Author's Note: Thanks to Elynne and my Beta DragonBat for information on Ozian lore as well as the Oz Wiki and transcripts from Forever Dreaming. Dialogue snippet(s) taken from Once Upon A Time Season 3 Episode 20: Kansas.
Chapter Nine: If Ever Or Never A Wiz There Was
"The baby is coming!" screams the witch. "The baby is coming. The baby is coming!"
"Pregnancy has rendered her mad," her wife says, as she puts a cloth to her head.
"Not mad, just in pain, my love," the witch says through her breath, "but it will all be worth it, when our little witch arrives."
The baby comes, but it is no witch. It's a boy without a bit of magic to his name. Over the years, his mothers will make attempts to bring the magic out of him, using charms and hiring sorcerers to teach him, but it will be no good.
"A boy can be a witch, too," his mothers will say.
"Certainly, a boy can be a witch," one of his tutors will respond, "but that one is not."
"Perhaps he would have better luck elsewhere. Two old witches can't be expected to raise a normal child. He needs to learn a trade, to make his way."
"A life without magic," his other mother will say. "I shudder to think."
But eventually, it is decided. And so, with a collection of magical baubles and bottles, their young child is packed up into a basket. Don't be picturing anything biblical now, for the boy is already fourteen. But as he has nowhere else to go, he allows them to set him in the basket and cast it off into the sky.
"I've enchanted the thing," his mother explains. "It will fly you to where you are meant to make your life. Perhaps you will find greatness there, as you never did here."
So it is that in a flying basket, the youth passes through a portal and enters a different land. And that, my dears, is only the beginning.
Emma was sure that, had she been in the car with her mother, the screams would have brought back memories—both real and fake— of her own labor, long ago. She flashed back to that time for a moment, but the memory was so confusing now that she couldn't dwell on it.
Instead, she thought that if the curse hadn't been recast, and she hadn't met Aaron, she would be going with her mother to the hospital, instead of taking separate cars. She thought that, had the curse not been recast, her mother might not have gotten pregnant again in the first place.
Except, hadn't Snow said she wanted this, back in Neverland? Just after reassuring Emma that she was going to make her feel less like an orphan, she had told David that their daughter, Savior though she may be, was not enough. She wasn't a baby they could raise, so they needed a new one. It was what most of the people who came to foster or adopt children at the foster home Emma had grown up in had thought too. Maybe she was a nice child, but she was simply too old to be wanted.
She wanted so badly to reach out to Aaron, take his hand, feel the reassuring squeeze he'd no doubt give, but she was driving and needed to keep both hands on the wheel.
"What are you thinking about?" Aaron asked softly.
"How I'm going to protect my new baby brother from a witch when I don't have magic?" she fibbed. It was what she should have been thinking about, wasn't it?
Killian would have told her she'd find a way. Neal would have said that magic didn't solve problems, and that she was better off without it.
Aaron said, "Remember that terrible first date we went on?"
Emma ran a stop sign, as she turned her head to face him. "What?" her eyes immediately went back to the road, and she corrected. Luckily, there were no cars around, and she was hardly going to give herself a ticket.
"We doubled. I said something stupid about my past, and you ended up in the bathroom."
Emma nodded. "Moment of weakness."
"Human emotion isn't weakness. But I didn't get why you were so worked up back then. I didn't know you all that well." He eyed her cautiously. "I know you now, Emma."
"So?"
"So, I know it has to be tough, them having another kid."
Emma smiled, tears prickling the corners of her eyes. "I'm really happy for them. If, you know, we save the baby. Snow's a really good mom and this kid is going to be so freaking lucky."
Aaron smiled. "But?"
"But it feels like getting passed over in foster care all over again. Why couldn't I be that lucky? She would have made the best mom, and now I'll never know."
"It's better that you don't know," Henry said from the back seat.
Emma jumped. She'd thought they were being quiet, and that the kids were distracted with comics and video games. She should have known better. "Henry?"
"Mom, I love you. I do. But we had a good thing before, even if I didn't know you for ten years. We made up for lost time, and it worked. Now that I know how it would have been I'm … confused, because if it would have been that good, how come you still had to give me up?"
Emma sighed. "It isn't that simple, Henry. I don't think it would have been like it was in our memories. Regina wanted to give us a good life, so we remembered things being simple and easy. But in reality, I was just getting out of jail. I was a kid, virtually unemployable, and alone. I had no money, no place to live but the back seat of a bug, no friends to help out. In those memories, we always had enough money, and you always had food and clothes and a roof, but it wouldn't have been like that if I kept you for real.
Do you know how long it took me to stop living out of this car? How long it took me to get an actual job? And there's no way I could have worked bail bonds while you were in diapers. It's dangerous work, and I couldn't leave you alone or take you with me. I get paid for delivery, which means I'd have needed to pay a sitter with money I didn't have yet, and those kind, caring strangers who became our friends and helped us out in those memories weren't real. We would have been on our own."
"So, I should forgive you, but you can't forgive Grandma and Grandpa? Sounds kind of hypocritical, doesn't it?"
"It's different."
"Why?"
"Because it is – "
"It's not."
"Henry! I was alone, in foster care, in a lot of bad situations, with a bunch of people who didn't love me, and some people who hated me, or even hurt me. You were with a mother who wanted and loved you, and I made sure that you didn't end up in the foster system. You had Regina loving you, and this whole town looking out for you. I gave you away because you would have been worse off with me. They gave me away to break a curse, because they needed a Savior. They chose a destiny I didn't ask for, complete with a tragic backstory. That's not giving me my best chance. It's choosing my fate without consulting me. You have countless people fighting for the right to raise you, and I had people fighting for the right to throw me out, so they didn't have to deal. So no, Henry, it is not the same." Emma parked the car in the hospital parking lot as she finished her rant. Henry was looking at her like he'd never seen her before, "Come on," she said after they'd all unbuckled and gotten out. "Let's find my parents."
"Son," Rumple said, chancing a brief glance in the rearview mirror to meet his son's eyes, "I am sorry about Emma."
"It's fine. I'm fine," Bae said. Rumple was silent. He knew it couldn't be that easy. He heard Bae sigh. "I mean, it sucks. And yeah, a part of me will always love her. She's the mother of my kid, and she was my first love. But that doesn't mean I won't find love again. I know I screwed up with her. I made her unhappy then, so what matters most to me is that she's happy now. And she is. With Aaron, who seems like a good guy."
"That's very mature of you," Belle said.
Rumple nodded his agreement.
"What am I supposed to do, whine and mope, or try to sabotage the relationship? That's not me. I'll deal. Besides, and don't get too excited, but I may have met someone else."
Belle got the biggest smile on her face. "Who is she?"
"She's… er… a fairy."
"I knew it!" Belle said. "And you said you and Tinkerbell were just friends."
"We are. It's not Tink. I just kind of bonded with this fairy at the convent and, maybe it's nothing, but – "
"Mother Superior won't like one of her fairies dating, least of all dating the son of the Dark One," Rumple said, with a twinkle in his eye.
"Fuck her."
"Bae!"
"I'm in my thirties, Pop. I can say 'fuck'. And the Blue Fairy could probably use a good one. It might get rid of that stick up her ass."
"Well, I suppose I can agree with the sentiment, if not the phrasing," Rumple said.
"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Belle asked, suddenly somber.
"Discussing my son's love life? It's a treat I've long been deprived of."
"Not that. Going to the hospital and confronting Zelena." Rumple's smile dropped, and Belle pressed ahead. "You know she'll come for the baby."
"She won't be getting it if I have any say in the matter."
Bae smiled. "You always had a soft spot for tiny humans."
"Dwarves?" Rumple asked.
Bae barked a laugh. "No, people under a certain age. I don't know how you feel about dwarves."
"I can take them or leave them." He sighed, "Belle, I know you don't want me to kill her, but she's dangerous. And I suffered greatly at her hands. I won't apologize for making her regret it."
"But can you even face her, after all she's put you through? She won't be helpless this time."
"You think she's more powerful?" Rumple asked.
"I don't know. But I don't want you to get hurt any more than I want you to hurt her."
"I'll be fine, sweetheart. I can handle the witch."
"I hope so," Belle said.
"He can," Bae said. "This is the man who defeated an army of ogres with a wave of his hand. Now he's going to save a baby. You're putting your powers to the good, Pop, just like you always wanted."
"Son, I … I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything. Just keep driving. We're almost there."
David had meant to drive them to the hospital, but Regina felt that would take too long.
"But is it safe to teleport her when she's in labor?"
"Certainly, safer than your driving while you're running around like a chicken with his head cut off. You can general an army good enough to defeat mine, but the thought of imminent fatherhood makes you this flustered? It's not as though you've haven't had time to prepare."
"Up until we got our memories back, I'd only had weeks."
"Well, we have our memories back now, so calm down before I put you under a sleeping curse for the duration. Your anxious pacing is giving me a headache."
"Me too. David, sit down, please," Snow said.
"The last time this happened, the last time she went into labor … "
David didn't finish, but they all knew what he was thinking. Regina felt a twinge of guilt. She grabbed David's arm as gently as she could. "She's going to be fine. Tink went to get the fairies. I'll go set up a perimeter. Zelena is not getting this baby." She left the two of them there in the doctor's office.
"That's not even the only thing that can go wrong with a birth,' David said, shooting Snow an anxious glance.
"I'm well aware, but the death rate during pregnancy is much lower in this land, and for all his other faults, Dr. Whale is actually quite good at what he does."
David scoffed, and Snow shot him an exasperated look. "Speaking of Whale, where is the good doctor?"
"I apologize for the delay," said a kindly-looking elderly man with glasses and a bowtie as he entered. "Hi. I'm Dr. Proctor."
Snow and Charming eyed each other warily. "Um, where is Dr. Whale?"
"He's unreachable right now, but fear not. I've delivered my fair share of youngsters."
"How come we've never seen you before?"
"Oh, I've been around. Just not much for rubbing elbows with the royals or getting into scuffs. Keep my head down most of the time. But surely you didn't think Dr. Whale was the only doctor in town?"
"Actually -" David began.
"I'm not sure how I feel about this," Snow said. "Zelena pretended to be a midwife. How do we know-?" She let out a sudden scream. "What about Doc?" she continued when the contraction had passed. "He delivered Emma. We can call him!"
"Doc is a dwarf," David explained. "He's a friend of ours."
Dr. Proctor had been examining Snow as they were speaking. "Well, he may be called 'Doc' in the Enchanted Forest, but I'm afraid he doesn't have privileges here. You folks could use him for a home birth if you have the time, but given your wife's screaming, and how many centimeters my nurse said she is, I don't think you do. It's your choice, of course."
"David," Snow ground out, "what -?"
"I, um, well, he is a doctor here, so he must have come over with the first curse, right? And Zelena didn't get here until the second."
"But we've never met him. And I don't know if we can trust – " Snow let out another scream.
"We have to. The baby is coming now!"
"Where's Regina?" Snow asked frantically. "Maybe she can vouch for him?"
"She's working with the fairies to set up a perimeter remember?"
"You folks can go on jabbering, no problem to me. I just need to get down by your wife's womanly parts while you do, so I can get the whippersnapper out."
"Look on the bright side," David said. "I was never fond of your one-night-stand getting another look down there anyway."
Snow rolled her eyes and muffled another scream. "Honestly David, now is not the time, and I really don't appreciate it. I've never held that pregnancy test Katherine took against you, now, have I?"
David didn't really know what to say to that.
"So … what do we do with her?" Dr. Whale asked.
"What kind of question is that?" asked Aurora.
"Well, can we be sure she's dead? I can take her back to the hospital and examine the body …"
"That won't be necessary, Dr. Whale," Oz said. "I can confirm that she is really most sincerely dead."
"Who are you, the coroner?" Dr. Whale asked.
"Apologies," he said bowing low. "I am Oz, the Great and Powerful."
"I've seen that movie buddy, and you aren't all that powerful. Aren't you a balloon farmer? What do you know of death and corpses?"
"Well, I don't know if the best person to be a coroner is someone just as likely to reanimate her. Aren't you meant to be dead and full of regret for creating a monster?"
"How can I be full of regret if I'm dead?" Dr. Whale asked. "And anyway, that movie got plenty wrong. The book too."
"So, you see my point. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to dispose of the witch myself."
"Ha!" Dr. Whale said. "As if we'd let you. You're a stranger in these parts. Why should we trust you? For all we know, you'll just bring her back."
"Why would I bring her back? I killed her." Oz leaned back over Zelena's body. "This is an Ozian matter, and none of your concern. I suggest you return to town and to your pointless life as a doctor."
"Pointless!" Dr. Whale said. "I'll have you know –"
"Enough!" Aurora said. "The witch is dead. We are all free. The time has indeed come to return to our lives. And our lives are in The Enchanted Forest. Mr. Physician, do you know of a way back?"
Dr. Whale shook his head. "Realm-jumping isn't my forte. Last I heard, you needed a magic bean, but I wouldn't know who has one."
"If I may," a timid voice spoke up, "I'm Bashful. I was working with the Prince and the other Dwarves to plant a new set of beans before the Queen ruined it. Not to say that … I mean … just that the Prince and Snow White might be able to help you. That's what they do." Another man of similar size to the first nodded vigorously in agreement.
Aurora's face went white. "Snow!" she gasped. "Philip, we endangered –"
"I know," Philip said. "We felt we had no choice. But the witch is dead now."
"But how can we face them?"
Philip shook his head. "I don't know, but we must. If we're to return home, we'll need to speak with those who know this town. That would be Snow White and Prince Charming."
"And Emma," Aurora added. "I believe this is her land, the one she spoke of when I first met her."
"You know, some of us prefer this land," said a small boy with red hair and buck teeth, "Youse ain't even given it a chance."
"You can stay," Aurora said. "If your parents prefer it, of course. We're not trying to take you from your home. But we don't belong here."
"Sure. 'Cause youse can't be all royal and uppity here." The boy said, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Because we have lives to get back to."
"Lady, all our lives came over with us. You don't see us complaining."
"What happened to that obnoxious Oz guy?" Dr. Whale asked, looking around suddenly.
"And the witch," Little John exclaimed. "Her body's gone!"
When I told you that the boy arrived in another land via balloon, you thought I meant the land of Oz, didn't you? That will happen eventually, but it was not his first stop. It couldn't have been, for reasons that will eventually become clear. No, his first stop was another land that you will know as the land Without Color, more specifically, in that land's Kansas.
The boy was confused when he first arrived, not understanding why everything seemed so dull in comparison to the land he came from. Still, he knew he needed to make a living. It was why he had been sent to this place, after all. So, he condensed his balloon—which could magically become travel-sized—with all his possessions inside, slung it over his shoulder, and made his way into town. When people saw him, they began to whisper. Some even fainted or ran in fright.
The boy did not know why they ran, but he did know that their fear made it quite difficult for him to make a living, so he took to stealing. It wasn't that hard. He had a pair of magic slippers, you see, given to him by one of his mothers, and with them, he could pop in and out of any place, quick as you please.
After a year or two of getting by like this, the boy happened by a circus. The smell of popcorn drew his attention, and he popped in to take some. Before he could disappear, he was spotted by the oddest-looking man he'd ever seen. The man's face was painted and his hair stuck up in odd directions. His nose was in the shape of a ball.
"Well, you're a colorful fellow, aren't you?" the man said.
The boy knew he should pop away, but this was the first person not to run or faint in such a long while.
"Colorful?" he asked.
"Quite. I've never seen anything like it. You have color from your cheeks to your clothes. Color's all over you. It's quite the attraction."
"Is that why people normally run?" the boy asked. "Because I'm colorful?"
"Oh, I suppose so," the strange man said. "That's what folks normally do when someone is different. That's why I love the circus. People who would tease us out there pay to see us in here."
"Would they pay to see me?" the boy asked hopefully.
"Possibly. Do you have anything that makes you special?"
The boy shook his head. "My parents chucked me because I'm far from special. I can't do magic on my own, you see. I need help to do it."
"Magic, you say. Well, why didn't you start there? Most folk can't do magic, even with help. It's all tricks, anyway, isn't it?"
"Tricks?"
"Yes, of course. There's no such thing as real magic."
The boy couldn't help it; he laughed out loud. "I can show you real magic," he said, using the slippers he always wore to appear behind the strange man.
The man slapped his knee and let out a contagious laugh, "Well, smack my bum and call me Betty, that's some trick you have there. I imagine folks would pay through the nose to see you do that."
"Would they? Through the nose?"
"And hand over fist. I'll talk with the man in charge and get you set up here. It's a good gig, three square meals a day, you know, and a place to sleep. I love the life, and you'll love it too! Oh, but where are my manners? I never introduced myself. The name is Augustus Elmer More. My stage name is Notta Bit More."
"Stage name?"
"Well, it's all about showmanship, isn't it? Augustus wouldn't do for that. And what's your name lad?"
"Oscar," the boy said.
"Oscar. Oscar? What can we do with Oscar? Hmmm, let me think. Oh, I know, how about this: Oscar the Great and Terrible?"
"Terrible? Am I truly to be terrible?"
"As I said, my boy, it's all about showmanship."
Oscar, as we now know the boy was called, fit in quite well at the circus. He spent many years there performing, while Augustus taught him all he needed to know about showmanship. He might well have gone on like that forever, had Augustus not recited a spell he found among Oscar's things. He never truly believed in magic, thinking it was all a bit of fun and showmanship, but the spell transported him to Mudge, the sandy desert area in the southern area of The Land of Oz. After all they had been through together, Oscar felt he had no choice but to follow, so he got in his balloon, and let it once again lead him to his destiny.
When Emma reached the hospital, she saw the blue fairy coordinating with Regina. That was a strange sight.
"Where are my parents?" she asked briskly.
"In the delivery room," Regina said.
"The birth of the prince is imminent," Blue said, causing Emma to wince. "But not to worry, we've set up a force-field in conjunction with the Evil Queen's. It should keep the witch out. Of course, it would be more powerful if your magic were added to it, but my senses tell me that you've allowed yourself to be drained?" Blue eyed Emma curiously.
"Yeah. I did."
"That wasn't wise, Savior."
"I did it to save someone," Emma said. "And I'm sick of being chewed out for it."
"Yes, of course, saving someone takes priority. Perhaps your magic will be restored when the witch is defeated?"
"You just worry about your magic," Regina said. "Robin is on his way with the Merry Men, so that will help too. They may not have magic, but bows and arrows aren't harmless. At the very least, they might serve as a distraction."
"You're using your boyfriend as cannon fodder?" Emma asked, eyebrow raised.
"Of course not. And if it were up to me, he'd be safe in his tent, but he insisted on helping. He's heroic like that."
"Right, well, what can I do?" Emma asked.
Regina sighed. "Nothing. Oh, don't give me that look. You don't have magic, Emma. Why don't you go find your parents and offer them some support? It would be best if you and Henry stayed out of the way."
Emma let out a growl, then said, "Fine," in a tone similar to that of a whiny teenager.
Speaking of whiny teenagers, Henry was eyeing the back and forth between Regina and Emma curiously.
"What's going on with you and my mom?" Henry asked, as he followed Emma through the hospital.
"But she is your mom," Jason said, pointing at Emma.
"Yeah, but so is Regina. I have two moms."
"Isn't that a book?" Jason asked.
"Emma's my birth mom," Henry said, "and I have these fake memories of her raising me, but Regina raised me for real."
"Yeah but … I mean, isn't it weird? Like, isn't Emma kind of your real mom?" Jason asked.
"They both are."
"But how does that work?"
"It's like how we had our mom, but now dad loves Emma, so if mom came back – "
"Came back?" Aaron asked. "Andrea, sweetie, you know that's not possible."
Andrea shook her head. "We don't know what's possible anymore. And the wizard promised he could bring her back for good."
Henry looked at Andrea, his eyes sad. "Andrea, magic can't bring back the dead."
"What are you, a magic expert all of a sudden?"
"Kind of? I mean, it runs in my family, and I grew up in a cursed town, and I've seen it, and both my mom and my grandpa say it's impossible. If they can't do it –"
"Then the Wizard is more powerful. He has to be, because he did it. He brought me my mom. I talked to her."
"What?" Jason and Aaron both asked together.
Then Aaron asked, "Why didn't you tell me?"
"He told me not to. But if we defeat the witch, he says he can make it permanent. Won't that be amazing?"
"It's not possible," Henry said again.
"Shut up! Maybe you just don't want her to come back."
"What?"
"Yeah, 'cause then my dad will dump your mom."
"Andrea, of course I want you to have your mom back. I'm your friend."
"Are you though? Because my friend was raised in Florida and Boston, and he only just found out about magic, and now you're talking about having lived this whole other life where you know about magic and know that it can't bring back the dead. It can!"
"Okay," Emma said, "Why don't we sort this out after we stop Zelena."
"You're not stopping Zelena. It's like the Evil Queen said, you don't have magic. We're just going to be bystanders!"
"Andrea-"
"No, unlike you, I'm going to be useful. I'm going to find the Wizard, and I'm going to bring my mom back."
Andrea looked down, and Emma realized, she was still wearing the silver slippers. Quickly, she started clicking her heals, and Emma quickly took hold of the girl. In an instant, they were both gone.
Henry, Aaron, and Jason stared at the blank spot where Andrea and Emma had been seconds ago.
"So, what do we do now?" Jason asked.
"Come on," Henry said, motioning with his hand. "Let's try and find my grandparents."
Rumple, Belle, and Neal arrived at the hospital shortly after Emma, Henry, and the Davidsons had gone off to find The Charmings. Neal went to speak with Tink, Belle went to speak with Blue, and Rumple, after inspecting the magical barrier that had been put up, approached Regina. She was, after all, more powerful than the fairies. If only she were powerful enough to defeat her sister.
"You'll never keep her out like this," Rumple said as he strode up Regina. "Fairy magic is weak, and blood magic is clearly out of the question."
"You'll notice I didn't use any," Regina said. "But feel free to add your own brand."
"I only hope it's enough," Rumple said. "Light magic would have been our best weapon."
"For getting that amulet away from her, right?"
"What?" Rumple asked, eyeing her. He hadn't missed the accusatory note in her voice, though he wasn't sure exactly what it was he had done.
"You told us back at the house that there was no way to strip Zelena of her power, but after we got our memories back, we discovered that wasn't quite true. The Charmings visited Glinda the Good back in the Enchanted Forest, on your recommendation, and she told them that long ago she gave Zelena an amulet, which, if we could get it away from her, will drain Zelena of all her magic, making her powerless. You didn't tell us that."
"While I may have history with Zelena, I've never actually been to Oz, nor have I ever met this Glinda."
"But you must have known. Why else send us there?"
"Perhaps I'd done my research and discovered enough about this Glinda to suspect she might know a way to defeat your sister."
"And you really didn't know what that way was?"
"If I had, do you not think I would have mentioned it, instead of sending you off on some quest?"
"Well, you were Zelena's prisoner at the time, half out of your mind. Maybe you couldn't tell us."
"Then it seems you have answered your own question."
"But earlier today, you weren't Zelena's prisoner when you tried to talk us into killing my sister. You made quite a strong case to make us believe it was the only option."
"It's the best option."
"But not the only one."
"Well, we didn't have our memories when that conversation took place,"
"Which explains why we didn't know. Not you."
"Really Dearie, what point are you trying to make?"
"I think you knew. I think you knew there was another way and didn't tell us intentionally."
"It's rare that I lie that blatantly."
Regina scoffed, "No. You don't lie. But you play with words. And I can't remember our conversation word for word, but I'm sure if anyone could find a way to lie without lying, it would be you."
"Suppose you're right? Suppose I knew all along how to defeat the witch without bloodshed and kept it to myself. Why should either of us give a damn about the Wicked Witch of the West?"
"Because she's my sister. And because you'd be turning the Charmings into murderers. They're better than that!"
"I believe I proved that they aren't, even if they think they are. And in any case, you could resolve the issue without their needing to lift a self-righteous finger. Or are you going to pretend that your own record is spotless?"
"I'm trying to be better for my son, just as you are for yours. And I notice you haven't responded to the fact that she's my sister."
"Pan was my father. I killed him, to my own cost."
"There was no other way with Pan."
"Perhaps not, but can you really say he didn't deserve to die, for what he did to Henry? That you didn't rejoice at his demise? Now think what the witch did to my son. He nearly died!"
"How many lives have we taken trying to get what we want? Besides, your son survived."
"Yes, he did. But it was a near thing. You're also forgetting that I suffered at her hands for months."
"We got you out," Regina said.
"Actually, Belle did, and my son, with aid from the blonde fairy, and the outlaw."
"Well, they wouldn't let me help. They didn't trust me."
Rumple took a moment to absorb that. "If that's true, I'm grateful that you spared me a second though, though I wonder whether it was for my sake, or your own. Was I simply akin to Zelena's amulet in your eyes: a power she had which needed to be removed?"
"We're at war with my sister."
"And war has casualties. Now, in The Enchanted Forest, those were always the cannon fodder, as opposed to those in power, those who started the war. Perhaps things are different here. Perhaps those who start the fighting can finally get their due. You can't deny that Zelena brought this war to us. We didn't ask for it. She could have rotted for Oz for all eternity, for all I care. She and her friend Glinda could have filmed a stage musical in Manhattan."
"Oh, now you're being ridiculous."
"I'm being honest. You've never spared enemies before, your majesty, and Zelena is not only your enemy, but mine, my son's, the woman I love's, the Charmings', your son's, Emma's, everybody she turned into a monkey, not to mention the entirety of Storybrooke. She'd kill any of us happily and, if she hesitated, it would simply be because she enjoys torture. There is no shame in doing what needs to be done, and if you don't have it in you to end her, rest assured, I will. That witch will burn, one way or another."
"I listened to your advice for years, and it turned me into a monster," Regina spat.
"Blaming me for your failings? It's true, I molded you, but I could only do it because you were ripe for it. You were angry. Now, perhaps, your anger has cooled. Perhaps your power is motivated more by a protective instinct. Use that. It's powerful. But don't reach out a conciliatory hand to a sister who would happily kill you and all you hold dear. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to lend some magic to this futile exercise of keeping the witch at bay. Because she will come, and when she does, we'll see which of us is strong enough to do what must be done."
Oscar is important, but he is not the only important person in our story. Just as important, if not more so, is Glinda of the South. Glinda was descended from a long line of midwives, and occasionally, those midwives were blessed with Light magic. Such was the case with Glinda. She was a witch, a good witch to be sure, but a witch nonetheless. I feel the need to point it out because, as you may know, not all witches are good, and some wicked witches will play a role in our tale. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Glinda, as we've said, was a witch, who received her powers from the powerful fairy queen Lurline. Lurline, as any Oz historian will know, created Oz, and imbued it with magic. Nobody knew why she chose Glinda to be a good witch, as nobody knows why Lurline did anything she did. Glinda was one of Lurline's chosen few, and it is perhaps for this reason that when Lurline fell pregnant, she sought out Glinda. Glinda, being the skilled midwife she was, was happy to help deliver the child. Little did she know that Lurline had greater plans for her.
Over the nine months that Lurline stayed with Glinda, the two had many talks about the future. Lurline knew the future, being practically a goddess herself, at least by Ozian standards, and she had put all of the necessary histories and prophecies into a book she referred to as the Book of Records. For whatever reason, and again, we cannot pretend to know Lurline's mind, she gave the book to Glinda, and tried to impress upon her its importance.
"These things must come to pass," she said. "If they do not, the very fabric of Oz may crumble to dust."
It was only after the baby was born and Lurline had disappeared that Glinda read the book and found to her shock that the child's father was none other than Pastoria, the king of Oz, which made the child heir to the throne, and a fairy besides. She was destined for great things: to be a great ruler and to conquer many foes. The child, Ozma, had quite a future ahead of her and, as it happened, Glinda was responsible for that future coming to pass. The book did not tell her that, but it was what she gathered, because when Lurline disappeared after the birth, she left the infant Ozma behind.
It was less than a year after the birth of her newly adopted daughter and future heir to the throne that Glinda saw the strangest sight: a man in a flying balloon touching down just outside her house. His name, he said, was Oscar, and he was looking for his father, Augustus Moore, who had been accidentally sent to Mudge. He needed help, for he had no magic of his own. Only what he called "tricks," and objects. The objects had great power, but he couldn't simply find someone in a desert in a strange land.
Glinda explained that she had an infant child, and she couldn't leave her behind to go on some quest.
"Well then," the charming young man named Oscar said, "We'll just have to take her with us."
Glinda would have protested to taking a baby on a quest, had she not consulted the Book of Records first. The book told her that she was meant to go on this quest, and as leaving the baby behind was not an option, Oscar's plan to take the child along seemed the only course of action. The quest was quite interesting, but for our purposes, the details do not matter. All you need to know is this: they eventually found and rescued Augustus and sent him home to the Land without Color. Oscar was, of course, welcome to join him, but by that point, he and Glinda had fallen very much in love and so, he chose to stay and raise their adopted child together. They lived quite happily for three or four years, but then the Wicked Witches of The East and North unseated King Pastoria, and that set off a chain of events that none could have predicted, except perhaps the Book of Records and Lurline herself. Suffice it to say that it was the beginning of the end.
Robin was leading his Merry Men to the hospital, all of them prepared to fight the witch. They were nearly there when they encountered another assembly, also headed towards town. A familiar face was among them.
"John!" Robin exclaimed, a smile breaking out on his face.
"Robin!"
The two men embraced, Robin laughing so hard tears streamed down his face. The rest of the Merry Men took turns in hugging Little John and shaking his hand, letting him know how much he had been missed.
"How?" Robin finally asked.
"A mixture of magic and science," Dr. Whale said. "Listen, I hate to break this up, but we're actually looking for those in charge, if you catch my drift?"
Robin nodded. "Princess Snow White and Prince Charming are at the hospital awaiting the arrival of their child. The rest of us, Regina and the Dark One included, were meant to protect them with magic and arrows."
"The Dark One?" Aurora asked, her eyes wide and her voice shaking.
"He's free?" Dr. Whale asked.
"He's alive?" one of the Dwarves asked.
"It seems we all have different information," Robin said. "Yes, the Dark One is alive, free of the witch's control, and on our side. Perhaps all other questions can be held until we reach the hospital?" A murmur of agreement went through the crowd. "Splendid. Well, I'll lead the way. We're almost there, at any rate."
"I know how to get the hospital," Dr. Whale said. "Incidentally, who exactly is delivering the baby?"
Robin shrugged. Within minutes, the large mass of people reached the hospital, and Robin went straight for Regina. He gave her a kiss, and the Merry Men whooped, making Regina blush.
"How can we be of service, my lady?" Robin asked.
"Well, we're not sure how much longer until Zelena shows up – "
"Actually," Aurora said, "she won't be showing up."
"Aurora. You're … not a monkey anymore?" Regina asked.
"This brave physician saved us," Aurora said, pointing to Dr. Whale, who puffed out his chest proudly.
"I see. Well, don't let this hero business give you any ideas, Whale. Aurora is married to the father of her unborn child."
Dr. Whale rolled his eyes. "I can see that for myself, thank you. And not that it's any of your business, but I'm seeing someone." Regina raised an eyebrow at Dr. Whale, which he ignored. "What is your business is what happened to the witch."
"Don't keep us in suspense," Robin said.
"She's dead. At least, we believe she is."
"What?" Regina asked, shocked. "Start at the beginning."
"After I heroically turned the monkeys back by utilizing magic and science, we all went in search of the witch to end her once and for all."
"So, you led a lynch mob? Why am I not surprised?"
"It doesn't matter, because when we reached her hideaway, she was already dead. Killed by the Wizard of Oz. He took off with her body, and I shudder to think what depraved plans he has for it."
"You? You shudder?" Regina asked.
"I believe you're missing the point, your majesty," Rumple said, coming up behind her. "Now, while I know but little of this Wizard, what I do know is most unsettling."
"Isn't he powerless?" Regina asked, recalling what she could from the movie.
"Quite. And he craves power. Collects it."
"What exactly is your point?"
"Recently, you made me aware of an amulet of Zelena's, one where her power resides. Now a man who craves power has her body, and her amulet. Perhaps that is what he is after. Perhaps his plan was not to dispose of the witch, but to steal her magic."
"Can he do that?" Regina asked.
"I don't know. I'd have to know more about this amulet. However, given what you've told me, I'd think it's a distinct possibility, and with it comes the question: Just whose side is this Wizard of Oz on?"
It took a minute for Emma to get her bearings. Teleportation was still new to her, but she looked around, keeping one hand on Andrea so she didn't lose her.
They were in the witch's farmhouse, of all places.
Emma's pulse picked up as she saw Zelena fast asleep on a couch. There was a man with her back to her, standing over Zelena. He was holding some sort of pendant on a necklace in his hands. Emma stepped in front of Andrea, and the man must have heard, because he turned to face her. She recognized him immediately, and red-hot rage boiled in her veins, "You!" She snarled.
"Emma," he said, putting up a hand placatingly, though being careful not to drop the necklace.
She walked up to him and punched him, sending him to the ground, "You attacked me, poisioned me, tried to kill me." She kicked him as he tried to get up. "You tricked, manipulated and lied to me. How are you here? How are you even alive? What the hell could you possibly be doing here?"
She was gearing up to punch him again, but Andrea grabbed her arm. "Emma, stop!" she said.
Emma looked down at the young girl, "What? Why?"
"Because this is the Wizard."
"What?"
Andrea nodded. "He's a bit of a nub, but he can bring my mom back. You have to leave him alone."
Andrea looked at Oz hopefully, who was still trying to get his bearings.
"Why would you promise her that?" Emma asked, her face still laced with anger.
After a moment, Oz got to his feet, his eyes sad, "I'm sorry."
"What?" Andrea asked. "Wh-why?"
"Because I can't bring your mother back."
"But … no, you said you could. And I saw her. I talked to her."
"That wasn't really her."
"It was!" Andrea said, stomping her foot, "I know it was. It had to be. Don't you think I'd know?"
"People see what they want to. You wanted to see your mother. She played the role."
"She?" Andrea asked.
"Zelena," Emma said. "You've been working for her this whole time, haven't you? That's why you attacked me in New York."
"She made me her slave. I had no control over my actions. I had to do what she made me do."
"Bull!" Emma said.
"I did!"
"Why should I believe you? Do you have any idea what you've done? To me? To her?" she demanded, motioning to Andrea.
Oz looked at the girl, pity and sorrow on his face. "Yes, I know. I remember. I may not have been in control, but I remember it all, and I am so, so sorry."
Tears pooled in Andrea's eyes. She kept saying 'no' over and over again, as she sank to the floor, pulling her legs in close and rocking back and forth. Emma wanted to punch Dr. Frank, or the Wizard, or whoever he was, even more, but Andrea needed her right now.
"This isn't over," she said, before scooping the girl up into a hug and cradling her gently.
"I wouldn't expect it to be," Oz said. The gem on the necklace he carried glowed for a minute, and then he and Zelena were gone.
"I know," Emma said, stroking Andrea's hair. "I know sweetie, I know."
"No, you don't," Andrea said, pushing Emma away as she swiped at her eyes, unable to stop the tears. "You don't know. Don't pretend you're not happy about this."
"You think I'm happy?"
"If my mom stays dead, you get to stay with my dad."
"Andrea –"
"You've lost nothing! I've lost everything."
"You haven't. You still have your father and brother. They love you. So does Henry. So do I."
"But I don't have my mom! You have no idea what that's like."
"Sure, I do. I grew up without parents. And I've lost people, people I would give anything to have back."
"I don't believe you," Andrea said. "You may not have always had them, but you have your parents now, and Henry, and my dad. You have it all. Don't pretend to know what it feels like to lose your mother twice. Don't pretend to know what I'm going through."
"Okay. I won't pretend to know what it feels like. But I care about you, and I want you to be okay."
"I'm not okay! I'll never be okay again. I almost got her back, but it was all a lie, and if it weren't for you, it never would have happened. I wish my dad never met you." Andrea ran from Emma's embrace, clicked her heels, and was gone.
"Have you heard?" Oscar asked, returning from town one day, where he had been peddling wares. "Mombi is the new ruler of Oz! Mombi! She's doing such horrible things. She put Evanora in charge of the Munchkins, and now they're enslaved! And our daughter's father is now Mombi's puppet! We have to do something!"
Glinda sighed. She had known an outburst from Oscar was imminent; she had heard the same whispers her husband had.
"You're not upset about the Munchkins," she said. "You're not upset about Pastoria."
"You don't think I care about people or freedom, not to mention Ozma's future on the throne?"
"Of course, you do, dear. You're not heartless. I wouldn't love you if you were. But none of that compares to how it feels to know that the women who abandoned you are now the most powerful women in all of Oz."
Yes, did I not mention that the Wicked Witches of the East and North, Evanora and Mombi respectively, were Oscar's mothers? It was, in fact, in Oz that he'd been born to begin with.
"And I'm here working as a poor peddler!" Oscar said, slamming his fist on the table. "Have they even thought of me?"
Glinda shook her head. "My dear, Augustus was your father. He loved you, as we love Ozma. These were simply the women who birthed you."
"So, you're saying we should stand by and do nothing?"
"Certainly not. The people of Oz need us! I want to help unseat them, so one day Ozma can rule as the benevolent leader she is meant to be. And I want us to do this together … I just want to make sure you're going into this for the right reasons, with a clear head and a pure heart."
"My heart has never been pure," Oscar said.
"I so hate when you doubt yourself; if only you could see what I see. Now, I have a present for you," Glinda said, getting up.
Oscar was quite surprised by the change of subject. "Is now the time?" he asked.
"Yes, it is. We are going to need it. You know I believe you are enough without magic, but I also know how much not having magic makes you feel weak. I never want you to feel that, and with this battle we're going into, we'll need all the firepower we can get," she said, handing him a pedant. "It's enchanted, imbued with the power of our love. Wear it, and it will give you the power of a great sorcerer."
Oscar looked at Glinda, stunned. "This means more to me than you know," he said.
"I do know what it means to you."
"And you trust me with this power, a man who was a pickpocket and a showman?"
"As long as our love is pure and true, that pendant will work. And if anything, ever dilutes our love, well, I shudder to think. But we both know that won't happen. You are the greatest man I have ever met."
The two shared a kiss and embarked on their quest to defeat the Wicked Witches. Both knew it wouldn't be easy. It wasn't as though they could kill the witches; it was against Ozian law to kill. Besides, Glinda would not have loved Oscar had he been capable of that. She saw the good in him—which is all any of us really wants, isn't it? Someone who knows, without a doubt, who we are, and loves us for it.
At another time in his life, Dr. Whale would have insisted on delivering the Charming baby (and Princess Aurora's baby, who was sure to be born any day now). However, he'd gotten to play the hero enough today. Now, it was time to get the girl.
He texted Ruby and discovered she was already back at Granny's. She seemed open to his company though, so he headed for the bed and breakfast, avoiding Granny's stink-eye as he went up to Ruby's room.
"I thought you would be at Dr. Hopper's."
"I got the girls in to meet him, and then they wanted space. I think, me being the last … it was hard for them to be around me. I still can't wrap my head around it."
"Well, if you want someone to listen, I'm not sure I'm that guy. But if you want a distraction?"
Ruby laughed. "I think you sell yourself short. But, yeah, a distraction wouldn't be too bad either."
She took Dr. Whale by his tie and drew him towards her. His hands went around her waist right around the time she slipped her tongue into his mouth. He was just about to start undoing her top when he heard a small cough.
Turning, he saw a young girl in silver shoes staring at the two of them. "Maybe get a room, do you think?" she asked brassily, though her eyes were tear-stained.
"We have one. And who exactly are you?" Dr. Whale asked.
"That's Andrea," Ruby said. "She's one of the newcomers from, you know, the Land without Magic. Her father is dating Emma."
Andrea made a pained noise at her statement, but then she tried to turn it into a snort. She crossed her arms and stared down the two of them.
"I take it you're not too happy with your potential stepmother?" Ruby asked.
"It's not that," the girl said. "I just, I don't get why I'm here. The shoes are supposed to take me to someone who could understand what I'm going through. Why would they take me to you? I'm hardly eating my friends now, am I?"
"Hey, that's enough," Dr. Whale said, stepping in front of Ruby.
"Victor," Ruby said, "she's clearly in pain. What is it you're going through, sweetie? Maybe we can figure out why those shoes took you here."
"My mom is … dead," Andrea said, sitting down on one of the couches. "I mean, she's been dead for a while. But there was this wizard, and he said he could bring her back. He even let me talk to her! But it was all a lie. He couldn't bring my mother back. And nobody can understand that, can they?"
"Well, I can't exactly –" Ruby started.
"I can," Dr. Whale said. "Those shoes took you to me."
"You? Why? Who even are you?" Andrea asked, her focus on Dr. Whale.
She didn't notice Ruby heading into the other room.
Dr. Whale sat down beside her. "I'm Dr. Whale. But you'll know me better as Dr. Frankenstein." Andrea gasped, and Dr. Whale nodded. "But the story… it isn't what you think it is. When I was young, my mother died. I missed her so much, and so did my father. He never looked at me the same after that, never loved me the same. So, I started studying ways to bring her back, and it got my brother killed. I actually succeeded in bringing him back but … he wasn't the same. What's worse, he was miserable. He didn't want to be brought back. There are certain things that you shouldn't mess with."
"But you don't know –"
"I do know! I know exactly what you're going through, because I've lost people too, and I moved hell and earth to bring them back. It all went wrong. People died, and I hated myself. And if I could do it again … I still would, because if there was even a chance of getting my brother back, or seeing him again …" Dr. Whale trailed off, his eyes glassy.
Andrea's eyes were also filled with tears, both for his plight, and her own. "I knew that this guy couldn't be trusted. I could feel it. But I still, I still wanted … I would have done anything."
"Was it Rumpelstiltskin by any chance?" Dr. Whale asked.
"Henry's grandfather? No, it was the Wizard of Oz."
"Oh. That prick."
"Victor!" Ruby admonished, as she re-entered the room, motioning to Andrea.
Andrea just laughed through her tears. "It's okay," she said. "I've heard worse. And I read Shakespeare, which, if you actually understand it, is incredibly dirty. They teach it in school because they don't think anyone will get it, but … Anyway."
"I'm sorry he tricked you," Dr. Whale said. "That was lousy of him."
"I was so gullible. I just … wanted it to be true so badly."
"I get it." Dr. Whale said. "I do."
"I still would, if I could. If I thought that he …"
"It's like that. It'll always feel like that. Because even if you know she's moved on, and she's happy, you still feel like you need her."
"She'll never see me fall in love and get married. She'll never see me graduate or go off to college. How can I be okay with that?"
"You don't have to be okay with it. It's okay to be not okay, to be angry, to be willing to sell your soul just for five more minutes. I know I would," Dr. Whale said. "But science, magic, none of it can get back what we lost. We just have to keep living, and someday, we learn how to breathe again, just like they'd want us to. And hey, at least your mom's death wasn't your fault, right? So you have one up on me."
Andrea smiled through her tears. "Yeah, I guess. I would never let anything happen to my brother. He's a snot, but I love him." She stretched her arms out and let out a big yawn.
"Why don't you go lie down in here sweetie," Ruby said, motioning to the bedroom.
Andrea nodded. "I am tired. It's been a long day."
Ruby got the girl settled. Then she rejoined Victor. "That was very sweet of you, you know?'
Victor shrugged. "Oh, I just wanted her out of our hair. But my evil plan backfired, because she's occupying the bed."
Ruby laughed. "You don't fool me. You're a big softie, deep down."
"I'm really not. I've just … been where the kid has been. It sucks."
"Well, from one monster to another, you did good."
"I don't want to be a monster with you," Dr. Whale said.
"You haven't been. Mostly," Ruby said.
"Dr. Whale was," he said, hanging his head. "Before the curse broke, I mean. He was such a sleaze, and he would ogle Ruby –"
"And I had no interest in you back then. But this guy, this guy I like," she said, her hand touching where his heart was.
"Yeah?" Ruby nodded, and Dr. Whale smiled, "I would like very much, to be a guy who is good enough for a woman like you."
"Hey, Ruby was no angel, and that's still in me. Not saying I'll put out on the first date, but then, I'm not saying I won't, either. We'll have to see."
"In that case, how about tomorrow I take you to dinner?" Dr. Whale asked.
"Hm, let me think about it," Ruby said, smiling coyly. "Okay. I guess I can fit you in." She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Goodnight, Victor."
"Goodnight, Ruby."
Henry was bored. He had been excited. Now that he remembered that the new baby was his uncle, he was eagerly anticipating his arrival. But Dr. Proctor had made him and the Davidsons leave the delivery room, so now they were all just waiting. He couldn't help fight Zelena, he was worried about his mom and Andrea, and he had nothing to distract him. For once, his video game console and comics weren't doing the trick.
Then, his mom, Emma, was running toward them. "Where's Andrea?" Henry, Mr. Davidson, and Jason all asked.
Emma deflated. "She's … safe. She's at Granny's. Ruby called, and she's watching over her."
"I don't understand," Mr. Davidson said. "What happened?"
"The shoes took us to the Wizard, who it turns out, was my psycho psychiatrist."
"The one that attacked you? Are you okay?" Mr. Davidson asked, grabbing her and looking her over.
"I'm fine," she said, though she let him look her over just the same, smiling slightly as he did. "Really. But the Wizard was lying about bringing your wife back. He was working for Zelena. He disappeared after telling us and giving a half-assed apology, but Andrea was pretty wrecked. She ran off, but Ruby called and said she was safe with her. We can call back and see if she can bring her here, but she might be safer with a werewolf than she is here, considering Zelena is on her way."
"Actually, she isn't," Henry heard Regina say. They all turned to face her, and the large number of people standing beside her.
"What do you mean?" Emma asked.
"The Wicked Witch, my sister, is dead."
The rebellion against Mombi and Evanora was quite a coup. I won't bore you with the details, but it all came down to showmanship. In the end, Oscar faked his death and made it seem that he had been reborn as a great and terrible creature known as Oz. Glinda bolstered his power by claiming that his transformation had been prophesied in the book of records. Mombi and Evanora fled his wrath, and for a moment, it seemed all was well. He had proved his power to his mothers and taken back the throne for his daughter to ascend one day. The problem, you see, was his daughter. Nobody seemed to know what had happened to her. Glinda looked high and low, but could not find six-year-old Ozma in any land. Mombi, too, was missing, and no magic seemed capable of tracking either of them.
Furious, Oscar, now Oz, released his wrath on Evanora, who was not particularly good at hiding. (He did not know why his mothers had separated, and he did not care. What hurt one hurt the other, and he wanted revenge!) Using the power of the amulet, Oz, the Great and Powerful created a mighty cyclone and sent it to her hideout in Quadling country. The cyclone ripped up many a Munchkin house, and one fell on Evanora, killing her.
"How could you?" Glinda yelled at her husband.
"They took our daughter!"
"And this gets her back? You didn't do this for Ozma, Oscar, you did this for you."
"My name is Oz," he spat.
"Yes, the showman who believes his own show. What has become of you?"
The magic in Oz's pendant had been flickering for some time, ever since Ozma had gone missing and he and Glinda had ceased showing one another affection, but it was at this moment that it went out completely, never to be magical again.
Both stared at each other, rage cooling as sad reality set in. "You don't believe in me anymore, do you? You don't think I'm a great man?"
"I never cared if you were a great man, Oz. I simply cared that you were a good one."
"I'll still try to find her," he said.
"As will I. But her fate has been written. She will take the throne one day; I'm confident of that. In the meantime, we can simply hope she'll be returned to us."
"I wish things were different."
"So do I. Goodbye, Oz."
Over the months that followed, Glinda and Oz divorced, and she took her vows in the Sisterhood of Witches. She represented love, and she did love, so greatly. She didn't love Oz anymore, and she couldn't imagine loving any man again, but her love for her daughter and her sisters was enough. Oz, meanwhile, ruled the Land of Oz for years, always searching for his daughter. He also sought magical objects and other sources of power. He found some magic, but not Ozma.
Ozma did eventually return to Oz and, with her girlfriend Dorothy, embarked on a quest to retake the throne, but at that point, Oz was a slave himself, and a flying monkey to boot, so it was rather moot. He would have loved to see his daughter, though he feared her coming face to face with his master, the wickedest witch he had ever known. But Zelena had her own plans, and by the time Ozma reached the royal palace, Zelena was in the Enchanted Forest, and he was in the Land without Magic. And I'll bet you know what happened next …
"I can't believe it's over," Charming said, gazing in awe at his newborn son. "We have a child, a beautiful baby boy, and nobody is coming to take him from us."
"Actually, I am," Dr. Proctor said. "But just for a little bit. He needs to go get cleaned up, and his new mama needs rest, but we'll bring him back in a couple of hours to breastfeed."
"Gross," Jason and Henry both said, followed by, "Jinx."
"I'm really happy for you guys," Emma said. "And see, I didn't need magic for this to happen. Everyone is safe, and I didn't need to lift a finger."
Aaron kissed her forehead. "You were pretty heroic, going after my daughter with no magic or anything."
"Well, you're dating a badass; didn't you know?"
"I did."
Rumple sidled up next to Regina. "It appears you dodged a bullet, your majesty."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Thanks to your constituents, you were spared the necessity of making a difficult choice regarding your sister. Well. Difficult for you, at any rate. She is slain, and neither of us had need or opportunity to intervene."
"You think I should be happy about that?"
"Quite. You want the Charmings, your son, and the outlaw to believe you've changed, and now it need not be tested."
"I have changed. And how much exactly does your little girlfriend know about your past? I don't think she'd be too keen on some of things you've done."
"Are you threatening me?"
"No. I'm just saying, we both want to leave the past in the past. I think that's fair?"
Rumple nodded and then excused himself, heading toward his son who was flirting with some fairy.
Before Regina had a moment to breathe, Belle was behind her, "I, uh, couldn't help but overhear."
"And now you want to know all the skeletons in Rumple's closet? As much pleasure as that would give me, I value my well-being too much to piss him off right now."
"I know who Rumple is. Our beginning was ... unorthodox to say the least, and I saw the worst of him, but I also saw the best. He let me choose to love him after knowing the things he'd done, and after I'd witnessed some of them myself. Don't you think Robin deserves the same courtesy?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about his wife. I found out some time ago, and I won't say anything because it's not my place, but … I think you should."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Marian. You had her killed. Sentenced her to death."
"I most certainly did not. I never even met the girl."
"Regina, I have proof. I know you did this … But you didn't know, did you?"
"Well, I've sentenced a lot of people to death over the years. I hardly kept track. Belle, are you sure?"
"I'm sorry. I know this puts you in an uncomfortable position, but wouldn't you rather he chooses to be with you, even knowing what you've done?"
"Why would he?"
"Doesn't he deserve the choice? If you care about him, you have to give him that."
"And if he leaves me?"
"Then I don't think you ever truly had him."
Glinda knew the second Zelena was dead. There was no other explanation for the lifting of her exile. She appeared, quite suddenly, back in Mudge. It saddened her that Zelena was dead, but she was happy to be back, especially as she heard whispers that her daughter was making a bid for the throne at long last. She wasted little time preparing for a journey to the Emerald City. It had been so long, and she was so excited to see how Ozma had grown! She wondered if the girl remembered her? Hope filled her heart, and with her magic bubbles she was able to reach the Emerald City in record time.
When she arrived, one of her sister witches approached her. "A package was delivered for you by magic. It's strange, because it comes from a land that I believed had no magic."
The package, as it turned out, proved to be Zelena's remains, made up prettily, with her pendant polished. A note accompanied the body:
"Glinda, I thought that you would know what best to do with this. You always knew best, when it came to this sort of thing. Yes, I used the pendant, but only to send her back. Was I tempted to use its power for my own gain? I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. But I have been much humbled over these past few decades. Much has happened to me. I won't bore you with the details, but I will tell you this: I'm finally ready to prioritize making good. You once saw good in me, and though I know too much has happened for us to return to the people we were, I thought you should know that I am striving to be a good man once more, and to make amends. Be well and do good, as you always have. Yours, ~Oscar."