When the next day came, Emma called everyone important and told them to come to the sheriff's station as soon as possible. Ben and Audrey looked exhausted from what they had recently done and it seemed hopeless because they couldn't really do anything to help the situation, but hoped to find a solution soon, especially Ben as he always stayed determined no matter what. Rumple had just put a certain item away in his safe and closed it before anyone could see it.
"Hey, Dad." Ben greeted his father before yawning a bit heavily as Evie joined his side.
"Benjamin," Rumple said with a small smile. "Were you able to help your friend?" he then asked.
"No, I'm afraid I haven't, but I helped another friend in need." Ben explained wearily.
"We didn't see you in the house at all, it was just us and Mrs. Gold." Evie added.
"Young Evie, you spent the night?" Rumple asked.
"Yes, but that's not important right now and whatever you're doing here will have to wait," Evie replied. "Emma wants to see everyone right away."
Rumple looked curious, though he did nod at the two teenagers as they wasted no time and hurried off to the sheriff's station.
And so, everyone else met up over there and they watched the video that Emma had seen with Elwin last night because of how important and interesting it seemed.
"Give it back, Kevin. The camera is Emma's, not yours." The video said before pausing suddenly as Emma was shown beside the woman who they all would come to know as The Snow Queen.
"Emma, that's you. You must be-" Mary Margaret realized and was about to add.
"13, maybe 14." Emma guessed.
"Are you missing the part where she's with The Snow Queen?" Regna reminded everyone else.
"Miss Swan, did you know her before you came to Storybrooke?" Evie wondered.
"Apparently my run-in with her in town wasn't the only memory she erased," Emma replied. "All this time in this foster home, or whatever that place was... It's gone."
"Look, I-I just don't understand how she even ended up in this world." Belle said, sounding confused.
"We were hoping Gold could tell us that," Emma said before facing the man in question. "You spent more time trying to get here than anyone. How the hell did she do it?" she then asked him.
"Considering the time I spent on the same task; I'd love to know." Rumple admitted.
"Great... another dead-end." Ben grumbled in slight annoyance.
"Well, don't take it out on me, son." Rumple warned his teenage son with his tone.
"Sorry, Dad." Ben then said before yawning a bit since he was exhausted from trying to help Sophie.
"Does it really matter how she got to Emma?" David soon asked. "I mean, shouldn't we be more concerned about why?"
"Obviously, she needed her for something." Regina remarked.
"But what?" Evie wondered.
"Well, that's our next problem." Regina said to her daughter.
"Okay, so what do we know?" Ben then suggested as they tried to think this through.
"Well, we know she's hiding somewhere in the north woods. We combed every inch of her shop," David then said. "We tore apart her house. She must have cleared everything out days before."
"Which means she must be hiding something." Harry piped up as Killian nodded in agreement.
"But where?" Emma wondered.
"Oh, I know!" Dee Dee piped up, making everyone face her. "What about the ice cream truck?"
"Yeah, her ice cream truck." Henry agreed and smiled at Dee Dee's idea.
"Whoa, Snow Queen has an ice-cream truck?" Emma asked out of surprise.
"We're kids; we notice these kinds of things." Henry remarked.
"And I have a world class sweet tooth." Dee Dee added.
"She's not kidding, I swear that a certain someone always tries to steal a second slice of sugarplum pie whenever I'm at work in the mines and it's just Dee Dee and Nova at home." Leroy smirked playfully.
Dee Dee looked bashful in response over that.
"Then we split up into groups. We search the town, the woods," David soon suggested. "Hook, Regina, Emma, Evie, Harry, you take the west. Gold, Ben, you're with me for the east."
"I think we all know I work best alone. Well, no time to argue that," Rumple retorted. "Belle, how are you at tracking?" he then asked his wife.
"Uh, actually, I-I think I'll be more helpful at the library," Belle suddenly said. "Maybe I can dig something up on The Snow Queen."
"I'll come with you, Mom." Ben offered.
"Of course, dear." Belle agreed.
"I'd like to come with you, Belle, if that's okay. Maybe something about my sister will be there, too. Unless you'd rather not have the extra company?" Elsa requested and then asked.
"No, n-not at all," Belle replied, though she sounded a little funny. "I would love some."
Ben raised an eyebrow at that curiously, but didn't say anything of course.
"I'd like Elwin to come too in that case," Elsa said hopefully. "We have some sort of connection, and we need to figure it out."
"I'll give him a call for you." Ben offered to Elsa.
Elsa looked curious about how he was going to do that since she was even more of a stranger to modern technology compared to everyone else in Storybrooke.
"Want some help on your ballet?" Henry asked Dee Dee.
"I'd love your help, Henry," Dee Dee smiled. "I'd like to visit the pawnshop too, I think there might be a book I need to go look at for some research."
"Research on what?" Leroy asked protectively.
"Relax, Leroy, it's just something for her dance school." Nova said, trying to calm down the former grumpy dwarf.
"...it better be." Leroy said with narrowed eyes.
Dee Dee sighed and shook her head while Henry bashfully smiled at both her and Leroy and Nova.
"See ya later, Dad." Ben said.
"Try not to fall asleep, son." Rumple said with a playful smirk.
"I'll try not to, Dad." Ben smirked back.
"So, am I free to go now?" Jay asked as he was still in the cell.
"Oh, right, let me get that door for you." Emma then said as she went to get the door for him and unlocked it, allowing him to come out.
Jay then stepped outside and took a great big stretch. "Man, that night behind bars really made me appreciate the outside world." he then said.
"Let's just hope this is the first step to your new life." Lotus said as she arrived with Carlos, Carla, and Gil.
"Lotus." Jay said softly before he rushed over to her and hugged her right away.
"Oh!" Lotus blinked at how sudden the hug felt before she smiled and gently patted him on the back. "My, Jay, I guess you really have learned a lot during your night in here."
"Yeah, I have, I'm glad to see you guys again, especially-" Jay smiled before he looked over and noticed someone missing. "...Enid?"
"Don't tell me Enid went missing?" Emma sighed at that.
"We're afraid so, Emma, but we have no idea where she could have gone," Lotus frowned. "Could you maybe be on the look out for her too?"
"Well, all right, we'll see what we can do." Emma said as today was going to be adventurous enough as it was.
(probably polish this up about trying to look for Enid in the meantime, this is all I got for now)
At the library, Ben, Elsa, Elwin, and Belle were hard at work. Ben glanced at his mother, feeling suspicious around her, but didn't want to say anything that might cause drama between the two of them so he did his best to help out where he would be needed. He, Elwin, and Elsa seemed to be having bad luck in the search department.
"There doesn't seem to be anything on Arendelle here." Elsa said as she looked with Elwin and Ben.
"Do you know where to look, Mrs. Gold?" Elwin added.
"No, I'm... I'm sorry," Belle replied with a small smile. "I'm... I'm really not that familiar with Arendelle, o-o-or your sister."
"Are you sure, Mom?" Ben asked, sounding doubtful for a moment.
"Yes, dear, I'm sure." Belle nodded with a small smile.
Ben just glanced at his mother before looking away.
"You okay?" Elwin asked Ben out of concern.
"I don't wanna doubt her, but I feel like my mom's hiding something from us," Ben whispered. "I don't know what though."
"Hmm..." Elwin paused as he didn't have any ideas himself of course. "You don't think your mother would lie to you though, do you, Ben?"
"I don't want to think she would, but I just feel like something's bothering her about this whole Arendelle thing..." Ben said mysteriously.
Elwin just shrugged as they then tried to think of what to do next. Elsa soon seemed to be lost with all of the books they looked through and found herself making her own snowflakes dance around her with a lot on her mind until she sent them away when she was given attention.
"Are you okay?" Belle soon asked Elsa out of concern as the search continued.
"This is pointless," Elsa said wearily. "I don't know why I thought I'd find anything about Anna in here."
Elwin frowned in concern for that statement.
"You know she's somewhere. You know she's alive," Belle reminded Elsa kindly. "You heard her heartbeat with Bo Peep's staff, right?"
"But if what The Snow Queen told me is true and Anna is the one who put me in that urn, then maybe she doesn't want me to find her?" Elsa retorted softly and sadly.
"That's not true, Elsa." Belle reassured her.
"You're just saying that to make me feel better." Elsa then said.
"No, I promise you, I'm not." Belle replied, sounding very confident and strong this time.
"How would you know what my sister thinks?" Elsa wondered.
"Yeah, Mom, you never met her." Ben added as he tried to make his mother confess by saying that, but she remained silent about an obvious secret she was keeping from everyone else.
"Well, just from what Elsa's been saying, I-I feel like I know her," Belle defended and explained before she face Elsa with a small soft smile. "You two were very close. Something must have pulled you apart... Something beyond your control."
"But my memories are gone, and no one in this town has even been to Arendelle. I need to face the truth, Belle," Elsa then defended, sounding very defeated at the moment. "No one here can help me, and I'm afraid that means I might never see Anna again."
"Don't say that." Elwin frowned.
"It has to be true." Elsa retorted softly.
"Okay. You will. I know it," Belle reassured her new friend before she was about to leave the library. "Now, keep looking. I'll be back."
"Wait a second..." Ben said as he tried to stop his mother. "Where are you going?"
"There's something I-I need to take care of," Belle replied out of determination. "We will find Anna."
Ben and Elwin continued to glance between the two women, though Ben yawned as he had a very hard time staying awake right now due to his trying to help Sophie look for her uncle for a very long while. After Belle had gone out of the library, Ben waited a few moments and then began to follow his mother to see just what exactly she was up to.
Meanwhile, deep in the forest, Lonnie, Mulan, Robin along with some of his Merry Men, Evie, Regina, Harry, and Killian were looking for the elusive ice cream truck from the elusive Snow Queen.
"David, call off the search party," Emma reported in her walkie-talkie. "We found the truck near the Merry Men's camp. Thanks for keeping an eye out." she then said to the outlaw.
"Gladly. You're the first sheriff I don't mind assisting." Robin replied confidently.
"Did you ever notice this before?" Evie asked Lonnie.
"The strangest thing is that no and I should know because my mom makes me wake up early for warrior training just like when she was in that camp with my dad until they faced Shan Yu to save The Emperor and his daughters of The Northern Wei." Lonnie replied with a shrug.
"How very curious." Harry remarked.
"Uh, Regina, I was hoping we could talk?" Robin then asked Regina hopefully as Evie glanced at the two of them.
"Um, in case you haven't noticed, I'm about to storm an evil ice cream truck." Regina scoffed.
Robin frowned and then went back over to where his Merry Men were.
"You could have just said, 'maybe later'." Emma suggested to Regina.
"I know you're trying to make everything better, but staying out of it is your best bet," Regina retorted coldly. "It's bad enough I'm stuck with you and Captain Eyeliner making eyes at each other."
"I don't make eyes." Emma defended.
"And it's guyliner, thank you." Harry retorted and smirked smugly.
Regina scoffed and smirked at that.
"Ready, luv?" Killian asked Emma.
Evie frowned at how her mother was acting.
"We'll be right back." Harry told Lonnie.
Lonnie just nodded at that as she stayed with her mother, Robin, and the other Merry Men. And so, the others made it over to the ice cream truck and to their luck, they were able to open it up somehow, though it was nearly empty by the time they got there.
"It appears she beat us to it," Killian said as he observed the truck. "She's cleared out the vessel."
"What now?" Regina suddenly asked. "Should we question the cows she gets her milk from?"
"Do they jump over the moon where you come from?" Emma snorted.
"Or maybe search the waffle cone factory?" Evie then suggested with a small shrug.
"Hang on. Look. Who locks their freezer?" Emma said to the others, finding a lock on the freezer. "Was she afraid someone was gonna steal the Rocky Road?"
"Dad?" Harry called.
"I'm on it. Stand back." Killian nodded and warned the others as he then broke the lock with his hook.
"So cool." Harry beamed in excitement.
"What is all of this?" Evie wondered once Emma opened the freezer, finding all sorts of important files.
"Looks like the Dairy Queen's been following me for a long time." Emma remarked, finding the files, including a newspaper clipping which involved a certain 7 year old boy finding a baby on the side of a road.
"Since before foster care?" Regina guessed.
"Since I landed in this world." Emma replied.
"Man, she's really obsessed with you." Harry commented.
"Sort of reminds me of when you took an interest in a young Siren many years ago." Killian remarked.
"An actual Siren or what?" Emma asked at that.
"Let's just say Harry and I both were very fond of The Crimson Isles for a while where I met Red Jessica and he met Zarina." Killian replied.
"It was sometime after we were escaping from Neverland after he got rid of Rufio who made fun of me for crying for the comfort and protection of Daddy after our fight when I was young and naive." Harry added.
Killian then gently patted his son on the head in comfort over that little spat that nearly ruined their relationship as father and son. Emma then decided to let Regina take a look at the file for herself which proved to be a shocking moment for everyone to think about. Soon, they all left the ice cream truck and then Regina came to see Robin after that search was done.
"I can't help but think you're avoiding me." Robin said to the former Evil Queen.
"Well, not very well, it seems." Regina retorted.
Evie glanced over and decided to secretly listen in to see what was going on between her mother and her mother's potential new suitor.
"You're upset because of what I said... That I'm still in love with you," Robin then told Regina. "I suppose I should never have told you, not after I asked you to find a way to save my wife."
Evie beamed a bit to hear that Robin still loved her mother.
"That's not why I'm avoiding you." Regina then suddenly said.
"Then why can't you even look me in the eye?" Robin asked out of concern.
"Because I don't know how to tell you the truth." Regina confessed.
"You know you can tell me anything." Robin reassured her softly.
Regina sighed sharply. "I've read every spell book in my possession, experimented with every potion in my vault. Evie even tried to help me, she is a very smart girl, she's one of the best students in the high school next to that boy Doug or even Carlos who was able to move up a couple of grades," she then told the outlaw tenderly. "I even tried to defeat The Snow Queen so I could force her to reverse the spell, but ... Nothing I do seems good enough."
"But it will be, Regina. I have faith in you," Robin soothed her as best as he could. "You will figure out a way eventually."
"That's what I'm trying to tell you. I'm not sure I can figure it out. Robin, I'm sorry, but if you truly want to save Marian..." Regina soon told Robin, trying to hide away any pain or sadness, though it was clear that it was hidden deep within her tone. "You're gonna have to forget about me... And... Find a way... To fall in love with your wife again."
Evie looked like she was trying very hard not to be hurt by that since she was very open to the idea of her mother dating Robin Hood especially since her father had passed away a very long time ago, but it now seemed like Regina and Robin might not become a couple after all as she just turned away.
Ben was on his way to his father's shop and then glanced through the window as his mother was looking for something and soon found a certain item. "A dwarf pic-axe? What could she be doing with that?" he then wondered to himself.
"Benjamin Florian Gold, are you spying on your own mother?" Rumple suddenly asked right behind his son.
"Dad!" Ben gasped as that startled him before he turned around.
"Well...?" Rumple prompted before crossing his arms.
"Okay... yes, sir, I am," Ben admitted with a sigh. "Mom's been acting really weird lately."
"Weird how?" Rumple wondered.
"I'm not sure, I feel like she's hiding something, I know spying is wrong but I need to figure out what's going on with her." Ben defended as he tried to justify his actions.
"Well... she DOES look like she's in a hurry..." Rumple admitted with a nod. "Let's go scope it out together."
"Thanks, Dad." Ben said with a small smile.
Rumple smiled back and they soon went into the shop just as Belle was right about to leave. "Belle. Where are you headed?" he then asked his wife.
"And this time, the truth, Mom." Ben added as he came over as well.
Belle looked surprised to see them both and then gave in. "To the north woods, where The Snow Queen is hiding." she then admitted.
"And what business do you have with her?" Rumple demanded.
"I have to fix a mistake that I made a long time ago." Belle confessed.
"And what mistake was that, Mom?" Ben wondered.
"I'm afraid I can't tell you. Neither of you," Belle told her husband and teenage son. "You wouldn't understand."
"Whether or not that's true, the fact remains that she defeated both Emma and Regina," Rumple reminded her. "She is far more dangerous than you realize."
"I know," Belle nodded. "That's why I was... I was hoping you'd come with me."
"I'm sorry, Belle," Rumple shook his head, coming further into the shop. "That's out of the question. I won't let you anywhere near her."
"I was worried you were gonna say that," Belle said before she reached into her bag and then took out The Dark One dagger which made Rumple flinch at first. "Because... I really... Really didn't want to do this."
"Belle, I gave you that dagger because I trusted you..." Rumple reminded her softly. "Because I thought you would never want to control me."
"I know. I know, and I'm so, so sorry, Rumple, but if you won't come with me willingly, what choice do I have especially since Ben has already twisted my arms just like I've done the same with you now," Belle then said before she gave her command. "Take us to The Snow Queen."
Rumple looked a bit wide-eyed, but he could see that he had no choice in the matter and they soon left the shop to go deeper into the woods of Storybrooke.
Eventually, the Gold family made it over to the ice cave, staring at the opening together.
"This is it?" Belle asked. "This is where she's hiding?"
"Indeed," Rumple nodded. "But she's not at home. I don't sense her magic." he then added.
"Good. Okay," Belle replied before she faced her husband and son. "You two stay here as lookout. I'm going in."
"No, Belle, y-you're not going in there alone." Rumple disagreed.
"Look, I won't be long," Belle said. "I just need to find something."
"What could you possibly want from The Snow Queen's cave?" Ben asked his mother.
Belle sighed and then decided to be honest. "A hat... One that can strip a magical being of their powers." she then said.
"That sounds like a remarkable object..." Rumple commented. "Almost too good to be true, which means it probably is."
"It isn't, and I know she has it, and I need to get it from her," Belle replied. "It's the only way to force her to tell us where Anna is."
"So this is about Elsa's sister?" Rumple asked his wife curiously.
"Why are you so invested in a girl you've never even met, Mom?" Ben demanded.
"Because a hero always helps strangers," Belle insisted before facing Rumple and Ben strongly. "Now keep watch. I'll call out to you if I need your help. "
"I'm coming with you, Mom." Ben said.
"No, Ben, wait out here with your father, it's too dangerous for a child." Belle suggested.
"Mom, I'm not a little kid anymore and I wanna help everyone too, especially my friends who are trying to find their own paths and stories, now let me come with you," Ben insisted, trying to stay strong and brave. "Maybe this is part of my destiny too, not just as the son of Beauty and the Beast, not just the son of Rumplestiltskin, but the hero of Storybrooke High to make sure everyone gets a chance and not just live in the shadows of their parents who came before them. I need to help Evie, my best friend and she's The Evil Queen's daughter and all of my other friends, so please... Mom, let me do this."
"All right... Come along, Ben." Ben then told to their teenage son.
Ben nodded and then went in after his mother into the ice cave, looking around for anything important.
Back in the woods, Emma still looked over the files in disbelief.
"Anything else we need to know, Miss Swan?" Harry asked the blonde woman.
"According to this, she was my foster parent for six months." Emma explained as she looked all over her files in disbelief.
"Aye?" Killian replied curiously.
"That's the longest I was ever in one spot, but I don't remember a second of it." Emma clarified, though she looked bittersweet about this whole experience.
"You all right, Swan?" Killian asked out of concern.
"I'm fine," Emma said sadly. "It was all a long time ago."
"Mm, perhaps, but wounds that are made when we're young tend to linger." Killian advised.
Emma: How would you know?" Emma wondered.
"Believe it or not, before I had Harry in my life I was once a child myself." Killian clarified.
"Yeah, like a million years ago." Emma scoffed and smirked playfully.
"It was more like 200," Killian retorted until she looked in one folder in shock, seeing some old art projects from long ago. "What is it?" he then asked.
"It sure looks pretty." Evie said softly.
"Thank you," Emma said before she explained more about it. "It's a painting I did when I was in school."
"That's so surprising?" Killian asked out of confusion.
"It's not the only one. This crazy woman has a whole file of my old art projects and essays," Emma explained. " Just like the one I have for Henry. You don't keep stuff like this unless you care about someone."
"Well, perhaps The Snow Queen wasn't simply using you," Harry suggested. "Perhaps she'd grown fond of you over time?"
Emma kept looking through her things until she found a card and opened it up to see something she wrote a long time ago. "Looks like the feeling was mutual. 'Thanks for being the family I never had. Love, Emma'. I wrote that to her." she then said after reading the card aloud.
"Looks like you two were close once." Killian suggested.
"At least it seems that way." Evie added.
"But she still erased my memories," Emma reminded them while feeling confused and curious just as much as they did. "Something must have happened to change all that. There has to be a clue as to why."
"Perhaps there is..." Killian suggested, finding a scroll that had some strange language written on it. "If you can read hieroglyphs."
"This isn't from our world. What the hell was she doing with me?" Emma muttered, feeling more puzzled than ever now.
"Too bad we don't have a descendant of Sherlock Holmes in school." Evie sighed and shook her head.
"Now what?" Emma wondered.
"We'll think of something," Harry replied in reassurance. "We always find a way, even when Dad had to look for Pan's hideout after he recruited me to be a Lost Boy and had to go past places like Hangman's Tree and Crocodile Creek with help from Tinkerbell."
"Never did like the sound of that other place." Killian remarked.
"I don't blame you." Harry agreed with his father.
Deep in the ice cave, Belle and Ben came into the snowy home of The Snow Queen.
"So, this hat... where did it come from?" Ben wondered.
"All I know is that it once belonged to a very important sorcerer named Yen Sid, he had no descendants to give it to, so he entrusted it with his apprentice who became his surrogate son." Belle replied.
"Yen Sid... sounds pretty amazing..." Ben commented thoughtfully.
"The hat must be in here somewhere." Belle told herself as they began to explore.
"Belle. Belle. Belle!" A faint voice suddenly called out.
"Did you hear something, Ben?" Belle then asked her son.
"I think so..." Ben said before looking around, feeling confused since they were alone.
"Over here, Belle. Over here, Belle. Over... Here." The voice continued.
"It's coming from the mirror." Ben pointed out.
Belle looked over and saw a tarp over the mirror and then removed it to uncover the mirror only for her and Ben to be in for a big shock.
"Hello, Belle!" The mirror greeted, showing Belle's reflection as she smirked at the brunette woman who resembled herself as well as her teenage son. "I was hoping you'd find me."
"What in the world...?" Ben muttered before holding his head. "Ugh... my aching head... this is what I get for not sleeping a full eight hours to help a friend in need." he then complained.
"I'm surprised you were brave enough to come in here." The reflection taunted Belle.
"I had to," Belle insisted as bravely as she could. "I have to find a way to help Anna."
"Why? You never really cared much for her before." The reflection continued.
"That's not true." Belle argued.
"What?" Ben muttered with wide eyes.
"Sure, it is. You chose that rock over her," The reflection retorted. "You had to remember what happened to your mother, no matter what the cost."
"I made a mistake," Belle frowned. "I didn't mean to-"
"Ruin someone's life? It certainly wasn't your most heroic moment," The reflection retorted and added. "Not that you've ever really been hero material."
"Hey! Leave her alone!" Ben glared protectively for his mother.
"No, please... Please stop." Belle begged softly.
"Oh, young Benjamin, surely you must know by now, but you should learn... Everyone sees your mother for what she really is... A pathetic coward," The reflection scoffed, now going to him. "I mean, why do you think The Dark One married her? You think it was love? He needed someone weak, someone he could manipulate. And you... you still have feelings for The Dark Fairy's daughter, especially after she went missing? You're just using Sleeping Beauty's daughter as a replacement."
"That's not true..." Ben frowned, though he felt personally attacked.
"Leave Ben out of this, this isn't about him, besides his father loves me," Belle tried to retort and showed the dagger as proof. "He gave me this."
"You truly believe that's real?" The reflection teased. "Deep down, you know what kind of beast you're dealing with. You do too, don't you, Ben?" she then added coldly.
Ben froze in thought, trying not to let the reflection get to him, though it was hard for both him and Belle right now.
Rumple then suddenly came into the cave after his wife and teenage son. "Belle! Benjamin! The Snow Queen's approaching the cave," he then warned them before they seemed to be stuck, looking at the mirror and the reflection didn't seem real so he tried to face both of them to block out the mirror's nastiness. "Belle. Ben. Look at me. Don't look in the mirror. Look at me. We have to leave." he then said, putting his hands on Belle's shoulders.
"Let me go!" Belle cried out, struggling a bit.
"You don't know what you're doing." Rumple said, trying to calm Belle down while Ben just looked stunned from the experience overall.
"No! Please, let me go!" Belle cried out, wiggling and even threw the dagger in the air, causing a cut to appear on her husband's face.
"It's okay." Rumple said softly and soon sent himself, Belle, and Ben back into the pawnshop.
"Let... Let me go!" Belle continued to struggle as Ben was weighed down about his thoughts about Mal and Audrey and what the reflection said about them.
"It's okay. We're back in the shop," Rumple said, trying to soothe his wife from her breakdown. "We're back in the shop. It's okay."
"No, no!" Belle continued to protest.
"It's okay!" Rumple said, firmly to calm her down, but not in a mean way.
"Dad?" Ben asked as he snapped out of it. "Mom told you to stay outside of the cave."
"She commanded me to keep watch," Rumple clarified. "I sensed she was coming back. I came to find you both, and I'm glad I did."
Belle panted before seeing the scar on her husband's face, then looked broken inside. "I... I hurt you. I... I'm so sorry, Rumple." she then frowned.
"It's okay..." Rumple said softly in reassurance.
"When I f-found that mirror, something came over me, like a... Like a spell," Belle explained softly and wearily. "And... And it spoke to me and made me... and even Ben... Made me believe all these horrible things, and it said to me that the dagger you gave me is fake and that he didn't really love Audrey."
"I can assure you that nothing that mirror said is true to either of you," Rumple reassured both his wife and teenage son who was mostly silent and seemed to have a million thoughts running through his head. "It was imbued with the darkest of magic. I-I know you would never wrong me."
"I have wronged you," Belle replied softly. "I've kept a terrible secret from you. Both of you."
"What is it, Mom?" Ben asked, trying to keep it together, though he seemed to begin to look sick to his stomach.
"I'm the reason... That Anna's missing. I didn't want anyone to know until I could make things right and save Anna, but I couldn't. I failed," Belle soon admitted which made a lot of sense to Ben, he didn't say anything, though his eyes got wide and he nodded in understanding. "And all I managed to do was abuse the dagger and... And take advantage of you, my true love. I-I don't even know if I... If I deserve to be with you anymore."
"No, no, no," Rumple reassured Belle. "You were only doing what you thought was right."
"You... You forgive me?" Belle asked Rumple emotionally, trying not to cry.
"Of course I forgive you," Rumple reassured his wife. "Thank you for telling me everything." he then added before hugging her.
Belle sniffled and then hugged him back right away. "Thank you for understanding. I never should have kept a secret from you, especially because I know that you'd never keep one from me. I love you, Rumple." she then said to her husband.
"And I love you, too." Rumple replied.
Ben looked glad that his mother told the truth until he looked around, starting to look and feel dizzy until his face slowly turned bright white.
Gabrielle soon walked in and looked concerned at Ben. "You don't look so good." she said to him.
"I-I'll be fine... I just need a glass of water..." Ben said in a raspy voice before he walked a few steps and suddenly doubled over and fell on the floor.
"Benjamin!" Rumple and Belle cried out.
Gabrielle cupped her mouth in concern about that.
"Get him some water, dearie, we'll help him get comfortable." Rumple requested.
Gabrielle nodded and went to get her new brother some water right away. Rumple and Belle then worked together to help lift Ben up by his arms and help him lie down in the bed in the back of the shop which was there for personal emergencies.
In the ice cave, The Snow Queen was sitting with a certain someone.
"What more do you want from me?" The girl demanded, sounding hurt and miserable. "Why do you even need me?"
"Don't you understand? I'm only trying to help you," The Snow Queen insisted. "You don't remember much of your life before Neverland, isn't that right?"
"Well... yes..." The girl admitted, showing to be in the mirror and it was none other than Enid. "But... why did you make me say those stuff to Ben and his mother? What do they have to do with this?"
"I'm afraid those are more questions that will be answered later as long as you stay with me until I get what I want," The Snow Queen retorted. "I promise you that you'll get something out of this."
"Can I at least come out of here?" Enid asked hopefully as she put her hands against the glass. "I feel trapped."
"Oh, very well then..." The Snow Queen said before waving her hand and let a shimmer of snowflake magic leave her palm before shining on the mirror.
Enid then glowed briefly before she began to slowly and carefully step out of the mirror and grunted as she had a small leap and landed on her feet. "Surely everyone's looking for me by now, especially Jay," she then frowned. "What are you going to do for me anyway?"
"You will find out and I will help you find who you're looking for as long as you keep helping me, especially with Elsa and Elwin." The Snow Queen stated mysteriously. "Now why don't you go and get some rest? You've had a long day." she then suggested.
Enid sighed as she just felt like a trapped prisoner, but she would keep doing what was asked of her if she had to.
"I'm afraid we have a problem, dearie. I caught a glimpse of your mirror today..." Rumple said to The Snow Queen as he suddenly walked in before seeing Enid. "So this is where you've been."
Enid stepped away in silence, not sure what to do or say in this situation.
"Get some rest, dear..." The Snow Queen reminded Enid.
Enid just nodded in silence and went away to a room in the ice cave she was given and went to get some rest, though she felt very sad and hurt to be trapped like this.
"It's rather impressive, isn't it?" The Snow Queen then asked Rumple. "I had no idea your bride nor descendant would be so easy to turn."
"Watch yourself," Rumple warned her. "Now, I don't know exactly when you intend to use this mirror, but you should know this. I won't allow you to hurt those I care about."
"And I won't allow you to derail my plans because you've suddenly gotten sentimental." The Snow Queen retorted.
"You only get one warning." Rumple replied.
"Which is more than you get," The Snow Queen countered coldly (no pun intended). "I can't make any promises over who may or who may not survive."
"You know, you were wrong before." Rumple reminded her.
"That you needed leverage to get what you want?" The Snow Queen remarked.
"No, that I didn't have it. I do." Rumple retorted before showing a certain hat which was dark blue with several silver stars around it.
"Where did you get that?" The Snow Queen demanded.
"Oh, that's irrelevant, but now that I know what you're up to, we can have a real talk," Rumple replied. "You might want to reconsider your position, because I doubt you'd enjoy becoming just another embroidery on this hat. Looks like you've just lost your leverage, dearie."
The Snow Queen merely narrowed her eyes.
"Now, what is this that you want with Enid?" Rumple then asked. "I won't tell anyone, but she's only a child who was lost and alone in Neverland and was taken to keep Neverland forever young due to her connection with those special Sundrop Flowers."
"Well, those flowers are one thing..." The Snow Queen replied. "There is a lot more to her and especially where she came from."
"Like her parents?" Rumple asked mysteriously.
"Something like that... she comes from darkness which only became light after her birth," The Snow Queen replied ominously. "A lot of those children from Neverland did and even some who would've ended up trapped there such as that Gil boy and those twins."
"Twins?" Rumple asked, raising an eyebrow. "Who said anything about twins?"
The Snow Queen looked wide-eyed before sighing.
"I've got you somewhere, don't I?" Rumple then asked with a wry smirk.
The Snow Queen sighed sharply. "Well, if you must know... Carlos and Carla are long-lost twins," she then admitted to him. "I won't say from who, there are books for that, books on everyone in this town and where they came from that have been hidden long ago from the wizard who once owned that hat."
"Yen Sid... I'm familiar with him..." Rumple admitted and nodded. "I should have guessed that Carlos and Carla would be related."
"I'm not saying any more, I don't trust you enough to know everything, but I'm trying to break through the barrier between this world and to get to Narnia because of my dear friend Jadis being trapped there, especially after The Man in the Moon took her son away from her until he met my niece and I kept their own child away from them to start my own and new family." The Snow Queen then said.
"Very well..." Rumple then said.
Unknown to either of them, Enid overheard this and saw a couple of books that piqued her curiosity, and she then went to collect them and then started to look for a secret way out of the cave, thinking about the magic she was told about to find a way out, hoping she would have better luck escaping from here than she did in her tower in Neverland. However, as she was about to get away, a boy smirked at her and threw a snowball at her that suddenly made her black out.
Back at the Sheriff's station, some reveals were shared that began to make a lot of sense. Emma was on the phone with Lotus and apologized several times, saying that David and Mary Margaret were unable to find Enid as well as Dee Dee and Henry, though no one was more upset to hear the news than Jay because he grew a very soft spot for her.
"I feel like I should've seen this coming..." Elwin admitted. "And if you're my mother, then who's my father?"
"That's another piece of the puzzle we need to look for." Elsa advised.
"So, let me get this straight..." Emma said as she approached Elwin and Elsa as they found a certain book. "The Snow Queen is your aunt?"
"According to this heraldry book I found in the library. Her name is Ingrid." Elsa nodded as she opened the book and explained, pointing out some missing pieces to their personal puzzle. "I didn't even know my mother had any sisters. I'm as surprised as you are. Also apparently Elwin is my son and Jack Frost is his father, but they were both taken away at some point before this Storybrooke place came to me."
"Well, spend a little more time in this town, luv, you'll realize just about everyone's related." Killian quipped.
"In more ways than one." Harry added knowingly.
"This book traces the lineage in Arendelle for generations," Elsa then pointed out the pictures as she explained more. "That's Gerda, my mother. And this is Helga, my other aunt."
Killian took a closer look, looking surprised at the sight of this "Helga". "Bloody Hell. Look at this one... She looks just like you," he said to Emma. "Maybe that's why she was so obsessed with you, why she kept all those relics from your childhood." he then suggested.
"She came to this world looking for blondes?" Emma scoffed. "There's a lot more than just me."
"Don't we know it?" Harry smirked, making Killian nudge his son a little.
"She wasn't looking for a blonde," Elsa clarified. "She was looking for The Savior."
"What?" Emma asked.
"This scroll... The writing is Runic," Elsa explained before she would translate. "It's a prophecy. It says, 'The name of the Savior is Emma and the next Winter Guardian in Childhood will be born in a union between The Snow Princess and current Winter Guardian'. That means you too, Elwin."
"She knew?" Emma asked in surprise.
"Sounds like she knew even before you did and she knew you would be powerful." Elwin commented.
"But why?" Emma wondered.
"It says it right here... 'And the Savior shall become Ingrid's sister and The Snow Prince will become Ingrid's son'." Elsa explained, reading more for them.
"What the hell does that mean?" Emma demanded.
"Well, my mother died, and her other sister... She's not around anymore," Elsa explained as best as she could. "I think Ingrid believes in this prophecy. I think she's looking to replace them."
"Then what happened to you and my dad after I was born?" Elwin asked Elsa.
"I'm sorry, but not even I can tell from this book." Elsa admitted in regret.
Belle then suddenly came into the room. "Elsa." she then greeted The Snow Princess.
"Yes?" Elsa responded as she saw Belle.
"I... I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry, but..." Belle began to say, trying to keep it together.
"What?" Elsa asked curiously.
"I-I've been keeping a secret. I know your sister, Anna," Belle then admitted. "She helped me once, but when I had a chance to help her, I let her down. And because I did, she was captured by The Snow Queen.
Elsa's eyes widened at that. "What? Where did this happen? When?" she then asked.
"Arendelle... A long, long time ago. And I have no idea where she is now, but, uh, I'm afraid we have a more pressing concern," Belle explained. "The Snow Queen has a mirror imbued with terrible magic that can do terrible things."
"Mirror?" Killian wondered.
"Let's smash it and risk the seven years of bad luck." Harry suggested.
"It's not that simple," Belle shook her head. "Rumple told me it's part of an awful spell."
"And what spell would that be?" Elwin pondered.
"The Spell of Shattered Sight," Belle informed them. "If she casts it, its magic will make everyone in Storybrooke turn on one another."
"Bloody Hell. The entire town will destroy itself." Killian muttered in horror.
"And there'd be no one left." Belle added.
"Except us." Emma replied, referring to herself, Elsa, and Elwin.
"What makes you think that she'd spare you, Elwin, and Elsa?" Belle wondered.
"Because of this." Emma said, pointing out the scroll and book to the brunette woman.
"She wants it to be just the four of us." Elsa added.
"Her perfect family." Emma concluded.
Elwin clasped his Jack Frost figure even closer now since he knew more of where he came from, but still didn't fully understand why.