Since Emma and Henry have been gone, I've been staying with my mom and dad. I know that they want their privacy, but they tell me that they like having me around to help with the quietness. I came downstairs and saw my mom staring in the mirror. I also noticed that my dad was making breakfast. I joined him and gave him a side hug.
"What are you doing?" my mom asked as she looked at my dad in the mirror.
"I'm making breakfast." my dad replied.
"Why?" my mom asked.
"I'm hungry and I figured Hazelle was too." my dad replied.
"You think I don't know what you're doing? We talked about this. We had a deal." my mom said.
"I know. I know. But, with the curse broken, I thought maybe you would change your mind." my dad said.
"Well, I didn't. What's this?" my mom said before seeing the box on the table.
"Birthday present." my dad replied.
I'm so confused right now, but I know that it'll be explained to me soon.
"No, I told you…" my mom went to say.
"It's not from me!" my dad said.
"I have no clue what's going on, so it's definitely not from me." I said when my mom looked at me.
"No one else knows." my mom said.
"Apparently, someone does, and they think you should celebrate. It was left outside the door this morning." my dad said.
I'm starting to piece everything together. I think it's my mom's birthday, but she doesn't want to celebrate. I'm not sure why, but maybe I'll find out soon.
My mom then opened the gift and we waited to see what it was.
"What is it?" I asked.
My mom then lifted the tiara out of the box and began to tear up.
"I thought that was lost when the curse hit." my dad said.
"So did I." my mom said.
My mom spotted the card that was attached, handed my dad the tiara, opened the card, turned it over, and read what was written.
"Johanna." my mom said.
"I didn't know she was in Storybrooke." my dad said.
"Neither did I." my mom said.
"After the curse, you were gone for a while. We're all still finding each other. It hasn't been easy." my dad said.
"I have to go." my mom said.
She took the tiara back from my dad and grabbed her coat.
"Okay. Hey… Happy Birthday." my dad said as he helped her with her coat.
They kissed and I made a face. Both of them chuckled at me, but they both know that I love them, even though we haven't known each other for very long.
"Thank you for understanding. You should go. It's getting late. You have to go to work." my mom said.
"I know. I just… I just wish this day made you happier." my dad said.
"I know. But we both know it can't." my mom said before leaving.
My dad filled me on what I missing and all I wanted to do was hug my mom. I asked my dad if I could come to work with him, and he agreed because it would get me out of the house/apartment. We headed inside and while I was doing something, I heard a thud. I ran towards where I heard the thud and saw my dad on the floor.
"Dad!" I yelled as I ran to him.
I heard movement to my left and when I looked up, I saw Hook with his hook.
"Did you really have to hurt my dad?" I growled.
"Sorry sweetheart, but I needed my hook." Hook replied before turning to leave.
I would've gone after him but I was more worried about my dad. I finally got my dad to come to and had him in a chair when my mom came in.
"What happened?" my mom asked when she saw me trying to take care of my dad's cut on his head.
"Hook. He ambushed me." my dad replied.
"Are you hurt?" my mom asked before noticing the cut.
"I'm fine. It's not me he wants. It's Gold… and his hook. Yeah, I'm going to enjoy throwing his ass in jail." my dad replied.
"Hook isn't the problem, David." my mom said.
"Tell that to my head." my dad said.
I couldn't help but giggle because it was a little funny.
"Who could be the problem?" I genuinely asked.
"It's Regina. She's been lying to us. She's working with Cora to find Gold's dagger." my mom replied.
"The dagger controls him. If Cora gets it, she can force Gold and all his power to do her bidding." my dad said as he stood up.
"Or… Become the Dark One herself." my mom added.
"Neither one of those options sounds good. Lucky for us, we can call the man himself. He's with Emma." my dad said before going to try to call Gold.
"Tried it. Sent a message." my mom said.
"Well, we can't just wait." my dad said.
"No, we have to buy time until they call us back or return." my mom said.
"How?" I asked.
"Regina. She doesn't trust her mother. Never has. If we can put some doubt in her about Cora's motives, it might slow them down." my mom replied.
"And you think she'll just trust you?" my dad asked.
"Well, she doesn't need to trust me. She just has to listen to me. And I know how to get her to do that." my mom replied.
I don't like where this is going, but I guess I'll have to wait and see what is about to come.
*New York*
Neal, Henry, Emma, and Gold walked down the street. Neal and Henry were deep in conversation while Emma and Gold walked behind them.
"So, uh… You like pizza?" Neal asked.
"Yeah. Let me guess- you're going to tell me the best pizza's in New York, and I got to try it, right?" Henry replied before firing a question back at Neal.
"Actually, it's in the Kingdom of Damarian on the north shore of the Dragon Fields of Zorn. Nah, it's in New York. Here, let's get you a slice." Neal replied.
They turned to go into this business.
"So you're really from there?" Henry asked.
"Yeah, I am." Neal replied before they both went inside.
Emma and Gold stood outside because Emma didn't know if they should join or not, but Gold knew otherwise.
"Do you think that we should…" Emma started to say but trailed off.
"If we were welcome, I feel confident an invitation would have been extended. It's a sad truth that the people closest to us are the ones capable of causing us the most pain. That's our common ground, Miss Swan." Gold said.
"Guess my lying to him just caught up with me." Emma said.
"Ah, give him time. He'll forgive you." Gold said.
"Is that you projecting your own hopes?" Emma asked.
"My son and I have some way to go." Gold replied.
"I can see that." Emma said.
"I need you to speak to him. Try and convince him to come back to Storybrooke with us." Gold said.
"If I recall, there was only one favor I owed you, and I think I'm paid up." Emma said.
"This isn't about me anymore. You'll do it for Henry." Gold said.
"How do you figure that?" Emma asked.
"Well, because if you don't, you're going to wake up one morning, and discover he's hopped on a bus back to New York. He ran away to Boston to be with you. He'll do the same thing for his father." Gold replied.
"Until Neal lets him down- which he will. It'll be a hard lesson, but then at least Henry will understand that I lied to protect him." Emma said.
"Someone's beginning to sound a lot like Regina. I think the real reason you lied was to protect yourself." Gold said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Emma asked because she couldn't believe that Gold just compared her to Regina.
"From getting hurt again." Gold replied.
"That's not happening." Emma said.
"You want a second chance with that man." Gold said.
"What makes you think that?" Emma asked.
"The look on your face." Gold replied.
"You have no idea what…" Emma went to say but got interrupted.
"What are we talking about?" Neal asked as he and Henry rejoined Emma and Gold.
"Emma, Neal wanted to show me the museum. Do you think we can go back to the apartment and get my camera?" Henry asked.
Emma glanced at Neal to see what he was going to say.
"Yeah, well, I… Kids like culture, right?" Neal said.
"Sure. Yeah, that's fine. You like the New York pizza?" Emma replied.
"Yeah. It's delicious, cheesy, and doesn't lie." Henry replied.
Emma's expression dropped after Henry said that. She understood that he was upset, but he didn't have to throw it in her face every time he spoke to her. She was ready to get back to Storybrooke after all of this chaos.
The group walked back to Neal's apartment. Neal and Emma hung back while Gold and Henry walked ahead of them.
"So, should I call you grandpa, now?" Henry asked Gold.
"Call me whatever you'd like." Gold replied.
"He's a good kid." Neal said to Emma.
"Yeah." Emma said.
"Hey, I'm trying my best here." Neal said.
"I know. We all are. It's just, we're going to have to go back. To our home." Emma said.
"I'm just getting to know him." Neal said.
"Then maybe… Maybe you should come with us." Emma said.
"To Storybrooke?" Neal questioned.
"I've seen your apartment. You don't got a lot going on here." Emma replied.
"Looks can be deceiving. Listen… There's something I've been meaning to tell you. It's complicated." Neal said.
"So, Neal, do you think we can take the subway?" Henry asked.
"Yeah. Sure, of course. Let's go get that camera." Neal replied.
The group got on the subway and soon arrived back at Neal's apartment.
"Come on." Henry said as he tried to unlock the door to get in.
"Here. I got it." Neal said.
He unlocked the door and he and Henry headed to the apartment while Emma and Gold stayed back.
"So, uh, did you talk to him?" Gold asked Emma.
"He said it's complicated." Emma replied.
"Oh, I see." Gold said.
"Well, maybe he just needs some time. I don't know." Emma said.
All of a sudden, Hook comes in, knocks Emma to the ground, and then lunges at Gold. Hook pinned Gold against the wall and then stabbed Gold with his hook.
"Tick tock. Time's up, crocodile. You killed Milah, my love, my happiness. And for that, I now take your life." Hook taunted.
Emma then regained her senses, grabbed something, and hit Hook over the head with it. She then went to Gold, who was slumped on the floor.
"Gold, are you alright?" Emma asked.
Before Gold could respond, Neal rejoined them.
"What the hell is going on?" Neal asked.
"One of your dad's enemies found us." Emma replied as she pointed at Hook.
"Hook." Neal said as she glanced at the unconscious Hook.
"You know him?" Emma questioned.
Neal checked on Gold's wound, and when he pulled his hand away, he saw blood.
"Papa?" Neal asked.
Emma could tell that Neal was upset by his father being hurt, even though he might not say so. Emma was also glad that Hazelle wasn't there because she knew that Hook wouldn't be breathing at this moment because she is very protective of the people she cares about.
Neal brought Gold back to his apartment, while Emma went to lock Hook up anywhere she could.
"Found a storage room and locked our stab-happy pirate in there. Shouldn't be causing anyone else any problems. And get this- he had a map on him. It looks like he sailed his ship here." Emma said as she re-entered Neal's apartment.
"How'd he get a pirate ship into New York?" Neal asked.
"It's cloaked. Don't worry. He's not going to hurt any of us." Emma replied.
"But is Mr. Gold going to be okay?" Henry asked.
"Henry, he's going to be fine." Neal said.
"Mr. Gold, are you alright?" Henry asked as he approached Gold.
"You stay away from me. You caused this. You brought us back here. You did this." Gold replied as he grabbed Henry.
Gold then let Henry go as Emma came back with her phone.
"Hey, kid. The battery's dead. Go in the other room and see if you can find a charger, okay?" Emma said.
"Okay." Henry said before going into the other room.
"Oh, man… We got to get him to an ER, fast." Neal said.
"It's pointless." Gold said.
Gold's wound had started turning a yellow-green color.
"What the hell is that?" Emma asked.
"It's poison. It's one of Hook's own making. There's no antidote in this world. It's… It's not from here." Gold replied.
"Hey, hey, hey, hey. There's got to be some way we can save you." Neal said.
"There is, there is." Gold said.
"Storybrooke. There's magic there now. We need to get him back." Emma added.
"I'll get the car." Neal said.
"No, no, no. There's not enough time. We need something faster. The Captain's ship." Gold said.
"The Jolly Roger instead of a car?" Emma asked.
"It's the fastest vessel in all the realms." Gold replied.
"Well, that's great, but who's going to captain it, since the only guy qualified wants you dead?" Emma asked.
"I can do it." Neal replied.
"Bae?" Gold asked.
"Yeah. I can do it." Neal said again.
"You know how to sail a pirate ship?" Emma asked.
"Yeah. I do." Neal replied.
*Storybrooke*
Mom came back from talking with Regina and told us what happened. It was a good thing that I didn't go because I probably would've slapped her for hitting a low blow on my mom. Just because your mom is a manipulative, narcissistic, controlling bitch doesn't mean that she can talk shit about my mom losing her mom because of an illness. I hugged my mom and she was grateful for it.
My dad, mom, and I headed to the convent and met up with Mother Superior, the Blue Fairy, outside.
"Mother Superior! We need your help." my mom said as we met up with Mother Superior.
"I know. Something's wrong. I sense a great deal of dark magic has been expelled." Mother Superior said.
"That's why we're here. Cora and Regina are trying to find Gold's dagger." my dad said.
"So they may control The Dark One." Mother Superior said.
"We're hoping your magic will find the dagger first. Please, Mother Superior, you're our only hope." my mom said.
*New York*
"What are you doing?" Emma asked Neal.
"Getting us a car." Neal replied as he messed with his phone.
"I thought you were suddenly a pirate and were going to take a ship." Emma said.
"Yeah, well, we still got to get his ass to the ship." Neal said while pointing his finger at his father.
"So you know Hook?" Emma asked.
"It's a long story. Short version, is this world wasn't my first stop when I left home." Neal replied.
"No?" Emma asked.
"If it was, I'd be a couple hundred years old by now." Neal replied.
Before Emma could say a word, Neal's phone rang.
"That should be our ride. Hang tight." Neal said before leaving the room.
"Emma, you need to see this." Henry said as he came back into the room.
"What is it, kid?" Emma asked.
"It's a text from David, Mary Margaret, and Hazelle. You need to read it- now." Henry replied.
Henry handed the phone to Emma and her facial expression changed once she read the message.
"Bad news, Gold." Emma said.
"What's worse than incurable poison?" Gold asked.
"I don't know. You tell me. You got a dagger hidden somewhere in Storybrooke that's the source of all your power?" Emma replied.
"Get to your point." Gold said.
"Cora's after it. The only way to stop her is have David, Mary Margaret, and Hazelle get to it first." Emma said.
"Yeah, let Cora try." Gold said.
"You can't seriously be willing to risk this. Not with your son coming back with you to Storybrooke." Emma said.
"Miss Swan, that dagger has not left my possession for centuries. It's not about to now." Gold said.
"Here's the thing. You're dying. And right now, we are your best hope. Time's come for to you start trusting someone. And, if I were you, I'd start with family." Emma said.
*Storybrooke*
My mom, dad, Mother Superior, and myself are standing outside Gold's shop. Mother Superior started using her wand to try to magically break through the protective barrier that Gold had put around his shop. Suddenly, her wand started to burn her hand, and she ended up dropping it.
"Ah! He's cast a protection spell." Mother Superior said.
"Well, then we need to try something equally powerful." my mom said.
"Dark magic?" my dad asked.
"Dear, you don't know what you're saying." Mother Superior said.
"Cora can't get that dagger. If dark magic is the only thing that can break that protection spell, we need to make an exception and use it. Just like you told me once before." my mom said.
"What… I never told you any such thing." Mother Superior said in shock.
"Look, I kept your secret." my mom said.
Mother Superior looked insulted by what my mom said, but it's starting to make more sense now. My phone started to ring and I knew who it was by the tone.
"Everybody hang on." my dad said as I went to answer my phone.
"Emma? He told you where it is?" I asked.
Emma explained what Gold told her and I glanced at the town clock. Of course, it would be there. I can't believe that I didn't think of that before. We headed to the town clock and I let my mom and dad go ahead, while I slowly crept up behind them. I finally reached them when I heard Cora talk.
"Indeed he can be. But by whom?" Cora asked.
"Cora…" my mom said.
"You're too late." my dad said.
"Actually, it seems that we found you just in time." Cora said.
"I told you to pick your side carefully. Good has won, just as it always does." my mom said to Regina, I believe.
"I think the day's finally come, my darling Snow, for you to learn a long overdue lesson." Cora said.
She might want to be careful because I will do anything to protect my parents. I heard a whoosh sound before my mom said anything.
"Johanna!" my mom gasped.
"You see, in the end, it isn't good or evil that wins… But power." Cora said.
I heard Johanna gasp so that told me that Regina pulled her heart out of her chest.
"Your choice." Regina taunted.
"Do not harm her. She has nothing to do with this." my mom said.
"Of course she does." Cora laughed.
"Whatever they want, Snow, don't give it to them." Johanna said.
"Quiet, handmaid." Cora said.
I heard movement and I think my dad pulled his gun.
"Mother, watch out." Regina said.
That just gave it away. I saw my dad's gun heading my way and caught it. I put it away and finally joined my parents. Cora and Regina weren't happy that I was there, but Regina should know by now that I'll do anything to protect my family.
"Leave me, Snow!" Johanna begged.
I knew this was hurting my mom, but she needed to be strong because evil can not win. Regina then squeezed Johanna's heart and she yelled in pain.
"Enough of this. Surrender the dagger. We all know you'll follow your mother's example, no matter the cost. All she ever wanted was for you to be good." Cora said.
"Those words… Where did you hear those words?" my mom asked.
"Where do you think?" Cora replied.
"The Blue Fairy made me swear never to speak of that candle again. Not because it was a secret… But because it wasn't her." my mom said.
"The dagger, dear." Cora said.
Can this woman shut the hell up? We get it. You want to desperately be loved by Regina that you're willing to murder everyone in this town.
"She didn't give me that candle. You did. My mother wasn't sick at all, was she?" my mom asked.
Please tell me that bitch didn't purposely murder my grandmother.
"Oh, she was quite sick." Cora said.
"You did all of this. You killed my mother!" my mom said.
"Actually, the candle would've worked. You could've saved her." Cora said.
"But you knew I wouldn't. Why? Why did you take her from me?" my mom asked.
"To make my daughter the Queen." Cora replied.
"Bitch move from a low life." I growled.
"Hand over the dagger." Regina said.
I really want to throttle them both, but my main concern is to protect my parents, but they'll get what's coming to them.
"No. No. I will not let you win. Not again!" my mom said.
"You've already lost your mother. How many connections to her do you have left? Not many, I'd wager." Cora said.
"That's because you wanted your daughter to desperately be Queen because no real King wanted your nasty ass as their Queen." I growled.
I could tell that Cora didn't like that, but she couldn't do anything because of what happened the last time she tried.
"If we give up the dagger, we can still win." my dad said.
"Let me go, Snow. It's alright." Johanna said.
Regina squeezed Johanna's heart and it took everything in me not to just attack Regina.
"What would she say if she could see you now? If she wasn't dead." Cora said.
"That she's proud of her daughter for being a pure soul and not a controlling, narcissistic bitch like you and your daughter." I growled.
Cora gave me a dirty look, but I could tell that my dad was proud of me. He sees that I'm not charging at them, but I'm getting to them by using my words, which is more hurtful because I have a very smart mouth.
Regina continued to squeeze Johanna's heart and I could see my mom cracking.
"The dagger, dear." Cora said.
"Enough!" my mom yelled as she threw the dagger to the ground.
"Such a good girl." Cora said while magically summoning the dagger to her.
"You have what you came for." my mom said.
Regina put Johanna's heart back in her chest and she joined my parents and myself.
"Not quite everything." Cora said.
Croa then magically threw Johanna out the face of the clock, where she fell to her death. My mom looked out and was devastated. My dad is attempting to comfort her.
"Well, there you go. You see where good gets you?" Regina taunted.
"And you'll see where your bitch of mother gets you. Remember this, I'm still in town and I'm gunning for you. I know more than either of you think." I growled as I took a step.
I could tell that Regina was a little rattled because she knew that I wasn't bluffing. Her and Cora then left and I turned my attention back to my parents.
*New York*
Emma and Neal are walking to the car that is going to help get Gold to the Jolly Roger to get back to Storybrooke.
"It should be one more block West." Neal said.
"Once we get the car, what do we do about Hook?" Emma asked.
"I don't know. He made his way to New York. I'm sure he could make his way out of a basement. You have a problem leaving him behind?" Neal replied.
"Actually, Hazelle and I have done it before." Emma replied.
"Great." Neal said.
"I have to admit, after some of the things you've said, I'm surprised you'd rally to his side like this." Emma said.
"There's a difference between running away from your father and watching him die in front of you. He may be a monster, but he's my blood." Neal said.
"What happens when he's healed?" Emma asked.
"I don't know. Forgiveness ain't something I think is possible with him." Neal replied.
"But somewhere inside you, you hope someday, it will be." Emma said.
"Life's full of surprises, isn't it?" Neal asked.
"Well, no matter what, it'll be nice for Henry to be around you a little bit, even if it is just for a visit." Emma replied.
"Here's our car." Neal said.
"Please tell me we are not going to hotwire this thing." Emma said.
"No. Uh… It belongs to a friend." Neal said after he grabbed the keys from under the frame above the tire.
"That's a generous friend." Emma said.
"Yeah, about that. Um… We need to finish our conversation from earlier. There's something you need to know about me before we get on the ship." Neal said.
Suddenly, a woman called out to Neal as she was running up.
"Neal! Thank God I caught you." the woman said as she joined Emma and Neal.
"What are you doing here?" Neal asked.
"I don't know. I… Maybe I got a little worried after talking to you. You can't just say you're leaving town for a while." the woman replied.
"Hey. Yeah, listen. Everything's fine, okay? I promise." Neal said.
"Great, sweetie. Just tell me what's going on." the woman said.
"Neal?" Emma asked.
She was trying to help Gold, but Neal couldn't seem to shut this woman down so they could get Gold the help he needed.
"I'm Tamara." the woman said as she introduced herself to Emma.
"Emma." Emma said as she introduced herself.
"She's my fiancé." Neal said.
Emma didn't know what to think, but she knew that maybe Gold was right about her possibly still having feelings for Neal. She just hopes that she can keep her head on straight, so all of them can make it home safely.
*Storybrooke*
Mom, dad, and myself were at the graveyard and watched as my mom planted flowers on top of Johanna's grave.
"It was a beautiful service." I said.
"That never should've happened. Johanna was innocent." my mom said.
"You can't blame yourself. You did the best you could in an impossible situation." my dad said.
"And yet, Regina's family mausoleum remains untouched." my mom said.
"Mom…" I said.
"I've had the same rule my entire life- hold on to goodness. It's what my mother taught me. How many more lives is following that lesson going to take away from me?" my mom asked.
I can tell that this is bothering my mom more than she is showing, but she can't blame herself because this isn't her fault.
"You can't let Cora make you lose faith in who you are- someone who does the right thing. You know, that's exactly what she wants." my dad said.
"I made the 'right' decision, when I stopped Regina's execution all those years ago. When it could've saved us all of this heartache. I made the 'right' decision, when I sent Emma and Hazelle through the wardrobe, and we didn't see their first steps. I made the 'right' decision, when I let my own mother die from Cora's poison." my mom said.
"And we keep beating them." my dad said.
My heart aches for my mother, and I don't know how to help her.
"At what cost? All I want is our happy ending. It's time. We've earned it. No more lives lost. No more hearts broken." my mom said.
"The dagger… It's useless until Gold returns to Storybrooke. We have time. We'll get it back. And when we do, we can bring Cora and Regina to justice." my dad said.
"I don't care about justice anymore. We keep thinking that people will change. What if that's wrong? What if I'm the one who has to change?" my mom asked.
"Change how?" I questioned.
"I'm going to kill Cora." my mom replied.
My dad and I exchanged looks because now both of us are worried. My mom is willing to go dark just to bring down Cora and Regina. Neither of us can let that happen, but with my mother, I don't know if we can keep her from doing that. I need Emma now because she could help us.
Hazelle's Outfit: pin/553731716706656748/