After the spell, defeat of Ingrid, and an adventure through the dreamscape, everyone was soon standing in front of the giant ice wall that blocked the Storybrooke town line.
"Wow, that is a lot of ice." Anna remarked.
"And it's time for it to come down," Elsa added. "Elwin, please come beside me?" she then requested.
"Yes, Mother." Elwin nodded as he did as he was told.
And so, the mother and son who both had winter magic began to use as much energy as they could, but not too much and soon brought down the giant ice wall at long last. Fortunately it was very easy with their combined efforts and power.
"Well, at least now Ben and Audrey can carry on with their Spring Cotillion plans for the school now that winter is over... Again." Evie remarked.
"Okay. Now can we go back home?" Anna asked hopefully, having a spring in her step as she skipped over to the town line.
"Stop! Don't take another step!" Emma warned her.
"Aunt Anna, stop," Elwin added. "That's the town line."
"Right, but I want to leave the town. Didn't I just say that?" Anna replied out of confusion.
"The wall may be down, but I sense that some of Aunt Ingrid's magic remains," Elwin cautioned before he stepped in front of the line, being careful not to pass through it and touched the air in front of him until he felt a shimmer of magic from the other side. "Yep, there it is." he then concluded.
"He's got a point," Emma had to admit. "Yeah, leaving this town has never been simple. And Ingrid? She didn't change things. She wanted to be here alone with you, Elwin, and me. She wanted to make Storybrooke her ice castle, and clearly, she wanted to protect it." she then added.
"So how do we get back home?" Anna wondered.
"Walking wouldn't get us there anyway," Elsa explained to her sister. "We're in a different realm."
"We need to find a portal." Elwin suggested.
"Or magic beans or something." Emma added.
"Okay, now I'm lost." Kristoff said out of confusion.
"It's a long story, Uncle Kristoff." Elwin replied.
"Well, then let's get one of those things," Anna said urgently. "We have to hurry."
"No, we don't need to rush. We need to be careful," Elsa advised her younger sister. "Arendelle will still be there while we figure this out."
"It might not," Anna replied before gasping and faced Kristoff as she thought about something. "Did we forget to tell her?" she then asked him.
"A lot of stuff was going on." Kristoff reminded Anna.
"Tell me what?" Elsa asked out of concern.
"Arendelle's been conquered... By Hans and his 12 brothers." Anna confessed.
"I bet that jerk doesn't even like sandwiches." Elwin said with narrowed eyes.
"You told him about that?" Anna asked Elsa.
"I'm sure he heard it from somewhere," Elsa replied before she came over to the other blonde woman. "Emma, we need to find a way back... Now." she then urged.
"We'll do our best." Emma said as that was all she could say and no one seemed to notice Killian slipping away from the crowd suddenly.
Meanwhile, the adult pirate grunted as he made it over to the pawnshop to have a word with a certain man. "They didn't leave. The Snow Queen mucked up the border. Once you cross, there's no c-coming back." he then explained through the pain of his heart being squeezed.
"If only The Snow Queen had succeeded, everything would be much simpler, and no one anticipated the surprise arrival of Pitch Black." Rumple muttered softly.
"Yes. Perfect cover for your exit," Killian smirked wearily. "But everybody survived. Sorry for the inconvenience."
"What about our friends from Arendelle?" Rumple prompted.
"Well, they're still searching for a portal back." Killian simply stated.
"Well, that is a problem," Rumple chuckled. "Can't have that Anna running around town."
Killian soon suspected something from that. "She knows, doesn't she? She knows what you were doing, cleaving yourself from the dagger so you can leave with your power," he then retorted. "Emma told me Belle confessed about knowing Anna."
"Still, quite the supposition." Rumple retorted as he glanced toward his slumbering bride.
"Why else would you care? Anna's a danger to you," Killian countered. "You can't have your blissfully ignorant wife and teenage son-"
"Lose either their bliss or ignorance," Rumple interrupted fiercely. "Watch Anna. Make sure she comes nowhere near this shop."
"But if I had the choice?" Killian wondered.
"Well, you don't," Rumple replied coldly. "Your usefulness was unexpectedly extended, but tonight, when the stars in the sky align with the stars in the sorcerer's hat, I will finally do what I should have done so many years ago: I will crush your heart."
"And while I'm out doing your dirty work, what are you gonna do?" Killian demanded.
"I'm simply going to wake my wife and prepare her for my greatest gift," Rumple said calmly. "She's gonna have the life she and Benjamin have always wanted."
Killian sighed wearily before he soon went to go and do his next task. Rumple smirked at that and soon decided to go and cook a little breakfast to surprise Belle with after a very eventful evening.
Ben wondered where his parents were, though he had a bad feeling about his father and he wished that there was someone he could talk to about this, but who could he turn to at a time like this? He then flinched as his phone vibrated and he took it out to feeling it buzzing repeatedly and it was his father calling so he took the call. "Good morning, Dad." he then greeted calmly.
"Good morning, Benjamin," Rumple replied. "I hope you had a good time at your little sleepover last night."
"Yeah, let's just say it was a real adventure, Dad, not to mention a learning experience." Ben replied, though he seemed to be trying to hide disdain in his voice for some reason.
"Are you all right, son?" Rumple asked, firmly and out of concern. "You don't sound very friendly right now."
"Sorry, Dad, I just woke up and I have a lot on my mind right now, I'm getting breakfast right now though," Ben explained. "You and Mom should join me."
"Ah, well, sorry about that, son, but I have a surprise for you." Rumple began to say.
Ben then swallowed his apple juice before setting it down. "A surprise? It's not my birthday." he then commented and wondered.
"I know, but it's a surprise for you and your mother actually," Rumple explained with a small smile. "I was hoping to tell you both at breakfast, but I'd like to pack a suitcase. The Gold family are going to see the world."
"Really, Dad?" Ben asked.
"Really, Benjamin," Rumple nodded. "Would I ever lie to you?"
Ben seemed to hesitate in answering that question especially based on what he had been seeing his father do recently. Not to mention the way he treated her mother before they fell in love together and that nasty aftermath of her learning from The Evil Queen that true love can break any spell.
"Benjamin? Are you still there?" Rumple called.
"Sorry, Dad," Ben suddenly said as he shook his head. "No, you wouldn't lie to me and I definitely wouldn't lie to you, Dad." he then answered as maturely and confidently as he could.
"That's my boy," Rumple nodded proudly. "Now, why don't you meet your mother in the shop after you've had some breakfast? This is going to be a wonderful adventure for you two, I promise."
"Sure, Dad, I'll see you when I can," Ben replied. "That is, if school president responsibilities don't come in the way. I've heard a lot of rumors that Audrey and I are going to win Spring Cotillion King and Queen this year."
"Very well then," Rumple replied. "I'll talk to you later."
"Okay, Dad. Bye."
"Goodbye, son."
Ben sighed softly as he hung up and looked a little lost. "Who am I gonna talk to about this?" he then wondered softly. "I really wish Mal were back in Storybrooke. Mal was so easy to talk to and help understand when no one else would." he added and sulked a bit as he lamented about the girl lost from his life.
At Granny's Diner, Evie and Doug appeared to be sitting together.
"You're not scared about turning into your mom, are you?" Doug asked. "I mean my dream was just about toiling in a mine all day while pushing around diamonds in a cart and I have cat ears for some reason. I never really understood why my mother is half-cat anyway, who in Snow White's family has cat genetics?" he then added and lamented since his mother was a cousin of Snow White's.
Marian then suddenly came into the diner. "Hello, Evie." he then greeted the blue-haired girl.
"Mrs. Hood. Hi," Evie greeted softly and nodded. "I'm glad my mother was able to save you."
"So am I," Marian smiled. "Do you know where she is? I'd like to talk to her."
"Please, I'd rather be alone." Regina said as she was just coming out of the bathroom right then.
"I thought we should talk." Marian said to the other woman.
Regina looked very hesitant before glancing over at Doug and Evie.
"Maybe you should, Mom," Evie suggested softly. "This seems important."
Regina sighed softly and decided to agree before she took her seat at the bar table.
Marian then sat right next to the Former Evil Queen. "Thank you for saving my life... Twice, actually." she then said to the other woman.
"Forget about it." Regina shrugged with a small smile.
"I can't because Robin can't," Marian replied as she gave Regina a certain look. "I see the way you two look at one another. And I understand. For me, it's only been a short time that I've been away, but for him, years have passed. His heart moved on. He's in love with you, Regina. And I think you're in love with him."
Regina paused thoughtfully since most of that was true and she tried not to admit it. "Well, it doesn't really matter. He's a man of honor. He made a vow to you, and he's going to keep it." she then told the other woman calmly.
"I don't want him to be with me out of obligation. I want to be chosen. If his heart leads him to me, fine," Marian replied softly. "But if it does what I suspect and leads to you... I will step out of the way."
Regina was quiet in response to that. Marian then took that as her cue to leave after she told Regina what had to be said.
"That wasn't too bad." Doug said to Evie quietly.
"No, it wasn't..." Evie shook her head before she looked back at him. "You wanna help me get some orders ready? A lot of people sent in some ideas of what they would like for their suits and dresses for The Spring Cotillion." she then offered him.
"I love you-I'd love to." Doug replied before blushing.
Evie smiled at that and sipped her drink before going to pay for their lunch bill that was left during their conversation. Doug took one last sip of his drink and excused himself to use the bathroom a moment before they would leave. Evie let him go before she went to talk to her mother about where they were going and just make sure that Regina was going to be okay after the conversation with Maid Marian. Suddenly, there was a group text sent to all of the descendants, inviting them to come to the beach to say goodbye to Lonnie since The Stone Dragon managed to find her and Mulan as well as Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather so that they could go back to whence they came when Emma and Mary Margaret ended up in Misthaven after the curse had broken.
A tall strong man, with long white hair and a long white beard was at his work desk in the North Pole. He was making something out of ice and using his tools to do so. He hummed and made random singing sounds to the music he was listening to. "Still waiting for cookies!" he said aloud to his elves, before he continued working. He then finished a train made from the ice and chuckled. "Ah! Finally!" He said about the cookies and ate one. "Mm-mm~" he hummed. He then laughed joyfully as the train ended up in the air but turned into a plane that still looked like a train.
Then suddenly, a yeti burst in while shouting and broke the glass train-plane.
"Ah!" The man, known as North, exclaimed as he pointed with both hands at his broken train-plane. After they both exclaimed in shock, North pinched his nose in annoyance. "How many times have I told you to knock?" he said loudly with a Russian accent.
The yeti answered incomprehensibly, but was telling North something about a globe.
"What? The globe?" North asked in slight concern. He grabbed a sword and then headed towards the big globe where the lights of children who believed were. "Shoo with your pointy heads! Why are you always under boot?" he asked as he shooed the elves away and then carefully pushed past two elves who were looking at the globe. He looked at the globe and saw the lights were flickering and flashing. "What is this?" he wondered before glancing at two certain elves after the yeti left some complementary snocones in the freezer. "Have you checked the axis? Is rotation balanced?" he asked them.
"Well, yes, Your Jolly Old Saintness." The male elf in a deadpan voice reassured.
"It was another case from Pitch Black in this unknown town called Storybrooke." The female elf added gently and sweetly.
"Storybrooke?" North repeated curiously.
"Yes, it just showed up on your globe and Pitch Black was around there, but he seems to have been stopped by a very unique force who claims to be the son of The Snow Queen of Arendelle who became queen after the death of her mother Queen Gerda." The male elf explained as he showed the town of Storybrooke as a certain teenage boy was at work with a staff that had been given to him.
"Is that who I think it is?" North asked with wide eyes at the sight of the boy.
"We think he might be, but he definitely has a resemblance to Queen Elsa," The female elf explained calmly. "The barrier was sealed, but now you're able to travel to Storybrooke to reclaim him if he chooses the Guardian destiny if not the royal Snow Heir destiny."
"Yes, of course, I know this won't be easy for him to decide, but I need to get over to this Storybrooke," North said with a small sigh. "I haven't heard of that place since... My brother."
"Your brother who went missing in The Land Without Magic years and years ago, sir?" The male elf asked.
"Yes, him..." North nodded. "It's a very long story, but I can't get into it right now. Bernard and Judy, are you busy right now?" he then asked them once he thought of something.
"Not as much as usual, I was on one of my breaks." Bernard replied with a nod.
"And I was going to get some hot cocoa for the other elves for their break along with The Abominable Snowman's popular snocones." Judy added sweetly.
"Well, in that case, make preparations, we're going to have company." North told them. He then went to the control center that ran the globe, and sorted out a lever that sent out the aurora borealis to call forth the other Guardians.
The two elves nodded and soon darted off to go and do as they were told.
The Tooth Fairy, also known as Tooth, was guiding her little baby tooth fairies which she called Baby Teeth, and talking about the teeth that humans lost. "We've got a cuspid at 23 Maple. Head out! Wait! It's her first tooth. Have you ever seen a more adorable lateral incisor in all of your life? Look how she flossed!" she said rapidly. She then noticed the aurora borealis and let out a shocked noise.
In a dark and exclusive lair, there appeared to be orange pumpkins everywhere with white ghost faces and black spiders hanging around as a woman known as Holly Hollows was sitting in her throne. She had dark purple hair tied into pigtails and had a black and orange pointed hat on her head resemble a witch's hat as she was sitting around with a bowl in her lap and wore an orange, white, and black dress with black boots and gray and white stockings as her legs were crossed.
"What another miserably bleak day, isn't it, Jinx?" Holly asked before scooping up a silky black cat that wandered around her lair. "It won't be long until we sing our song again for the boos and ghouls of the world~" she then cooed to her cat while nuzzling her nose to comfort the cat who looked bored and deadpan, though that was just how most cats behaved.
However, in the sky the lights of the aurora borealis shone, calling for Holly too as she was a guardian.
"What's that, Jinxy?" Holly asked her cat as he seemed to mew at her after she saw what her cat saw. "Aurora borealis? At this time of year, at this time of day, at this part of the country, localized entirely within The North Pole?" she then asked.
Jinx purred briefly before answering her again. "Mew." he then told her with a nod.
"...Should we go see it?" Holly then asked her cat thoughtfully.
Jinx mewed again and suddenly, he was scooped under her arm as she took out a scepter that had a moon on it and brought them over to where the other Guardians would be.
"I agree! Off we go!" Holly told Jinx as they left The Halloween Realm and straight to The North Pole.
Suddenly, a rather large bunny appeared at the North Pole next after dashing through the tunnels. "Ugh, it's freezing! Oh... Oh! Can't feel my feet! I can't feel my feet!" he then complained about the cold on the way inside.
The sandman, who was known as Sandy, ended up turning his dream sand cloud into a plane and flew off to the North Pole.
"My fellow Guardians, it is our job to watch over the children of the world, and keep them safe, to bring wonder, hope, and dreams," North said. "And so, I've called us all here for one reason, and one reason only: we have finally found Prince Elwin who has defeated Pitch Black."
"I knew he could do it," Sandy smiled softly. "He's his father's son alright."
"Indeed, he is," North nodded in agreement before looking around. "Wait a minute, speaking of which, where is Jack?"
Everyone else suddenly looked around and saw a couple of empty chairs. The only other one was from Cupid, but that was expected because of what happened to him a very long time ago.
"Cookies? Eggnog? Anyone? Abominable Snocones?" Judy asked once everyone had come to the Pole or had just arrived. "He promises the yellow flavor is just lemon."
Holly decided to take some cookies with a small smirk. Jinx was asleep by Holly's feet on the floor due to being a lazy cat.
Suddenly, a couple of doors opened from the back and everyone looked that way and in came a young man with very pale skin and snowy white hair that almost looked silver as he wore a dark blue cloak and held onto a certain staff over his shoulder. "Sorry I'm late." he then said.
"Eh, no worries I guess." Holly shrugged at that.
"Jack, thank goodness you've come," North nodded at the younger man who came inside. "There's something I have to show you and tell you about."
"What is it, big guy?" Jack wondered.
"It regards the land of Arendelle," North explained. "I'm sure you have some memory of that place."
"Yeah, quite a bit," Jack nodded and sighed with a small smile. "I never met another girl who enjoyed winter as much as me even without Christmas. Erm, no offense, big guy." he then added.
"None taken, I promise, but all of you come this way." North reassured the younger man before he led the others over to a certain globe.
"This better be good, North," Bunny grumbled. "I mean last time you called me over it was three days before Easter and yet if I call you three days before Christmas, I get the scolding of a lifetime. Sometimes I envy the life of rabbits in Wonderland like Thackery Earwicket."
"I heard that some guy hunts hares for their ears and makes hats out of them." Holly commented.
"Must you always be so dark and graphic?" Bunny asked her cynically.
"Sorry, but it comes from being from Halloween Town," Holly said with a small shrug before sighing and shaking. "Am I glad to be free from that creep Oogie Boogie."
"You knew Oogie Boogie before Pitch Black became our greatest enemy?" Jack asked Holly in surprise.
"Yeah..." Holly admitted with a sigh. "You see, sometimes kids in The Land Without Magic heard of a place called The Holiday Fores where holidays come from and each holiday has its own door, such as the Christmas door leading here and my door would lead back home to Halloween Town." she then started to explain.
"So, you were one of those kids?" Jack asked.
"Yes, we got lost and confused and we thought it would lead to more candy after we dared each other to go inside and soon, Oogie Boogie found us and I don't remember much else what happened after that, but he took us in as his trick-or-treating helpers in Halloween Town," Holly replied and added. "He eventually changed our names to Lock, Shock, Barrel, Pitch, and Holly."
"...Pitch Black was one of those kids too." Jack realized with wide icy blue eyes.
"Yes, and since Pitch was his favorite trick-or-treating in terms of scaring people more than The fabled Pumpkin King and causing trouble through Halloween Town, Oogie Boogie named him as his successor and after his eventual defeat, Pitch said he would take over and the others would follow him and I didn't want any part of it anymore. "I might be a Halloween trickster here and there, but I'm a Halloween trickster with standards."
"That's very true, especially after that Pumpkin King took an interest in my holiday and I eventually found Holly alone and scared after the defeat of Oogie Boogie, so I helped her escape on my sleigh and she eventually became one of us." North nodded and added to Holly's story.
"Wow, Holly... I had no idea." Jack commented.
"Well, not everyone does, but this isn't about me," Holly reminded and remarked. "You have to see what we just saw."
The others then stepped out of the way of the globe and allowed Jack to step forward and take a closer look. In the globe Elwin was shown to be jumping all around and fighting in The Dream Realm after being guided by Sandy on what to do and how to help his friends who were fellow descendants
"Wait... That boy..." Jack began to recognize.
"Yes, Jack Frost..." North replied knowingly. "He is your son."
Jack was then slowly wide-eyed and jaw-dropped at that.
Meanwhile, back in Storybrooke, the descendants had a beach party and Elwin reassured everyone, especially Enid that he would be there and had a special gift to share with Lonnie. The day was normal and calm, the sun out but with a protective cover of clouds over the small town, though only the occasional cloud over the beach. The descendants of Storybrooke were taking some time to relax at the beach. Lonnie checked her watch every so often, hoping that Elwin would be able to make it over on time while everyone else began to make way over there.
"Looks like Elwin forgot your goodbye party, huh?" Chad asked the warrior girl as he saw her sitting alone and staring out into the water.
"Well, maybe not, maybe he just took the wrong trail or something," Lonnie said as she tried to stay confident until her final moments in Storybrooke. "Maybe his mom told him not to come as Goodbye parties might be against the Arendelle culture."
"Oh. Yeah," Chad shrugged. "Or maybe he just forgot. You never know."
Lonnie pouted rather miserably at that.
"Hey, Chad, look!" Jane called out as she suddenly came beside the warrior girl. "There's people taking selfies."
"Selfies! Guys! Wait, wait, wait, wait!" Chad called out as he went to go see the others taking selfies. "Wait for me! Wait for me!"
"Don't listen to him, Lonnie," Jane said with a small smile. "He'll be here." she then shot a bit of a nasty glare toward Chad for saying such things.
"I sure hope so." Lonnie said softly with a nod as she glanced around.
"This is nice~" Carla breathed as she was lying next to Evie, actually sunbathing.
"Yes, it's wonderful~" Evie agreed with a smile, rubbing some suntan lotion on her own skin to keep from burning.
"Nice beach, Ben," Audrey chuckled. "A gal could get used to this."
"Cannonball!" Jay's voice called out before he laughed and ran right past the others before he went to jump into the water, splashing some of the others in the process as he laughed.
"...Ugh." Audrey groaned as that did annoy her, but it wasn't enough to ruin her day luckily enough.
"Well, I thought you'd like it, especially with the beach parasol to help you shade while still feeling the warmth." Ben smiled, flinching from the shock of the cold water.
"Jay, come on!" Carlos complained as he got a bit wet from the splash.
Lonnie watched everyone else have a good time and sighed softly as she hoped that Elwin would be able to make it over to her party in time until Shinto would finish up what he had to do to help send her, Mulan, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather back home where they came from and Audrey was able to stay once everyone realized and found out that she was born from a different timeline and her parents had come to Storybrooke to raise her and her new baby brother, Phillip Jr.
Elsewhere, Rumple and Killian were following a walking broomstick as it began to lead them to a certain place.
"You may have got the best of me this time, Dark One, but I promise you, in the next life, it won't be so pleasant for you." Killian warned and threatened his greatest enemy.
"Well, then, given my immortality, you'll have quite the wait amongst the fire and brimstone." Rumple retorted with a smirk.
"If I really am to die, at least give me all the information," Killian demanded as they soon opened the door and came inside the manor as the broomstick stopped walking. "Whose house is this?" he then asked.
"A powerful sorcerer. He brought The Snow Queen from Arendelle to this world, which means his magic is strong enough to move between that world and ours," Rumple explained to the pirate. "There's a portal around here somewhere. We simply need to find it."
The broomstick then grew arms and stretched them all around before making a door appear before the two men.
"There." Rumple pointed out to Killian.
Over at the pawnshop, Belle was packing her clothes into a suitcase while Gabrielle moved hers over to the door.
"Hey, Grandma. Hey, Gabrielle," Henry greeted once he saw the two. "Are you taking a trip?"
"Uh, yeah. Rumple's taking us to New York for our honeymoon and a family vacation with just us and Benjamin of course." Belle explained.
"But The Snow Queen left a spell on the town line. Anyone who goes can't return," Henry pointed out. "Didn't you hear?"
"No, I-I-I didn't, but I'm sure he must have a way to remove it." Belle reassured with a small smile.
"Henry, are you okay?" Gabrielle asked as the boy frowned a bit.
"This book," Henry said as he put his storybook on the counter. "It's got all your stories in it. It started all this. And my mom... Lots of bad things happen to her in it."
"Well, that doesn't mean they'll always happen to her that way," Belle advised Henry as soothingly as she could. "I... I wouldn't worry. She's on a much better path now."
Henry cracked a small smile as that helped make him feel better. "Thanks, Grandma."
Gabrielle couldn't help but giggle a little at Belle being called Grandma like that.
"Yeah, you know... Belle's good." Belle suggested.
"Got it." Henry nodded.
"Is this all of your luggage, ma'am?" Gabrielle soon asked.
"Not quite, I need another suitcase," Belle replied. "I might need some help looking for it though."
"I'll help!" Gabrielle piped up.
"Of course you can help, dear." Belle chuckled at her excitement.
"Here, I'll help too." Henry offered as he removed his backpack.
"Thank you, Henry." Belle smiled at that.
"No problem," Henry said as he began to take a look around the pawnshop. "You know, when you're in New York, you've got to go to the public library. No offense, but it blows the one here away. It's got these lions outside of it..." he then started to say while climbing up a ladder and moved some things only for a bunch of items in the store to falls down on the floor.
"Aah!" Belle gasped as that startled her. "Are you okay?"
"Sorry. Let me get those." Henry said as he grabbed the extra suitcase before hopping off of the ladder.
"Man, a lot of stuff fell down." Gabrielle pouted as she went to clean it up .
"Man, he really keeps some strange things here," Henry commented as he found a faded yellow teddy bear with a faded gray, big-eared elephant toy."
Belle looked amused until she flinched and saw a certain item that had fallen on the floor.
"What's wrong? I'll clean it up." Henry asked and then offered.
"N-No, no. It's... It's okay I-I got it. I just, uh, didn't expect to see this here." Belle said as Gabrielle picked up what appeared to be a metallic glove of some sorts.
"What is this thing?" Gabrielle wondered.
"It's a gauntlet from the world of Camelot that comes with very unique powers," Belle said as she began to remember something. "Hmm..."
At Granny's Diner, other people were hanging around, though Lonnie seemed to be there alone and was checking her phone in concern since she needed to talk to a certain someone about a certain something. She then flinched as someone suddenly rushed into the diner.
"Swan. Come celebrate, for I may not be The Savior, but I've just saved the day." Killian announced as he came into the diner and put his trademark rum from his flask into a couple of cups.
"Hang on. Don't get your hopes up yet. Okay. What, exactly, are we celebrating?" Emma said suddenly and then asked curiously.
"The portal to Arendelle. I found it," Killian informed her as he gave her one cup and held one for his own as they clinked their cups together for a drink. "So, bottoms up."
"You... Found a portal?" Emma asked in disbelief for a moment.
"Well, I found Gold, and he told me where to locate one. A door in the ballroom of that lakeside mansion," Rumple explained. "Yes. It appears that our Rumplestiltskin has turned over a new leaf."
"Apparently dozens of leaves. You sure we can trust him?" Emma remarked.
"Positive. The Crocodile truly has changed," Rumple said as he was speaking aloud while Ben was about to come and see him, but he stayed hidden and listened in, seeing his father using the pirate man's heart to speak to Emma through Killian and doing his best to speak in a way that Killian would normally speak without arousing suspicion. "He gave me a long-winded explanation about a... Portal. About how it brought the, uh... Snow Queen into this land... Which I don't recall, but the important thing is it works. All they have to do is walk through it."
"Then we should go." Emma suggested.
"Brilliant. You do that," Killian replied. "I, alas bruised myself during the curse. Really need to get it seen to." he then said, about to leave.
"Hey, Killian. What's wrong?" Emma asked out of concern as she stopped him from leaving. "You're acting strange."
"Nothing. I'm fine," Rumple reassured as Killian. "See you around... Luv."
Ben glanced from the cracked door and suddenly took off and knocked on a front door deeper into the woods.
Neal soon answered the door and looked wide-eyed. "Ben." he then greeted.
"Hey, Neal," Ben said to his big brother. "Can we talk?"
"Yeah, sure, of course," Neal said as he let Ben inside and shut the door behind him. "What do you wanna talk about, buddy?"
"It's about... Dad." Ben said mysteriously.
Down at the park, Regina, Evie, and Robin sat on a bench together, watching Roland and Marian feed the friendly ducks in the pond.
"They look happy." Regina commented.
"Having Marian back in his life, it means so much to Roland." Robin nodded.
"We understand," Evie replied. "I used to be the same way."
"That's true too," Regina agreed softly. "At the end of the day, our children come first."
"Regina?" Robin asked the regal, concerned about her tone.
"She's his mother." Regina said softly.
"I choose you." Robin reminded her.
"But... But Roland. What would this look like to him?" Regina frowned. "And Evie?"
"I'm already okay with it, Mom," Evie said softly. "I really support you and Mr. Hood and I know that my father would just want you to be happy. Wasn't your happiness the most important thing in the world to him?" she then reminded her mother.
"Yes, he did always like that." Regina had to admit.
"It's gonna look like a messy, complicated situation, which it is, but if I went back to my life with Marian, I'd be living a lie," Robin reassured Regina as he took out a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to the woman. "The best example I can set to my son is to live truthfully... To follow my heart... To you. And even to Evie."
Regina accepted it before opening it and laughed once she saw it was a storybook page of them kissing each other.
"Maybe this is your happily ever after, Mom." Evie insisted.
Regina cracked a small smile at that.
"Papa! Papa, help! Help, Papa!" Roland's voice suddenly cried out.
The three from the bench looked across to the pond and saw that Marian was lying on the ground motionless.
"I thought she was cured!" Robin cried out on the way over to where his young son and wife were. He then began to feel his wife and she was icy cold.
"There must be some remnant of that spell still inside her," Regina guessed. "Even by now her heart should be infected."
"Mom, there has to be another way," Evie frowned in concern. "I know Mr. Hood loves you and I know Roland loves his mother, so surely you can save her for his sake?"
Regina sighed, looking thoughtful as she thought of a possibility. "There may be another way to save her. Now that the ice wall is down, she could leave Storybrooke," she then explained once she thought of something. "She can cross the town line and enter a world without magic. Without magic, the harm to her would end."
"S-S-So let's get to the town line!" Robin suggested urgently, about to go down and pick up Marian.
"Robin, you need to know something. It's a one-way trip," Regina warned the outlaw. "There's a curse on the town line, and once you leave, that's it."
"No..." Evie whispered as she feared the worst.
"So, you're saying...?" Robin asked slowly.
"I'm saying that we can't just send Marian into an unknown world. Someone has to go with her," Regina explained. "You and Roland. And once you do go... You can never come back."
"...I need to be alone with my family a moment." Robin said to her.
"I understand..." Regina nodded as she headed right to the car.
Evie looked over and watched her mother go before she faced Robin with a small frown. "You really wanna be with my mom." she then said softly.
"I do, Evie, I really do," Robin admitted and confirmed to the teenage girl. "Your mother is amazing even if we didn't really get along at first."
"Yes, my mom can be funny like that sometimes." Evie agreed.
"So I've seen." Robin said as he looked down, concerned about his wife.
"But you're very loyal to your family," Evie then said softly. "Family comes first."
"This is very hard for me, Evie," Robin said. "You're very bright for your age though to understand this."
"Well, I'm a bit more mature than most people I go to school with, especially Chad," Evie remarked. "How could someone sweet and pure like Cinderella have a son like that?"
"Can't be worse than the Sheriff of Nottingham." Robin commented.
"More like Sheriff of Nothingham." Evie smirked.
Robin chuckled softly at that.
Regina sat in her car, staring out at the Merry Men as well as Robin, Marian, and her daughter.
"I hate goodbyes. Don't you?" Rumple said as he helped himself into Regina's car and decided to talk to her.
"If you've come here to gloat, I'm really not in the mood," Regina said to him dully. "What do you want?" she then asked, knowing he wouldn't go away very easily.
"My family and I are taking a trip; I came to bid you farewell." Rumple explained.
"Have you been under a rock all day?" Regina scoffed. "There's a curse on the town line. If you leave, you can never come back." she then reminded him.
"Hence the goodbye," Rumple then said, causing Regina to go wide-eyed. "But before I go, could you pass something on to my grandson? Tell Henry I'll miss him... And his charming attempts at snooping around my shop. Also, be sure to tell Evie that Ben will do just fine without her and thank her for being a good friend to him after all these years, even when everyone else was afraid of him because I was his father."
"You knew." Regina realized.
"Oh, I knew," Rumple smirked. "Perhaps you can tell me why."
"Henry was looking for the impossible... My happy ending and even a happy ending for Evie as the next Evil Queen," Regina said. "The storybook has me written as a villain, and villains always lose, so... He thought you might have a clue as to who the author is so I can make him change that."
"Intriguing idea," Rumple said with a brief nod. "But, alas, I've no clue as to his identity."
"I know. Villains don't get happy endings." Regina said wearily.
"It would appear, in your case, that that's true." Rumple nodded.
"You and your family seem... Content. Especially Belle and Ben," Regina said curiously. "How were you able to get one?"
"Because I took it. And, quite frankly, you should, uh, stop moping and do the same thing," Rumple advised as he gestured out the window while Robin spoke to his Merry Men one last time. "I mean, if this Marian died, all would be well, would it not?"
"That's no longer me unlike Evie who has a kind and sweet soul." Regina countered.
"Being good doesn't mean good things will happen." Rumple suggested.
"This sounds like the old Rumplestiltskin talking," Regina scoffed. "I thought you changed."
"More like evolved. Coming back from the dead and being a slave to the Wicked Witch tends to do that to you. But if you don't think villains can get happy endings, just watch me take one," Rumple said to her. "There's no author of my fate, no storybook with my destiny. I've been a villain a thousand times over, and yet I'm about to get everything I desire. As unbelievable as it sounds, I want the same for you." he then added before leaving her to her solitude.
Regina sighed as she took a deep breath after that meeting, then came out of her car to go and join The Merry Men, Robin, Roland, and Evie while Marian watched them from afar and smiled a little as the two bonded like a big sister and little brother since Roland reminded Evie of when Henry was that young.
Soon, they were all at the town line and it was time for a very emotional goodbye even before Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff would make it back to Arendelle. Evie watched as Roland embraced Marian since she was going to be okay and they were all going to be a family again.
"The diner I told you about is just a few miles down the road." Regina began to remind Robin.
"Right," Robin nodded and was about to add something else. "Uh, Regina-"
"And you have the map I gave you?" Regina continued. "A-And the money, so that should be plenty to get you started."
"Man, she sounds just like that camping field trip we had one weekend." Doug commented to Evie as he came for moral support.
"Only probably not as much bug spray and goodbye kisses." Evie replied.
"Yes, but-" Robin began to say to Regina.
"Good. Then you should go." Regina nodded and suggested urgently.
"Thank you." Robin said as this seemed like the end.
"She needs to cross the line now." Regina suggested urgently.
"Okay, you guys, go. I'll be right behind you, I promise," Robin soon commanded to his Merry Men. "We already said our farewells to Mulan before she returns to Northern Wei where she and her daughter belong, now we must return where we belong. I just... I just need a moment, okay?" he then asked his wife.
"Of course. Thank you." Marian told him and added to Evie and Regina.
Evie and Regina nodded at that.
"Coming, Will?" Robin asked the former Merry Man, just to see what he would say.
"No, sorry, mate, the descendants of Wonderland should be claiming me any minute now so I can claim their Red Queen," Will replied. "I'm a big deal down there, ya know? They all see me as their big brother."
"Riiiiight." Regina rolled her eyes.
Evie just shook her head in annoyance over Will. Marian and Robin then crossed the town line together as a surge of magic hit them both, but in a positive way for their sake. Marian was all better and relieved from her cold spell as she laughed and hugged her son, happily swaying him about.
"Mama!" Roland beamed.
Marian smiled at that and soon looked back at the town line, expecting her husband right about now. "Robin?"
"Your family is waiting. Go." Regina advised the outlaw she harbored feelings for.
Robin gave a small look to his wife and young son and then back at The Evil Queen. He then couldn't hold it back any longer as he grabbed her face and kissed her right on the lips. Evie gasped and beamed with a lone tear in her eye. Doug smiled as he was happy to see that reaction from Evie. Unfortunately, that would be the only one as far as everyone knew between The Outlaw and The Evil Queen.
"I..." Robin said emotionally.
"I know." Regina replied as she held onto him, taking his hand.
Robin held her hand in his hand before he soon crossed the line next and had to let go since Regina couldn't go with him.
"Papa!" Roland piped up.
Robin stared back at the empty road ahead of him and his family while Regina looked back at them clearly. He then hoisted his son up into his arms and soon stepped away. He then used one arm to wrap around Marian as they began to head to their new home. Evie soon reached out and squeezed her mother's hand. Regina sniffled a bit before she hugged her daughter and gently patted her on the back as this was going to be a hard thing to adjust to for both of them.
"So, who here knows what a Jabberwock looks like?" Will asked with a boastful smirk.
"Dude! Not now!" Doug hissed as Will ruined the moment.
The other Merry Men groaned and rolled their eyes at that.
"He's worse than Friar Tuck." One man scoffed to Little John who chuckled in agreement.
Soon, after the mother and daughter hug, Regina took out the storybook page and began to rip it up as it would only be a painful reminder she did not wish to recall.
"Mr. Gold, what are you doing here?" Cogsworth demanded as Rumple and Killian made it over to the clock tower. "I'm in charge of the clock tower when I'm not at the high school. I select the new Baby New Year to represent the new year for many to come. I'm in charge here. I-"
"Get out of the way, you old fool!" Rumple scoffed as he shoved the portly man away with magic right out the door.
"Good gracious!" Cogsworth gasped and cried out at the brute force as the impish man and adult pirate headed into the room.
"When the stars on the hat align with those in the sky, we shall begin." Rumple told Killian on the way up to the clock face.
"You mean I shall end," Killian retorted. "Let's not start mincing our words now."
"Oh, how brave," Rumple smirked. "I half-expected you to crumble at the precipice of your demise."
"I'm not the one who's a coward." Killian sassed.
"Well, then, you'll enjoy watching this coward crush your heart." Rumple retorted and smirked as he brought out a certain muscle before waving his other hand to open the dome of the clock tower to show the sky up above as it would be nighttime very soon.
Meanwhile, at the mansion, everyone began to look around and explore.
"This place is amazing," Henry said in awe before he saw a certain door. "Mom, I'll, uh, be right back." he then said, going right that way.
"Hey, kid, wait." Emma said as she and the others came to catch up.
"...It's the door from my dream." Elwin whispered to himself with wide eyes.
"Well, Emma, I think this is it." Mary Margaret told her daughter.
"Crocuses! Arendelle crocuses!" Anna gasped and beamed in excitement. "Elsa, we're almost home."
"Wait, maybe I should open it," Emma piped up. "Magic can be unpredictable."
"That's a pretty good point." Dee Dee agreed.
"So this is it." Elsa said as she grasped Emma by the hand.
"Appears so." Emma nodded.
"Thank you for taking such good care of my sister and nephew." Anna smiled thankfully at Emma.
"It's kind of what we do." Emma smiled back.
"It's our pleasure," Mary Margaret agreed warmly. "Now, don't you all have a kingdom to go save?"
"We sure do," Anna nodded, feeling brave and determined. "I hope Hans isn't too comfortable on that throne 'cuz I'm gonna knock him right off the minute we get back."
"And the second minute we're back, maybe we could get married?" Kristoff spoke up. "Just a thought."
"Emma, thank you for everything," Elsa said as she hugged Emma. "You've done so much. I could never repay you."
Emma smiled as she hugged Elsa back after a few moments.
"It's time," Elsa then said. "Please, thank Hook and Mr. Gold for us, as well."
Emma was then about to open the door until a rumbling was heard. "Get down!" she then warned the others.
"What?!" The others asked in surprise.
"Something big's coming!" Emma said before she suddenly ducked down to the floor and soon, so did everyone else.
Luckily, as they did that, the door slammed open and a mysterious flying vehicle whooshed right out and crashed in the middle of the room, making a bit of a mess without meaning to. They nearly crumpled the window and wall they nearly fell into, though no one seemed that concerned, except for maybe one.
"Well, that's quite an entrance." A voice snarked.
"Still a work in progress, my long-eared friend!" A second voice added.
"What was that?!" Mary Margaret asked.
"I dunno, a rocket?" Elwin replied.
"Why would a rocket be in the door?" Emma wondered.
"Beats me." David replied.
"What's a rocket?" Anna asked Elsa and Kristoff who merely shrugged in response.
"Well, a rocket is for fireworks, Lonnie told me a lot about Dad coming home from the war with fireworks and technically her too, but no one knew she wasn't a man until they stopped Shan Yu and Xianniang for trying to overthrow The Emperor," Elwin said before he got up off the floor. "Someone should go see what that is."
"Yeah, and hurry!" Kristoff nodded. "Who knows how much time we have here before Hans makes laws where we have to bow down and kiss his royal feet and butt all day long?" he then added.
"You... You I like..." Elwin chuckled and smirked at his potential uncle.
"I'm going in..." David said bravely as he soon went over to the strange sight and hopped over for a few moments.
Everyone stood around in silence and suspense since they had no idea what was going on and why right now.
Soon, David came back with a rather jovial smile. "I hope you've been good, because there is someone here to see you." he then said to the others.
Everyone looked around and soon followed David out to the source to see a jolly fat man with a bushy white beard and red coat.
"Santa Claus?!" Emma asked out of disbelief.
"Yes, that would be me," The man nodded in response. "Merry Christmas."
"I didn't know Storybrooke had Christmas," Emma commented. "I don't remember us ever celebrating it or even Halloween. Or... Any holidays."
"Maybe that's because of The White Witch?" Holly suggested as she hopped off of the sled along with the others while Elwin looked starstruck while everyone else was just plain surprised. "Unless that was someone else?"
"Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus..." Emma murmured.
"Oh, my..." Henry added.
"The Guardians!" Elwin gasped and beamed.
"Ah, Elwin, we've been looking for you." North commented and then said.
"W-W-We...?" Elwin asked as he couldn't believe what was going on.
"Come on out, buddy!" Holly soon called out.
Soon, a very pale-faced man with silver hair poked his head out from the sled and slowly stepped out and off, being barefoot.
"Jack Frost..." Elsa and Elwin both whispered.
"Elsa, my darling... Elwin, my son..." Jack said softly as he approached them and they all shared a very long-awaited embrace with each other.
"You'd think I'd be surprised by all of this by now, but I don't think I'll ever get used to it." Emma commented.
"I'm sorry for those bully kids who gave you rotten googies to make ya feel bad." Bunny said to her.
"You know about that?" Emma asked in surprise.
"Well, of course, we're The Guardians of Childhood!" Toothiana reassured with a giggle. "We keep track of every child because we run on their belief and innocence! Of course, our biggest supporter was always Elwin over there and he didn't even know how much it meant to all of us."
"Well, at least someone was looking out for Emma then." Mary Margaret remarked softly.
And so, Elsa and Kristoff went through the portal first. Anna was on her way after them until she stopped for one last goodbye to the friends who helped her reunite with her sister and nephew as well as ensure to have her wedding continue to go as planned.
"Good luck." Mary Margaret told her kindly.
"I wish I had met this Mr. Gold. He seems super helpful. Who is he? I mean, who is he in the other world?" Anna replied and wondered about this Mr. Gold that everyone kept talking about. "Wait, let me guess. He was a fairy godfather, wasn't he?
"Well, not exactly," David clarified. "He was an evil sorcerer you're lucky you never met: Rumplestiltskin."
Anna's eyes widened at the name. "Wait, what?"
"You know him?" Emma asked, based on how Anna reacted. "He explicitly said he didn't know anything about you."
"Well, that's a lie. Not that I'm surprised," Anna scoffed. "All he does is lie." she then frowned before she came to join her family through the door to Arendelle.
"So Gold was playing us the whole time. But why?" Emma realized and wondered.