Chapter One - Pilot
Season 1 Episode 1
There was an enchanted forest filled with all the classic characters we know.
Or think we know.
One day they found themselves trapped in a place where all their happy endings were stolen.
Our World.
This is how it happened…
Prince Charming rides on his white horse with sheer determination as the horse races across the long stretch of land towards the forest. He goes day and night, over mountains and through snow and into another forest as time runs out, and he comes to another part of the forest where snow falls on one half. Finally, Prince Charming comes to a stop and jumps from his steed, alerting the several dwarves gathered around a glass coffin with a beautiful raven-haired woman in a white dress lays. "You're too late," Doc announces, looking over at the Prince and then back to the woman lying inside the coffin known as Snow White.
"No," Charming whispers in disbelief. "No!" He pushes towards the glass coffin to see if it's true, seeing the face of the woman he loves. "Open it," He pleads to them, wishing to say his final goodbyes.
"I'm sorry, she's gone," Grumpy tells him, and Charming grows sorrowful, wistfully running his fingers over the glass and looking at the dwarves with pleading eyes.
"At least let me say goodbye," The Prince begs them, Grumpy looks at the other two standing next to him and nods, letting him say his final goodbyes, and they move the coffin's lid. Charming looks at the beautiful woman for a second before falling to his knees and kissing Snow White; a wave of pure magic spreads across the area as the spell is broken, and the Prince pulls away. Snow White takes a gasp of air as she wakes from the broken spell, fluttering her eyes open to see Prince Charming looming over her lovingly.
"You…" Snow White whispers, catching her breath, placing her hand fondly on his cheek. "You found me," She smiles, and he can't help but share the smile.
"Did you ever doubt I would?" He asks, taking her hand in his and helping her sit in her glass coffin.
"Truthfully, the glass coffin gave me pause," She jokes.
"Well, you never have to worry," Charming tells her, cupping her cheek, smiling at each other. "I will always find you."
"Do you promise?" Snow asks him.
"I do," Prince Charming declares at their wedding sometime later, looking lovingly into her eyes.
"And do you, Snow White, promise to take this man to be your husband and love him for all eternity?" The Priest asks as the large crowd watches the happy couple on the flower platform in the centre of the beautifully decorated room.
"I do," She replies, not breaking eye contact.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife," The Priest announces, and the room erupts into applause for the couple, who leans in for a kiss; when the doors slam open, gasps hear from everyone as they look at the sudden entrance of the Evil Queen and her younger sister the Cruel Princess.
"Sorry we're late," The Evil Queen taunts the guests and married couple before approaching the couple at the altar swiftly, with her sister slowly walking behind her. Two guards from the front of the crowd rush to stop her, drawing their swords, but the Queen throws them away out of her side with her magic, making the Cruel Princess slightly flinch.
"It's the Queen," Doc shouts to the couple, stepping towards them. "Run!" Not wanting to back down, Snow White draws Charming's sword from his belt and points it at the approaching Evil Queen.
"She's not the Queen anymore She's nothing more than an evil witch," She snaps, and the Prince tries to stop his wife.
"No, no, no. Don't stoop to her level. There's no need," Charming assures her, and she lowers the sword, and the Prince takes it from her. "You're wasting your time. You've already lost. And I will not let you ruin this wedding."
"Oh, I haven't come here to ruin anything. On the contrary, dear, I've come to give you a gift," The Evil Queen announces.
"We want nothing from you," Snow White yells, clinging to her husband's arm.
"But you shall have it! My gift to you," The Queen looks at the couple and swings her train away from her feet and paces in front of the altar. ", is this happy, happy day. But tomorrow, my real work begins. You've made your vows, now I make mine. Soon, everything you love, everything all of you love, will be taken from you." She looks around the room to see the scared looks of the guests. "Forever. And out of your suffering, will rise my victory. I shall destroy your happiness, if it is the last thing I do," She finishes her speech and walks away, joined by her sister as they head for the door.
"Hey!" Prince Charming shouts, gaining the sisters' attention as he throws the sword at the Queen, but the Princess grabs her sister's hand and disappears in a puff of teal smoke before the blade can touch them. The remaining people at the wedding nervously murmur, and Prince Charming hugs Snow White, comforting her.
On a bus heading for Boston, a young boy named Henry sits reading a large book depicting Prince Charming and Snow White; he looks at it again before closing the book. "That a good book?" Another passenger asks, and he looks up to see a nice-looking woman across from him, and he clings to the book.
"This? It's more than just a book," Henry replies, and she looks at him, intrigued.
"Oh?" She smiles.
"Boston, South Station. Thank you for riding Greyhound," The driver announces as it stops; the passengers climb off, and when Henry steps off, looking around the busy bus station, one of the passengers behind him bumps into him. He looks around and spots a taxi rank rushing over to one of the yellow taxis and knocks on the window, alerting the driver on the phone, who ends his call and rolls down the window.
"Uh…," Henry takes out a credit card. "You take credit cards?"
"Where to, chief?" The driver asks.
At an expensive restaurant, a gorgeous blond named Emma exits the elevator; she looks around, seemingly nervous about her date and finds him sitting at a table; he looks up, seeming relieved as he gets up, shaking her hand. "Emma," He says.
"Ryan? You look relieved," Emma replies as he helps take her chair out.
"Well, it is the internet. Pictures can be…." Her date states as they sit down at their table.
"Fake. Outdated. Stolen from a Victoria's Secret catalog," She jokes, and they laugh nervously. "So…"
"So… Um… Tell me something about yourself, Emma," He starts the conversation.
"Oh. Ah, well, today's my birthday," The blond announces.
"And you're spending it with me! What about your friends?" He asks her.
"Kind of a loner," She answers.
"And you don't like your family?" Her date questions.
"No family to like," Emma tells him.
"Oh, come on. Everyone has family," Ryan replies.
"Technically, yeah. And everyone knows who they are? Ready to run yet?" She asks him, laughing a little.
"Oh, not a chance. You, Emma, are by far, the sexiest, friendless orphan I have ever met," He jokes, and they share a laugh.
"Okay. Your turn. No, wait, let me guess," Emma stops him from talking. "Um… You are handsome, charming…."
"Go on," He smiles, not seeing the clincher about to come.
"The kind of guy who - and now, stop me if I get this wrong - embezzled from your employer, got arrested, and skipped town before they were able to throw your ass in jail." Emma summarises, shocking the man.
"What?" Her date gasps in surprise.
"And the worst part of all is your wife. Your wife loves you so much that she bailed you out, and how do you repay that loyalty? You're on a date," Emma says, looking at him in disgust.
"Who are you?" Ryan asks her.
"The chick who put up the rest of the money," She answers, and the colour drains from his face.
"You're a bail bondsman," He mutters in disappointment.
"Bail bondsperson," The blond corrects him, and in a split second, her date flips the table, spilling everything over Emma as he makes a run out of the restaurant, and she looks down at the wine stain on her dress. "Really?" She huffs and sets after him.
The man slams the restaurant door as he runs out of the building and crosses the busy street while dodging traffic on his way to his car. Emma calmly walked out of the building behind him, even having cars stop in the road so as not to hit her. As Emma walks closer, he enters his vehicle, retching the door open. He starts the ignition as he closes the door, but the car won't move; he opens the door again to see a boot on his wheel, and Emma catches up. "You don't have to do this, okay? I can pay you. I got money," He pleads with her.
"No, you don't," Emma replies. "And if you did, you should give it to your wife to take care of your family."
"The hell you know about family, huh?" He snaps, and she grows angry, slamming his head against the steering wheel, making it honk as he falls unconscious in the seat.
"Nothing," She whispers.
After dropping off Ryan, Emma makes it home to her apartment with a little something for herself on her birthday. She removes her high heels with relief and walks into her kitchen, removes a single cupcake from the box, puts a single blue star-shaped candle on top before lighting it, and leans on the counter, her head resting on her arm, starting at the flame. "Another banner year," Emma closes her eyes, making a wish before blowing out the candle, and suddenly the doorbell rings. She opens the front door, expecting an adult, but looks down to see a boy. "Uh? Can I help you?" She asks him.
"Are you Emma Swan?" He asks her.
"Yeah. Who are you?" Emma asks him.
"My name's Henry. I'm your son," He drops the bomb, and she stares at him in shock; he takes his chance and ducks under her arm, walking into Emma's apartment, and she snaps out of it as she follows after the kid.
"Whoa! Hey, kid! Kid! Kid! I don't have a son! Where are your parents?" She asks him.
"Ten years ago. Did you give up a baby for adoption?" Henry asks her and sees the look on her face that says everything. "That was me."
"...Give me a minute," Emma tells him after a long silence, and she goes into the bathroom to compose herself; she seems to calm herself down a little when Henry yells from outside the door.
"Hey, you have any juice? Never mind, found some," He shouts, and she tries calming down again before exiting the bathroom to see Henry drinking juice straight from the bottle.
"You know, we should probably get going."
"Going where?" Emma asks him, crossing her arms.
"I want you to come home with me," He confesses.
"Okay, kid. I'm calling the cops," She walks over to the phone and dials in the numbers.
"Then I'll tell them you kidnapped me," Henry threatens her, and she stops the call.
"And they'll believe you because I'm your birth mother," The blond sighs.
"Yep," He agrees, seeming happy about it almost.
"You're not going to do that," Emma tells him, trying to size him up.
"Try me," The kid tries, seeming tough.
"You're pretty good. But here's the thing - there's not a lot I'm great at in life. I have one skill. Let's call it a superpower. I can tell when anyone is lying and you, kid, are." She tells him. His face falls as she hits the numbers again.
"Wait… Please don't call the cops. Please, come home with me," Henry pleads with her.
"Where's home?" The blond asks.
"Storybrooke, Maine," He answers.
"Storybrooke? Seriously?" Emma questions, looking at him, not believing the kid, and he nods, humming a little. "Alrighty, then," She walks to her bedroom to change into something more comfortable. "Let's get you back to Storybrooke."
Within the Enchanted Forest at Snow White and Prince Charming's castle, a pregnant Snow stands at the bedroom balcony door with a bluebird on her finger that flies away as Prince Charming walks towards his wife. "What's wrong?" He asks her.
"Nothing," She denies.
"You're thinking about what the Queen said again, aren't you?" Charming asks her and takes her hands in his. "Snow, please. I can't keep having this conversation. You have to let it go. We're about to have a baby," He points to the cot by their bed and Snow stomps inside.
"I haven't had a restful night since our wedding," She snaps, looking at the beautifully crafted cot.
"That's what she wants - to get in your head," He warns her, walking over and trying to reason with her. "But they're only words. She can't hurt us."
"She poisoned an apple because she thought I was prettier than her. You have no idea of what she's capable of," Snow tells him, and he can see the fear in her eyes for their child.
"What can I do to ease your mind?" Charming asks her, and she takes the chance.
"Let me talk to him," She breathes out, feeling relief at the idea, needing to find some answers.
"Him?" He questions, and it clicks. "You don't mean…."
"I do," Snow confirms his thought.
"No, no, no. It's too dangerous," The Prince argues.
"He sees the future," She reminds him.
"There's a reason he's locked up," He tells her, trying to reason with her.
"Can you promise me that our child will be safe?" Snow asks him. "Can you guarantee it? Because he can." As he thinks about it, Charming grows silent for a second, and Snow looks at him in anticipation.
"Alright. For our child."
Emma drives in her yellow beetle car with Henry out of Boston. "I'm hungry. Can we stop somewhere?" Henry asks.
"This is not a road trip. We're not stopping for snacks," Emma tells him.
"Why not?" He asks her, wishing he'd packed some snacks.
"Quit complaining, kid. Remember - I could have put your butt on a bus. I still could," She reminds him.
"You know I have a name? It's Henry," He counters back and gets out his fairy tale book from the bag he was reading on the bus.
"What's that?" The blond asks him.
"I'm not sure you're ready," Henry tells her.
"I'm not ready for some fairy tales?" Emma asks him.
"They're not fairy tales. They're true. Every story in this book actually happened," The kid argues.
"Of course they did," She huffs, not buying it.
"Use your superpower. See if I'm lying," Henry tells her, knowing he's telling the truth.
"Just because you believe something, doesn't make it true," His birth mother argues.
"That's exactly what makes it true," Henry argues back. "You should know more than anyone.
"Why's that?" Emma asks the kid.
"Because you're in this book," He informs her.
"Oh, kid. You've got problems," She lets slip.
"Yep. And you're going to fix them," The kid tells her, looking back to his book, reading some more.
Within the dungeons of the Enchanted Forest, a guard with a burning torch escorts Snow White and Prince Charming through the tunnel leading further inside, which holds the worst villain. "When we reach the cell, stay out of the light. And whatever you do, do not let him know your name. If he knows your name, he will have power over you," The guard warns the married couple. "Rumpelstiltskin. Rumpelstiltskin! I have a question for you."
"No, you don't," Rumpelstiltskin replies as he gracefully lands on the ground from the ceiling. "They do," He points to the couple. "Snow White and Prince Charming… You insult me. Step into the light and take off those ridiculous robes." He instructs them, getting annoyed and raises his voice as he speaks, and the married couple takes off the hoods of their cloaks, revealing themselves. "That's much better."
"We've come to ask you about the…." Charming says, but the prisoner interrupts him.
"Yes! Yes! I know why you're here! You want to know about the Queen's threat," He adds.
"Tell us what you know," Snow White demands.
"Ooh, tense, aren't we? Fear not! For I can ease your mind. But… It's going to cost you something in return," He tells them.
"No! He's just a waste of time," The Prince tells his wife, trying to stop her, but she shakes him off and steps towards the bars.
"What do you want?" Snow asks him.
"Oh… The name of your unborn child?" Rumpelstiltskin replies.
"Absolutely not!" Charming snaps.
"Deal!" She shouts over her husband. "What do you know?"
"The Queen has created a powerful curse. And it's coming. Soon, you'll all be in a prison. Just like me, only worse. Your prison, all of our prisons, will be time. Time will stop, and we will be trapped. Someplace horrible, where everything we hold dear, everything we love, will be ripped from us while we suffer for all eternity. While the Queen celebrates, victorious at last. No more happy endings," The Dark One informs them, and the couple looks terrified of the future.
"What can we do?" Snow asks him.
"We can't do anything," He replies.
"Who can?" She asks.
"That little thing, growing inside your belly," Rumpelstiltskin says, moving his arm through the jagged bars, gesturing to Snow White's pregnant belly the Prince takes out his sword and slashes at the Dark One's hand, making him retract his hand.
"Next time, I cut it off," Charming warns him.
"Tsk tsk. The infant is our only hope. Get the child to safety. Get the child to safety and on its twenty-eighth birthday, the child will return. The child will find you and a final battle will begin," He laughs.
"We heard enough. We're leaving," The Prince snaps and leads his pregnant wife away with the guard following them.
"Hey! No! We made a deal! I want her name!" Rumpelstiltskin shouts after them. "We had a deal! I need her name! I want her name!"
"Her? It's a boy," Charming lies.
"Missy… Missy… You know I'm right. Tell me, what's her name?" He asks, looking at Snow White.
"Emma. Her name is Emma," She answers.
"Emma…"
Emma and Henry finally arrive in Storybrooke, passing the town sign and going through the deserted streets. "Okay, kid. How about an address?" Emma asks him, growing bored of driving through the streets.
"Forty-four Not Telling You street," Henry answers and growing frustrated, the blond stops the car in the road and jumps out of the car, slamming the door behind her as the kid climbs out after her.
"Look, it's been a long night and it's almost…." She snaps, looking at the clock tower, but the hands on the clock aren't moving. "...8:15?"
"That clock hasn't moved my whole life. Time's frozen here," The kid explains.
"Excuse me?" The blond questions.
"The Evil Queen did it with her curse. She sent everyone from the Enchanted Forest here," Henry explains.
"Okay, the Evil Queen sent a bunch of fairy tale characters here," Emma replies sarcastically.
"Yeah, and now they're trapped," He adds.
"Frozen in time, stuck in Storybrooke, Maine. That's what you're going with?" She asks him.
"It's true!" The kid snaps.
"Then why doesn't everybody just leave?" She questions.
"They can't. If they try, bad things happen." Henry answers, remembering previous things that happened to the town's residents.
"Henry!" Someone calls out to the young boy; looking over, they see a man with a Dalmatian approaching them. "Henry! What are you doing here? Is everything alright?" He asks.
"I'm fine, Archie," He replies, looking down at his feet.
"Who's this?" Archie asks, looking at Emma.
"Just someone trying to give him a ride home," She fibs.
"She's my mom, Archie," Henry informs the shrink.
"Oh. I see," The Shrink grows flustered.
"You know where he lives?" The blond asks the man.
"Yeah, sure," Archie nods. "Just, ah, right up on Mifflin street," He points down the street. "The Mayor's house is the biggest one on the block."
"You're the Mayor's kid?" Emma questions, looking at Henry.
"Uh, maybe," He answers.
"Hey, where were you today, Henry? Because you missed your session," The man questions.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you. I went on a field trip," Henry lies.
"Henry," Archie crouches in front of the boy. "What did I tell you about lying? Giving into one's dark side never accomplishes anything."
"Oookay. Well, I really should be getting him home," Emma cuts in.
"Yeah, sure. Well, listen. Um. Have a good night and, uh, you be good, Henry," He says farewell and walks away with his dog.
"So that's your shrink," The blond questions.
"I'm not crazy," Henry argues.
"Didn't say that. Just, he doesn't seem 'cursed' to me. Maybe he's just trying to help you," Emma points out.
"He's the one who needs help because he doesn't know," He tells her.
"That he's a fairy tale character?" Emma asks.
"None of them do. They don't remember who they are," The kid argues.
"Convenient. Alright, I'll play. Who's he supposed to be?" She inquires.
"Jiminy Cricket," Henry answers.
"Right, the lying thing. Thought your nose grew a little bit," The blond jokes, getting back into the car.
"I'm not Pinocchio!" He exclaims as he climbs into the passenger seat.
"Course you're not. Because that would be ridiculous," She jokes and drives down the streets.
Everyone is gathered around the table in the castle's council room, with Prince Charming leading the discussion. "I say we fight!" Charming shouts, slamming his fist onto the wooden table.
"Fighting is a bad idea. Giving into one's dark side never accomplishes anything," Jiminy advises him.
"Then how many wars has a clear conscience won?" He questions the cricket, looking at the spyglass that makes it easier to see the little insect using the megaphone. "We need to take the Queen out before she can inflict her curse."
"Can we even trust Rumpelstiltskin?" Doc questions.
"I've sent my men into the forest. The animals are abuzz with the Queen's plan. This is going to happen unless we do something," He replies. "She also confirms it," He looks around the room to see the recognition on the other's faces, knowing who he is talking about.
"There's no point. The future is written," Snow White murmurs in her seat, still feeling down about what Rumpelstiltskin said before.
"No. I refuse to believe that. Good can't just lose," Charming argues.
"Maybe it can," She argues back.
"No. No, not as long as we have each other," Snow's husband tells her, kneeling beside her. "If you believe him about the curse, then you must believe him about our child. She will be the Saviour." The sound of clashing comes from outside the chamber as several guards enter, dragging behind them a piece of a tree, and the Blue Fairy accompanies them. "What the hell is this?"
"Our only hope of saving that child," Blue answers, flying over the table.
"A tree?" Grumpy questions. "Our fate rests on a tree? Let's get back to the fighting thing."
"The tree is enchanted. If fashioned into a vessel, it can ward off any curse. Geppetto, can you build such a thing?" She asks the older man.
"Me and my boy, we can do it," He replies, patting his son's head as they sit by his feet, messing around.
"This will work. We all must have faith. There is, however, a catch. The enchantment is, indeed, powerful, but all power has its limits. And this tree can protect only one." The Blue Fairy warns the couple.
Emma finally makes it to Henry's rather sizeable white house; they head through the front gate and up the walkway. "Please don't take me back there," Henry protests.
"I have to," Emma tells him. "I'm sure your parents are worried sick about you."
"I don't have parents. Just a mom and she's evil," He argues.
"Evil? That's a bit extreme, isn't it?" She asks him.
"She is. She doesn't love me. She only pretends to," The kid tells her.
"Kid… I'm sure that's not true," The blond argues, crouching to look him in the eyes when the house's front door opens, and a woman rushes out of the door towards Henry and Emma with a man strolling behind.
"Henry! Henry…" Regina calls out as she runs towards him, engulfing him in a hug. "Are you okay? Where have you been? What happened?" She asks him, pulling away to look at him.
"I found my real mom," Henry snaps and runs into the house, leaving the adults.
"Y-You're Henry's birth mother?" She asks, looking at the blond.
"Hi…" Emma replies, feeling the awkward tension in the air.
"I'll just go…check on the lad. Make sure he's alright," Graham says, wanting to leave the two women alone to talk.
"How would you like a glass of the best apple cider you've ever tasted?" Regina asks the blond, snapping out of her stupor.
"Got anything stronger?" She asks her.
Regina and Emma move into the house, and the Mayor comes out of the kitchen with two glasses into the dining room. "How did he find me?" Emma asks as she stands in the doorway as Regina pours two glasses of apple cider.
"No idea. When I adopted him, he was only three weeks old. Records were sealed. I was told the birth mother didn't want to have any contact." She replies as she puts some ice into each glass.
"You were told right," The blond confirms.
"And the father?" The brunette questions, looking over at the woman.
"There was one," Emma answers.
"Do I need to be worried about him?" Regina inquires.
"Nope. He doesn't even know," The blond woman informs the brunette.
"Do I need to be worried about you, Miss Swan?" The Mayor asks.
"Absolutely not," The blond confirms, making Regina nod in relief as Sheriff Graham comes down the stairs from Henry's room.
"Madam Mayor, you can relax. Other than being a tired little boy, Henry's fine," Graham assures the other.
"Thank you, Sheriff," She says thanks, and he leaves the house as the two women head into a different room. "I'm sorry he dragged you out of your life. I really don't know what's gotten into him."
"Kid's having a rough time. It happens," Emma replies, sitting on the couch in the parlour room.
"You have to understand. Ever since I became Mayor, balancing things has been tricky. You have a job, I assume?" Regina questions as the blond woman sets her glass on the coffee table.
"Uh, I keep busy, yeah," She replies nervously.
"Imagine having another one on top of it," The Mayor says as she sits in the chair. "That's being a single mom. So I push for order. Am I strict? I suppose. But I do it for his own good. I want Henry to excel in life. I don't think that makes me evil, do you?"
"I'm sure he's just saying that because of the fairy tale thing," Emma assures her as she picks up the glass.
"What fairy tale thing?" Regina asks, growing cold towards the blond.
"Oh, you know. His book. How he thinks everyone's a cartoon character from it. Like his shrink is Jiminy Cricket," Emma informs her.
"I'm sorry. I really have no idea what you're talking about," Regina replies.
"You know what? It's none of my business. He's your kid," The blond tells her, smiling friendly at the woman. "And I really should be heading back," She goes to take a drink as Regina gets up from her chair.
"Of course," The Mayor walks to the door and opens it; Emma looks at her in surprise but gets up, walking out of the room with Regina.
Emma walks down the walkway to her car, gets her keys out of her pocket, and stops, looking back at the house to the second-story window with Henry standing at his window; seeing her looking back at him, he closes his curtains and turns out his bedroom light. Emma walks to her car, and another car pulls up to the pavement. She looks to see a woman in pink scrubs and a black coat climbing out of the vehicle with a large bag. The woman looks at the blond and walks over to the front gate of the Mayor's house; Emma watches in surprise, and the woman stops, feeling the blond's eyes on her. "Can I help you?" The woman in scrubs asks, looking at the blond, who goes to speak when the front door swings open.
"Aunt October!" Henry cries from the front door, running to the woman, who opens her arms to accept a hug, pulling the boy into her arms, and he wraps his legs around her waist.
"I was so worried about you. Don't you dare ever do that again," Aunt October warns her nephew.
"I found her, I found my real mom," The kid tells her, and she looks back at the blond, who watches them.
"I take it, it's the blond staring at us," She replies, and he nods. "Nice to meet you, I guess. I'm Octavia, this little troublemaker's aunt," She smiles at Emma, who sees the difference between the two women; though they look similar, their personalities seem entirely different.
"Uh, yeah, nice to meet you too, I should be going," Emma says and climbs into her car.
"She seems nice, come on, let's get you to bed, young man," Octavia says, carrying Henry back inside.
Emma drives her car along the road out of Storybrooke as it begins to rain heavily, and she looks to the passenger seat to see Henry's book on the chair. "Sneaky bastard," She mutters with a smile and looks back to the road to see a white wolf in the middle of the road. She swerves to avoid it, but with the road being too slippery, she skids around and hits the town entrance sign; she hits her head and falls unconscious as the wolf howls into the night.
Snow White watches from her balcony as Geppetto and Pinocchio carve the Magical wardrobe out of the enchanted tree across from her bed chambers. "I don't want to do this," Snow announces as she walks back into her room with Charming by their baby's cot.
"It has to be you," Charming tells her as she walks into his arms.
"I'm not leaving you," She argues, growing close to tears.
"It's the only way. You'll go in there, and you'll be safe from the curse," He reasons with his wife.
"He said it would be on her twenty-eighth birthday," Snow reminds him, tears falling down her cheeks.
"What's twenty-eight years when you have eternal love? I have faith. You'll save me as I did you," Charming promises her, and they share a kiss, but they break apart as Snow looks in pain and distraught. "What is it?
"Baby… She's coming," She announces.
At the castle guard post, Grumpy swings his flask and looks around, spotting something and kicking Sleepy several times as he sleeps by his feet. "Get up! Get up! Look!" Grumpy shouts, pointing to the dark smoke rolling towards them as birds and other creatures try to escape. Grumpy frantically rings the bell alerting everyone within the castle. "The curse! It's here!"
Emma wakes up inside the Sheriff's office in a cell; seeing one of the other prisoners next to her whistling, she looks over at him, getting to her feet, feeling the headache from the crash. "What are you lookin' at, sister?" Leroy asks her.
"Hey, Leroy! Manners," Marco warns the other prisoner. "We have a guest. So you are, uh, Henry's mother? How lovely for him to have you back in his life."
"Actually, I was just dropping him off," Emma corrects him, trying to soothe her pounding headache.
"Tch, don't blame ya. They're all brats, who needs' em," Leroy comments.
"Well, I'd give anything for one. My wife and I, we tried for many years. But, uh, he was not meant to be," Marco says, looking wistful, and Emma feels a little guilty for what she said.
"Well, cry me a river," The grumpy man grumbles, and Graham walks into the room, getting his keys.
"Leroy! If I'm going to let you out, you need to behave," The Sheriff tells him and unlocks the cell door. "Put on a smile and stay out of trouble." Leroy gets up from the bed and walks over to the younger man putting on a sarcastic smile before leaving to get on with his day.
"Seriously?" Emma questions, leaning against the bars.
"Regina's drinks are a little stronger than we thought," Graham remarks as he walks to her cell.
"I wasn't drunk. There was a wolf standing in the middle of the road," She argues.
"A wolf. Right," He nods along when Regina enters the room calling for the Sheriff.
"Graham! Henry's run away again," Regina announces as she races into the room. "We have…" She spots Emma. "...What is she doing here? Do you know where he is?"
"Honey, I haven't seen him since I dropped him at your house. And, I have a pretty good alibi," Emma tells her.
"Yeah, well, he wasn't in his room this morning," The Mayor argues.
"Did you try his friends?" The blond suggests.
"He doesn't really have any. He's kind of a loner," Regina retorts.
"Every kid has friends. Did you check his computer? If he's close to someone, he'd be emailing them," The Bails bond person suggests.
"And you know this how?" She asks the blond.
"Finding people is what I do. Here's an idea. How about you guys let me out and I'll help you find him," Emma suggests, and Regina's phone rings before she can answer.
"Fine," Regina agrees and answers her phone. "Tavia? You got my message? Yes, have you seen him? No? Okay? Thank you. No, don't leave work, I'll let you know when we find him, okay. I love you, sister." Emma looks at the Mayor in surprise to see her soft side with her sister, and Graham opens the cell door.
Emma sits in Henry's room at the computer desk with Graham next to her as Regina rummages around for clues. "Smart kid - cleared his inbox. I'm smart too," Emma comments as she gets out her keys which have just the thing she needs. "A little hard disk recovery utility I like to use…." She plugs it into the computer.
"I'm a bit more old-fashioned in my techniques. Pounding the pavement, knocking on doors, that sort of thing," Graham remarks.
"You're on salary. I get paid for delivery. Pounding the pavement is not a luxury that I get," Emma replies and sees the recovered emails. "Huh. His receipt for a website - . It's expensive. He has a credit card?"
"He's ten," Regina snaps, growing frustrated.
"Well, he used one. Lets pull up a transaction record," Emma opens up the email. "Mary Margaret Blanchard… Who's Mary Margaret Blanchard?"
"Henry's teacher," The mother answers, growing angry.
At the local school, inside one of the classrooms full of young children, in their art class making birdhouses, their teacher holds a bluebird as she walks around the room. "As we build our bird houses, remember - what you're making is a home, not a cage. The bird is free and will do what it will. This is for them, not us. They're loyal creatures," Mary Margaret walks to the open window, leaning over as everyone watches in anticipation as the bluebird flies to the blue birdhouse just outside the window. "If you love them and they love you, they will always find you," She looks thoughtfully, and the bell rings, knocking her out of her thoughts. "We'll pick this up after recess. No running!" She warns the children as they file out of the classroom, while Regina shoves through the crowd of small children and Emma trails behind her. "Miss Mills. What are you doing here?"
"Where's my son?" Regina demands.
"Henry, I assumed he was home sick with you or Octavia," The teacher replies, looking flustered.
"You think I'd be here if he was? Did you give him your credit card so he can find her?" She snarls.
"I'm sorry, who are you?" Mary Margaret asks, looking at Emma.
"I'm his… I'm his…." Emma tries to say.
"The woman who gave him up for adoption," Regina beats her to it with such hostility.
"You don't know anything about this do you?" The blond asks as she watches the teacher go through her shoulder bag.
"No, unfortunately not," She sighs as she sees it's missing from her purse. "Clever boy… I should never have given him that book.
"What in the hell is this book I keep hearing about?" The Mayor demands, out of the loop.
"Just some old stories I gave him. As you well know, Henry is a special boy. So smart, so creative, and as you might be aware, lonely. He needed it," Mary Margaret tells the other women.
"What he needs is a dose of reality. This is a waste of time," Regina snaps and walks away, knocking a stack of books off the table onto the floor as she passes Emma. "Have a nice trip back to Boston," She storms out of the classroom, and the teacher and Emma clear up the fallen books.
"Sorry to bother you," Emma apologises as she helps clear the books.
"No, it's… It's okay," Mary Margaret says, stopping as she looks at the blond. "I hear this is partially my fault."
"How's the book supposed to help?" She questions as the raven-haired woman puts the books aside.
"What do you think stories are for? These stories are classics. There's a reason we all know them. They're a way for us to deal with our world. A world that doesn't always make sense. See, Henry hasn't had the easiest life," Mary Margaret informs the blond as they walk out of the classroom.
"Yeah, she's kind of a hardass," Emma comments as she follows.
"No, it's more than her. He's like any adopted child. He wrestles with that most basic question they all inevitably face - why would anyone give me away?" She says and stops, looking at the blond. "...I am so sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean in any way to judge you."
"It's okay," The blond assures her.
"Look, I gave the book to him because I wanted Henry to have the most important thing anyone can have. Hope. Believing in even the possibility of a happy ending is a very powerful thing," Blanchard tells her, stopping in the hallway.
"You know where he is, don't you?" Emma asks her.
"You might want to check his castle," Mary Margaret suggests, thinking of the boy.
Within the tower, Snow White screams as she is in labour with Doc by her side and her husband. "I can't have this baby now!" Snow White cries.
"Doc, do something. It's going to be okay. The wardrobe is almost finished, just, just hold on," Charming tells his wife as he cradles her Doc wipes her brow as she continues to scream, unaware of the Evil Queen and her soldiers travelling through the forest towards the castle. Geppetto walks into the room with the married couple and Doc with the good news as the Princess screams in pain.
"It's ready," Geppetto announces, and Charming tries to carry his wife.
"It's too late. We can't move her," Doc warns him, and Snow White screams as she begins to push.
After some time, baby Emma is born, her mother holding her in her arms while the Prince looks at the two most meaningful people in his life. "The wardrobe… it only takes one," Snow White says, breaking the comfortable silence as a crash comes from within the castle as black knights storm inside.
"Then our plan has failed. At least we're together," Charming hugs his little family.
"No," Snow comes up with a heartbreaking idea. "You have to take her. Take the baby to the wardrobe."
"Are you out of your mind?" He asks his wife.
"No, it's the only way. You have to save her," She tells him.
"No, no, no. You don't know what you're saying," The Prince tries to reason with her.
"No, I do. We have to believe that she'll come back for us. We have to give her her best chance," Snow argues; though it breaks her heart, he knows she's right and kisses his daughter's head, and she does the same before letting Charming take the baby. "Goodbye, Emma…" Prince Charming takes a sword from near the door as he holds baby Emma and enters the hallway before giving his wife one last look and runs into the hallway as she gives out heartbreaking sobs.
Charming walks down the hallway on his way to the wardrobe, encountering some of the Queen's guards; he kills one of the guards; he raises his sword as the two soldiers rush towards the Prince. The three fight; Charming defends his newborn daughter and receives a few scrapes. He runs to the room with the enchanted wardrobe, but before he can, more black knights arrive, and he readies to defend himself.
The Cruel Princess steps out of nowhere, standing in front of Charming and spreads out her arms, knocking the guards away. "Go!" She shouts at the Prince, but a black knight appears, stabbing him through, and he falls to the floor; the Princess catches him and looks at the little baby; she kills the black knight and drags them into the room with the wardrobe not before locking the room behind them.
"The wardrobe…" Charming mutters and hands the Cruel Princess baby Emma, who takes the newborn and places her inside the enchanted wardrobe.
"You're the only one who can stop her," Octavia whispers and closes the door and hears the guards outside the door trying to break in; she disappears in a cloud of smoke as they break the door down, entering the room. Charming watches as they break open the wardrobe to discover it empty, as the baby is gone.
At the coast of Storybrooke, Henry sits alone in the playground on his 'castle', a wooden castle-shaped slide. Emma finds him, walks up behind him, carrying his book, and sits beside him. "You left this in my car," She hands him the book, and the kid takes it as they look out across the town at the clock tower. "Still hasn't moved, huh?"
"I was hoping that when I brought you back, things would change here. That the final battle would begin," Henry comments, looking at the unmoving clock tower.
"I'm not fighting any battles, kid," She tells him, growing tired.
"Yes, you are. Because it's your destiny. You're going to bring back the happy endings," Henry tells her.
"Can you cut it with the book crap," The blond tells him.
"You don't have to be hostile. I know you like me - I can tell," Henry replies. "You're just pushing me away because I make you feel guilty. It's okay. I know why you gave me away. You wanted to give me my best chance,"
"How do you know that?" Emma asks him.
"Because it's the same reason Snow White gave you away," The kid answers.
"Listen to me, kid. I'm not in any book. I'm a real person. And I'm no Saviour. You were right about one thing, though. I wanted you to have your best chance. But it's not with me. Come on, let's go," His birth mother tells him, getting to her feet. And he follows after her, lugging the large book with him.
"Please don't take me back there. Just stay with me for one week. That's all I ask. One week, and you'll see I'm not crazy," Henry reasons with her.
"I have to get you back to your mom," Emma reminds him.
"You don't know what it's like with her. My life sucks!" He argues, not really thinking of his aunt.
"Oh, you want to know what sucking is?" She asks, her voice beginning to crack. "Being left abandoned on the side of a freeway. My parents didn't even bother to drop me off at a hospital. I ended up in the foster system and I had a family until I was three, but then they had their own so then they sent me back. Look, your mom is trying her best," She leans down to look him in the eyes. "I know it's hard and I know sometimes you think she doesn't love you, but at least she wants you."
"Your parents didn't leave you on the side of a freeway. That's just where you came through," Henry tells her.
"What?" She asks him.
"The wardrobe. When you went through the wardrobe you appeared in the street. Your parents were trying to save you from the curse," He tells her.
"Sure they were. Come on, Henry," His birth mother says, clearing her teary eyes, and they walk back into town.
Snow White slowly shuffles into the room with the wardrobe and sees Prince Charming lying on the ground, appearing dead. "No, no! No! No! No! Please… Please come back to me," She pleads as she runs to her husband, cradling his head in her lap, kissing him twice as she tries to revive him, but it fails as the Evil Queen enters the room with more of her guards and her sister.
"Oh, don't worry dear. In a few moments, you won't remember you knew him, let alone loved him," The Evil Queen remarks with a smirk.
"Why did you do this?" Snow White asks with tears flowing down her cheeks.
"Because this is my happy ending," She replies, looming over her stepdaughter, and two more guards enter the room. "The child?"
"Gone. It was in the wardrobe, and then it was gone. It's nowhere to be found," The guard announces, and Octavia has to stop her smile of relief at the news.
"Where is she?" Regina asks the mother.
"She got away… You're going to lose. I know that now. Good will always win," Snow White tells her with a bright smile, seeing a happy ending for everyone.
"We'll see about that," The Evil Queen retorts, and the ceiling begins to break apart as the Dark Curse eats away at everything; the three women look up as a twister starts forming in the room.
"Where are we going?" Snow White asks in fear as the Dark Curse circles them.
"Somewhere horrible. Absolutely horrible. A place where the only happy ending will be mine," Regina chuckles as the window shatters and dark smoke fills the room, whisking them away to the real world.
Regina opens the front door as Emma brings Henry back home, and he runs inside, going straight upstairs without saying a word to his mom, and she walks outside to talk to the blond. "Thank you."
"No problem," She replies.
"He's seemed to have taken quite a shine to you," Regina comments.
"You know what's kind of crazy? Yesterday was my birthday and when I blew out the candle on this cupcake I bought myself, I actually made a wish. That I didn't have to be alone on my birthday. And then, Henry showed up," Emma grows teary-eyed at the thought.
"I hope there's no misunderstanding here," The Mayor cuts her off.
"Oh…" The blond mutters, feeling slightly downhearted at the cold woman's reply.
"Miss Swan, you made a decision ten years ago. And in the last decade, while you've been... Well, who knows what you've been doing. I've changed every diaper. Soothed every fever. Endured every tantrum. You may have given birth to him, but he is my son," Regina sneers as she gets in the blond's face.
"I was not…." She tries to argue.
"No! You don't get to speak. You don't get to do anything. You gave up that right when you tossed him away. Do you know what a closed adoption is? It's what you asked for. You have no legal right to Henry, and you're going to be held to that. So, I suggest you get in your car, and you leave this town. Because if you don't, I will destroy you if it is the last thing I do. Goodbye, Miss Swan," Regina says, heading back inside.
"Do you love him?" Emma asks, making the brunette stop in her tracks.
"Excuse me?" She asks, looking back at her.
"Henry. Do you love him?" She repeats.
"Of course I love him," The Mayor replies, having the final word and walks back into the house and walks up to her son's room, takes the fairy tale book and heads back downstairs, walking over to the mirror hanging in the foyer, holding the book, seeming angry almost.
At Storybrooke General, Mary Margaret walks around the ward with a cart of flowers. As she steps next to a patient's bed, she places fresh vases of flowers at each side table, and Mary Margaret passes Octavia as she checks on some of her patients. Mary Margaret walks into one of the side rooms with the 'John Doe' patient, revealed to be Prince Charming and places a vase by his side before walking out.
Henry looks out his bedroom window at the clock tower, and Octavia walks inside, joining him, both watching.
Meanwhile, Emma heads through the overgrown hedges towards Granny's Bed & Breakfast and heads inside to see Granny and Ruby arguing. "You're out all night, and now you're going out again," Granny snaps as she stomps down the stairs following her granddaughter.
"I should have moved to Boston," Ruby yells back.
"I'm sorry that my heart attack interfered with your plans to sleep your way down the eastern seaboard." She yells as the pair argue, and Emma looks at them, feeling awkward.
"Excuse me? I'd like a room," Emma interrupts them, and they look at the newcomer in shock.
"Really?" Granny questions in shock but jumps out of it and goes into the little side office to get her book which she puts on the reception desk. "Would you like a forest view or a square view? Normally, there's an upgrade fee for the square but, as friends do, I'll waive it."
"Square is fine," The blond agrees.
"Now, what's the name?" She questions.
"Swan. Emma Swan," She answers, and a man, Mr Gold, appears at the inn at the entrance, though no one notices.
"Emma," Mr Gold says, surprising the three women. "What a lovely name."
"Thanks," Emma replies as Granny passes the man a roll of bills, trying to get him out of the building.
"It's all here," She tells him, and he accepts it.
"Yes, yes, of course it is, dear. Thank you. You enjoy your stay… Emma," He says and leaves the inn.
"Who's that?" The blond asks.
"Mr Gold. He owns this place," Ruby tells her.
"The inn?" Emma questions.
"No, the town. So, how long will you be with us?" Granny asks her.
"A week. Just a week," Emma says.
"Great," The elderly owner replies, taking a key from the wall and handing it to the blond. "Welcome to Storybrooke."
Henry and Octavia move to her room to get a better view of the clock tower; they sit on her balcony's chair together as Emma takes the room key, the clock hand starts to move, and the pair smile at each other. "I guess it's started," Octavia smiles as she hugs her nephew.