards him. Tearing his eyes away from the view, he looked over and saw his visitor was Neal. The moment he realized Hook noticed his presence, Neal froze in place, and the two men simply stared at each other for a moment. It was clear they were both feeling a certain level of awkwardness.

"Hi," Neal finally spoke. "I…I figured that you'd be here."

"Aye," Hook agreed with a slight nod. "What brings you here?"

"Belle, in a way. She, um, told me how you guys managed to track me down in the Enchated Forest," Neal said. "About how you took a leftover locator spell from my father's private collection and used it on this." As Neal spoke, he carefully pulled out an old child-sized woven shawl from beneath his windbreaker. The moment Hook saw it, his expression shifted to a quiet wistfulness. It was clear he recognized it as the shawl that Neal had worn when he still went by Baelfire. Neal, noticing the look on Hook's face, smiled wryly. "I guess you know what this is."

"I do," Hood confirmed. "Your father had planned to use that to find you."

"Yeah, rather ironic that you guys used it for the same reason," Neal chuckled. But then, his mood became somber. "I suppose….you also know who it was who made it for me?"

"Yes." Hook's eyes focused on the shawl and he simply gazed at it. For a brief moment, Neal was sure he saw a tear form in Hook's eye, but he chose to not mention it. Instead, he slowly moved closer and, after a moment's hesitation, he held the shawl out to Hook.

"Take it," he offered. "I think you should have it from now on." Hook let out a surprised gasp upon hearing this, looking back up at Neal in amazement, as if he couldn't believe what he'd just heard.

"What did you say?" he whispered.

"Take it," Neal repeated, still holding the shawl out.

"Neal," Hook stammered, shaking his head. "This…this is the only thing you have left from your parents. From her."

"I know," Neal said, shrugging. "But…I'm sorry to admit that… I don't really remember her all that well. I was still very young when she left. You, on the other hand; after tonight, I think I finally understand. I realize…how much she meant to you. So it probably means a lot more to you than it does to me.

"Besides," Neal continued, now flashing a smile that almost reached his eyes, "I outgrew that old thing years ago." In spite of everything, Hook was unable to hold back the soft laugh at Neal's attempt at levity.

"Thank you, Neal," he said, finally taking the shawl with great reverence. "Thank you…Baelfire."

"You're welcome. Killian."

Belle stepped out from the bathroom at the back of the diner and proceeded to make her way out front. But before she reentered the main room, she found herself face to face with Jefferson.

"Jefferson, is something wrong?" she asked, immediately noticing the expression on his face.

"No, nothing's wrong," he said, looking slightly uneasy about something. "I was just wondering how you were doing. With all the excitement these past few hours, no one's really taken the time to ask how you felt about everything."

"What do you mean?"

"Belle, Neal went out to try and resurrect Mr. Gold. If he'd succeeded, you would have been able to see him again. I couldn't help but wonder how you were coping with that. To be presented with the chance to be with the person you loved again, and willingly sacrifice that chance…." Belle nervously bit her lip, understanding what Jefferson was trying to say.

"It…it wasn't easy," she admitted. "There were still so many things I wanted to say to him. And yes, there's a part of me that does wish there was a way to bring him back. I still miss him, and I expect I always will. But Hook was right; Rumple died a hero, saving all of us in the process. To take that away from him would be selfish."

"Belle," Jefferson chucked. "You are… a remarkable woman. If I had the opportunity to bring Priscilla back, I don't know if I could resist it. But not you. You're courageous and selfless enough to do the right thing, even if it means never seeing someone you love again. You amaze…."

Before Jefferson could complete his thought, Belle stepped forward with one quick movement, reaching out to cradle his face in her hands while pressing her lips up against his. In an instinctual movement, Jefferson's arms lifted up, his hands resting lightly on Belle's waist. Ever so slowly, he began to respond to the kiss. After a few more seconds, they pulled away and simply stared at one another. But them, all at once, the realization of what had just happened dawned on them both, and Belle stepped away, mirroring Jefferson's stunned expression.

The awkward tension was broken when the White Rabbit stepped into view.

"Jefferson, once again, it was nice to see you again," he stated. "But it's time I returned home to my family. The next time I see Alice, I'll be sure to tell her you're doing well."

"Thank you, Rabbit," Jefferson replied, looking away from Belle to address his old friend. "And thank you for your help, tonight." With one last nod of acknowledgement, the White Rabbit turned and left. But when Jefferson nervously looked back, it was just in time to witness Belle ducking back into the bathrooms. Before she closed the door, he briefly caught a glimpse of her conflicted expression.

AN: Are you still with me after this chapter? Writing this one was rather draining on me; I had to watch clips of The Crocodile to prepare myself for the flashback scenes. For the record, I'm among the fans who rather liked Milah, and I'm still steamed over how her story ended. Really hoping A&E didn't really sweep her second death under the rug and will resolve that later on.

As you can see, I did not kill off Neal. While I'll probably never be a fan of that character, I decided to keep him alive in this story. You're welcome.