Chapter Seven - The Return
Season 1 - Episode 19
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…
At the hospital, Kathryn wakes to find herself being assessed by Octavia when Emma enters the room. "Emma. Come on in, Look who's awake," Octavia remarks, smiling at her friend and back at her patient.
"Kathryn, hi," Emma greets her, walking over to the bed. "Listen, I don't want to take a lot of your time. But, do you remember what happened?"
"I don't know much. Um, I was in a car accident, and…I remember the airbag going off. And the next thing I knew, I was in the dark, in some basement. I didn't see anyone, but there was food and water. And then, I guess I was drugged," Kathryn tells her, feeling a little sleepy from the treatments Octavia is giving her to help flush the drugs out of her system.
"Yeah. We're still trying to flush that out of your system," Octavia informs Emma as she writes in Kathryn's chart.
"And then, I woke up in a field at the edge of town, and I started walking. That was it," She finishes explaining.
"You saw no one? You didn't hear a voice? Smell perfume? Cologne? Anything?" Emma asks her, unsure who it could be, though she thinks it's Regina still.
"Nothing, no. I'm sorry. I wish I could help. Especially since… While I was gone, you thought I was dead?" The blond patient questions, and Emma looks at the Surgeon, who shrugs, guessing the nurses are gossiping again.
"Your DNA matched the heart we found," The Sheriff informs her with a guilty look on her face.
"They're grilling everybody down at the hospital lab to see who doctored the DNA results," Octavia assures them both. "Dr Whales is looking into it as we speak."
"Why would anyone do this?" Kathryn asks them.
"I think someone was trying to frame Mary Margaret," Emma tells her honestly.
"But why? I mean, who would do something like that?" She wonders.
Regina and Mr Gold are in his Pawn Shop having a secret meeting with the Villains to discuss Kathryn's surprise return. "You broke our deal," Regina spits at him in anger.
"I broke one deal in my life, dear. And it certainly wasn't this one," Mr Gold replies firmly, not wanting to deal with the woman at the moment,
"Kathryn was supposed to die, and Mary Margaret was to get the blame," She snaps at him, wanting him to do something about this.
"Yeah, murder seems so much worse here, though, doesn't it? You can't just turn someone into a snail and then step on them, can you? You didn't say 'kill her'. We agreed that something tragic should happen to her. Now, abduction is tragic," He argues calmly.
"The intent was perfectly clear," The Mayor retorts, glaring at him.
"Oh, let's not talk about intent. Intent is meaningless," Mr Gold scoffs, glancing at her as he moves around his shop.
"Intent is everything," Regina argues, settling her hands on her hips.
"Please," He says simply.
"This is going to raise all kinds of questions about where she was and how the test results were fake," She realises, looking at him in betrayal.
"Oh, yes. And, um… And who put the key in her cell," Mr Gold wonders, glancing at the woman.
"It's all going to lead to me, isn't it? You bastard. This doesn't make any sense. You and I – we've been in this, together, from the start," The raven-haired woman replies.
"Oh, have we?" He questions, looking at her.
"You created the curse for me. The curse that brought us here, and built all this," Regina states, though she couldn't be more wrong.
"Yes, it's about time you said thank you," Mr Gold replies calmly.
"Why did you do it?" She asks him.
"Well, you're a smart woman, Your Majesty. Figure it out," He says, walking away, done with the conversation.
Later that night, at Mary Margaret's apartment, most of Storybrooke gathers for her welcome home party after she is freed and all charges against her are dropped. Mary Margaret and Emma stand at the punch bowl, watching everyone mingle. "Hi!" Granny greets them.
"Hey. How are you? Would you like some?" Archie asks them.
"All of these people… Just to welcome me home?" Mary Margaret asks, looking around the filled apartment.
"You've got a lot of friends," Octavia tells her, walking over to her and hugging the teacher.
"Didn't feel like that yesterday," She argues, leaving to serve drinks to the guests. "Here you go." Off to the side, Henry and August talk and watch Mr Gold from afar.
"How bad was it?" Henry asks him, having gone on a little mission after school to Mr Gold's shop, where August lied through his teeth to Henry and Mr Gold as he was after the Dagger.
"Getting caught in his office? Not bad. I played it off," August assures the boy.
"What were you looking for? Did you find it?" He wonders, looking at the man.
"Nope. But I have a feeling it's going to find me," The writer tells him, spotting Mary Margaret wandering around the room. "There she is. Why don't you give her your present?"
"Hey. I have something for you," Henry says. He races over to his favourite teacher, who hands him the present and giant card from their class.
"Well, thank you," Mary Margaret accepts them and reads the card aloud. "We're so glad you didn't kill Misses Nolan…"
"It's from the whole class, and I got you a bell," He tells her, smiling brightly.
"Thank you. Tell everyone I'll be back soon," she tells him, excited to return to normal.
"Okay," The young Mills boy beams.
"Hey, Henry, we should get you home before your Mum finds out. That won't be pretty," Emma tells her, and Octavia walks over. All three of them head for the door. Opening the door, they find David standing on the other side. Emma turns around to look at her roommate, whose face clearly shows her disapproval of him showing up after everything.
"Hey, Henry. Leaving already?" David asks, looking at the kid.
"Yeah. Got to get home and do homework," Henry replies.
"She's kind of tired. I think if you just give it some time…" Emma tells him.
"I just wanted to-," David tries saying, but Octavia stops him.
"Hey, Henry. Why don't you head home with David?" Octavia suggests, looking at Emma and then at her Nephew.
"Okay," Henry agrees.
"Sorry," Emma says, looking at David.
"Okay," David says, and Octavia leads her Nephew away with David and Emma shuts the door when Mr Gold approaches her.
"Hard to let him go, isn't it? Your son," Mr Gold comments, looking at her.
"Yeah. Pretty much the hardest thing. Speaking of something we weren't talking about, was it you?" Emma asks him, accusing him of what happened to Kathryn.
"Was what me?" He asks, playing innocent and naive.
"Did you make Kathryn suddenly materialise? Cause it sure played that way to me. Was that the magic you were going to work? Because if you kidnapped that poor, innocent woman, just to let her go," She question, getting into Sheriff mode.
"Are you proposing I'm working with Regina, or against her?" Mr Gold retorts.
"I don't know. Maybe, diagonally," The blond woman remarks, knowing he has his own agenda.
"Well, you keep working on that one. My question's about something else—what do you know about him?" he asks, pointing to August.
"Goes by August. He's a writer. Typewriter wrapped in an enigma, wrapped in stubble. Why?" Emma replies, looking at the man and wondering why he wants to know about the writer.
"He was poking around my shop today. August Wayne Booth. Clearly a false name. There's one thing I know about – it's names," Mr Gold remarks, glancing at the man.
"Writers go by pseudonyms. What does it matter?" She questions.
"You trust him?" He asks her.
"Yeah. A lot more than I trust you," She says quickly, glaring at him.
Chapter Seven - The Stranger
Season 1 - Episode 20
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…
August finishes installing a deadbolt on the front door at Mary Margaret's apartment as Emma, Mary Margaret, and Octavia watch him. "No one… is getting through that," August assures the roommates.
"Wow. When are you installing the torture chamber?" Emma jokes, looking at the bulky new lock.
"You don't like it? I call it Medieval Chic," He laughs, admiring his work.
"I don't care what it looks like, as long as it keeps Regina and her skeleton keys out. No offence, Octavia," Mary Margaret remarks, glancing at the Surgeon.
"None taken," Octavia replies, glad she's not angry with her over who her Sister is.
"This is pretty handy for a writer. Where'd you learn how to do all this?" Emma asks August.
"Wood shop. Eighth grade," August smirks, looking at the blond.
"I like a man that's handy," Octavia mutters, leaning over to Emma, saying it into her ear and making her blush a little.
"Oh, speaking of school, I have to get going," Mary Margaret exclaims, grabbing her bag.
"Um, are you sure you're ready to go back?" Emma asks her roommate, worrying about her.
"After a stint behind bars, how tough can a room full of fourth graders be? Besides, aren't you the one we need to be worried about?" She asks back, looking at the Sheriff, who plans to go up against Regina.
"Me? Why?" The blond woman questions.
"Well… You did threaten to take Henry away from Regina," August reminds her, making Octavia look at her.
"Oh, that wasn't a threat. I'm hiring Mr Gold to help build a case against her. She tried to frame you for murder," Emma nods and looks at Octavia.
"But, you do know what happens if you win?" Mary Margaret warns her, thinking of the young boy.
"Yeah," She answers.
"And you're ready? To be his Mum?" Octavia asks her.
"Yeah, Aunt Octavia," Emma smiles, assuring the younger Mills woman.
"Code red. Code red," Henry's voice comes through from the walkie-talkie, and Emma picks it up.
"Hey, Henry. What's going on?" She asks through the radio.
"Meet me at Granny's. It's an Operation Cobra emergency," he announces. "And bring Aunt Octavia."
"We're on our way," Octavia says, smirking at the blond woman. They leave together, with August following them. Mary Margaret heads out, locking the door tightly before leaving for school.
Emma and Octavia walk down the main street toward Granny's Diner, with August following them. "Emma, wait up," August calls for her.
"You heard the kid – Operation Cobra calls," Emma replies, looking at Octavia.
"I'll go ahead, meet you there," Octavia says, continuing.
"I didn't think you believed any of that," August comments, looking at the blond.
"Oh, I don't. But, sometimes, it's the only way to get through to Henry," Emma replies, shrugging.
"You know, a custody battle against Regina isn't going to accomplish anything. You need to look at the big picture. That's the only way you're going to understand what you're up against. That's the only way you'll know how to beat Regina," He warns her, thinking of the boy and trying to get her to believe in magic.
"Okay, new guy. How's that?" The blond woman asks him.
"Take the day off. Come with me, and I'll show you," The writer suggests.
"And where exactly would we be going on this magical mystery tour?" Emma questions, looking at him.
"If I told you, you would never come," August jokes, and Emma walks off, heading for the Diner. "Oh, come on. Take a leap of faith. You come with me, and I promise you – you'll find exactly what you're looking for." He calls after her.
"My kid needs me. I don't have time for faith," She retorts, leaving him standing in the street.
Henry and Octavia sit in a booth at the Diner with a cup of hot chocolate for the kid and a coffee for the Surgeon, plates of food for their lunch and his book on the table when Emma enters, spotting them and sitting next to her son opposite Octavia.
"Hey. What's the emergency?" Emma asks and looks at Octavia.
"Don't ask me. He wouldn't tell me till you got here," Octavia sighs, enjoying her meal.
"Shh! This is sensitive," Henry hisses, looking at them.
"If it's sensitive, why are we at Granny's, out in the open?" Emma questions, looking at him.
"I'm hungry. Who else knows that we hid the book at the Sheriff's station?" He tells her.
"No one. Why?" She asks him.
"Someone changed it. There's a new story in it," The young Mills boy explains, showing her and his Aunt.
"Why would someone add a new story?" Octavia wonders, looking at it.
"To tell us something we need to know about the curse," Henry tells them, showing them the new pages.
"And what would that be?" Emma asks him.
"I don't know. The story isn't finished," He answers, showing its unfinished ending.
"Why would someone go to so much trouble to add a new story and then not bother finishing it?" Octavia wonders, scanning the document.
"That's what's weird. The story's about Pinocchio. Everyone knows how that ends," The Mills boy replies.
"Well, maybe that's why it was left out," Emma reasons.
"Or, maybe, there's more to it," Henry argues.
"Henry, you are going to be late for school. Let's go," Octavia says, looking at Emma before the two head out, and he notices her car parked not far from them.
Emma stands in Mr Gold's shop and talks to him about wanting to take Henry away from Regina after what she did to Mary Margaret.
"I have to save him. I have to get Henry away from Regina," Emma argues, glaring at him after he denies being her counsel to get her son back.
"I must admit, your intentions are admirable. However, I won't be taking your case," Mr Gold informs her politely.
"What? You know what Regina did," She snaps at him, not understanding why he's not siding with her or helping her.
"Yes, but we can't prove it. And, given the Mayor's sway in this town, any proceedings against her would be long and drawn out and futile. The only certainty is, Henry would suffer. You can't do that to your boy," He warns her against doing it for fear of the boy.
"So, we leave him in the same house with that sociopath?" The Sheriff questions in anger.
"I'm sorry, Sheriff. My mind's made up," Mr Gold replies calmly, not intimidated by her.
"Well, then change it. The only person I've ever seen go head-to-head with Regina and win is you," Emma remarks, thinking of her short time in this town.
"That's because I know how to pick my battles," He tells her.
"Then, pick this one," She suggests.
"I'm sorry. I'm afraid I'm just simply not the man to help you beat Mayor Mills," Mr Gold remarks with a shrug.
"No. You're not," The blond woman agrees, storming out of the shop and trying to think of another way to get her son away from Regina.
In the woods, the Blue Fairy leads Geppetto and Pinocchio to the enchanted tree deep within the forest. "The Evil Queen will stop at nothing to destroy Snow White and Prince Charming's happiness. We must stop at nothing to undo her curse," The Blue Fairy tells them as they arrive at the tree, but not alone.
"It's beautiful," Geppetto compliments it, looking at the tree.
"This is the last enchanted tree in the entire realm," Octavia announces, stepping out from behind the tree. Geppetto pulls Pinocchio behind him to shield him from the Cruel Princess as the Blue Fairy holds her wand defensively. "Now, now, Blue, no need for that. I'm here to help."
"Why would we believe you?" The Blue Fairy snaps at her, surprising Pinocchio at her harsh tone.
"Prince Charming can vouch for me," She assures her, smirking. "I don't want my Sister to succeed for my own reasons."
"I see, very well," The Fairy agrees reluctantly and turns to Geppetto.
"It can be done. I can make a beautiful wardrobe out of this," Geppetto announces, looking at the enchanted tree.
"The tree contains enough magic to protect two from the Queen's curse. Before the curse strikes – before Snow gives birth to her child – she and the Prince will enter the wardrobe and travel to a distant land. A land without magic, where Snow will give birth to her child. Then, when she reaches her twenty-eighth year, she can begin the battle that will defeat the Evil Queen. You see why it is vital that you complete the task at hand?" The Blue Fairy explains to him, but he has other ideas.
"Pinocchio wasn't always a real boy. When the curse strikes, when the things we love are ripped away, he will be turned back into wood again, won't he?" He questions and looks at the Princess, who nods.
"I'm afraid it's impossible to say," Octavia tells the young boy, looking at him.
"Uh, um… You're frightening the boy," Jiminy warns him, popping out.
"Oh, no. Shh. I will build your wardrobe, on one condition… If Pinocchio can take the second spot in it," Geppetto demands, not wanting his son to suffer like he will shortly.
"You can't bargain like this. Not when the entire realm is in danger," He argues, trying to stop him.
"If I don't, I will lose my boy. Maybe forever. I-I can't risk that. Snow can raise the child without her husband," The carpenter tells them, though he hates what he is doing.
"Geppetto, think about the example you're setting for Pinocchio," The cricket warns him, trying to get him to do the right thing.
"Oh! Oh! You may be a conscience, but you have not earned the right to tell me what to do." Geppetto snaps at the little insect.
"Please. I'm only trying to help," Jiminy reminds him, having been with the boy for years since his parents disappeared.
"Help? Help, like you 'helped' my parents? Your debt to me can never be fulfilled. But a start would be staying out of this. Understand?" He sneers, letting his anger get the better of him.
"Yes," The small consciousness agrees, hanging his head.
"Good," Geppetto huffs and turns to the Blue Fairy. "Hey. Hey. Here. Here, boy. Pinocchio goes through… Or no one does."
"And what will we tell the Prince and Snow White?" The Blue Fairy questions, having watched the exchange.
"You will tell them that the tree contains enough magic to protect only one. Do we have a deal… Or no?" He asks her, and she nods, agreeing to the deal. Octavia watches before leaving, wondering if all 'good' people are like that because, as a supposed 'villain', she would never do that.
Everyone sits around the table discussing the Dark Curse when the doors burst open, revealing the guards dragging a piece of a tree behind them. The Blue Fairy moves towards the table to join the talks. "The tree is enchanted," The Blue Fairy explains. "If fashioned into a vessel, it can ward off any curse," She turns to the older man, who looks guilty for what is being asked of him. "Geppetto, can you build such a thing?"
"Me and my boy, we can do it," Geppetto replies, patting his son's head as he sits by his feet, messing around and not paying attention to the meeting.
"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. A choice must be made," She warns the couple, not wanting to lie to them, but her bargain with the carpenter holds strong.
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.
Henry sleeps at night when Emma's voice comes through the walkie-talkie, distributing his peaceful dreams. "Code red. Code red. Henry?" Emma calls, waking him, and he gets up, grabbing the radio.
"Emma, what's wrong?" Henry asks through the speaker.
"I need to talk to you," she tells him, thinking of the time she spent with August.
"About Operation Cobra?" He wonders.
"No. About us. Meet me downstairs," the blond woman replies. Henry grabs his robe and meets Emma in her bug, parked outside his house.
"If my Mum sees me out here talking to you, she'll get really mad," The young boy warns her, settling into the seat.
"Henry, I need to ask you something very important. Do you want to get away from Regina? Do you want to come and live with me?" Emma asks him, cutting to the chase.
"More than anything," Henry answers, beaming.
"Okay. Then, buckle up. You ready?" She says, starting the car.
"Why? Where we going?" He asks her, and she looks at him.
"We're leaving Storybrooke," The Sheriff announces as she drives them down the street. Henry wonders what will happen and how she'll explain it to his Aunt.
Chapter Seven - An Apple As Red As Blood
Season 1 - Episode 21
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…
Regina, Octavia and Henry silently eat dinner at home until the front doorbell rings. "I don't recall us expecting any company," Regina remarks and gets up, answering the door to see it's Emma. "Sheriff Swan. What are you doing here?"
"Henry invited me," Emma answers.
"Do you honestly believe I'd allow you into my house for dinner, after all the threats you made to my family?" She questions, glaring at her.
"I didn't come for dinner," The blond woman corrects her.
"Then, what did you come for?" The Mayor wonders, frowning.
"You," Emma answers, confusing Regina as she looks behind her into the kitchen to discover Octavia and Henry are gone. She turns back to Emma and sees several other Storybrooke citizens behind her. "We all did." Regina turns around again, retreating into the house, when she sees Henry and Octavia holding a noose at the top of the stairs.
"Henry, Tavia," Regina gasps. The mob brings Regina to Main Street, where an apple tree seems to have sprung up in the middle of the road. They tie her to the tree as she screams in protest, and the rest of the town watches on in silence. "No… No…. Let me go. I command it!"
"After everything you've done to all of us?" Ruby shouts, joining the front of the crowd.
"My apologies, Your Majesty, but my conscience is clear!" Archie yells, standing firmly.
"You're not Queen anymore, sister!" Leroy exclaims, waving his arm around.
"Tighter! She needs to feel our pain!" Granny shouts.
"You took our love and ripped it apart!" Mary Margaret yells angrily.
"And now, you're going to pay!" David agrees, and Emma approaches Regina, picking one of the blackened apples from the tree and holding it in front of the Mayor before crushing it in her hand,
"Rotten to the core," Emma sneers, glaring at the woman.
"I just wanted to win… For once," Regina whimpers, and Emma grabs Regina by the throat.
"You took away our happiness, and now it's our turn to take away yours," she replies coldly. She lets go of her throat before walking into the crowd, and David pulls out a sword and hands it to his Daughter.
"…What? Henry. Henry, please don't let them do this to me," The Evil Queen pleads, looking at her Son.
"You did this to yourself," Henry replies, and Octavia holds him as Emma aims the sword at Regina and swings. Before the sword can hit her, Regina awakens from the dream and jolts upright in her bed. She quickly jumps out of bed and heads for Henry's room, checking on him. She sees him underneath the blanket and walks away, but Henry isn't there—it's just a pile of pillows.
Emma and Henry drive along the road leading out of Storybrooke. "Is that all your stuff?" Henry asks, looking at the boxes in the back of the car.
"All I need," Emma answers with a soft smile.
"Wait. You want to go now? We're leaving now?" He questions in shock.
"Uh-huh. I'm getting you out of here. Away from all this. Away from her," She replies, though she feels sorry about parting her son from Octavia.
"No, no. Stop the car! You can't leave Storybrooke. You have to break the curse," The young Mills boy argues, not wanting to leave town just yet.
"No, I don't. I have to help you," The blond woman retorts, not wanting to argue with him.
"But you're a hero – you can't run. You have to help everybody," Henry tells her.
"Henry, I know it's hard for you to see it, but I'm doing what's best for you. That's what you wanted when you brought me to Storybrooke," Emma argues, shaking her head.
"But the curse… You're the only chance to bring back the happy endings," He reminds her, but she still doesn't believe him.
"Henry…" She sighs, and he reaches across, grabbing the steering wheel and making her almost swerve off the road. "Henry!" The car veers off the road and into a ditch. "Henry! What were you doing? You could've gotten us killed!"
"Please! Please, don't make me go! We can't go! Everything's here—me, your parents, your family. Please, Emma. They need you. Your family needs you," the young boy passionately tells her, wanting her to finally see sense.
Two guards bring Prince Charming before King George, arguing about what the Prince has done since betraying the King after making him his son and trying to get him to marry King Midas' daughter, but fall in love with Snow White instead. Soon, the guards drag Prince Charming over to the guillotine and secure his head under the sharp blade. "Release the blade," King George orders, and the blade is released but stopped magically dissolving into water before it reaches the Prince's neck. "What is the meaning of this?" The Evil Queen and Cruel Princess enter with their guards.
"Sorry to drop in on you," The Evil Queen smirks as she stands before King George.
"Regina. Octavia. What do you want?" He asks the sisters, glancing at them.
"We want the man you pretend is your son," Octavia informs him.
"And I'm prepared to pay any riches Midas promised you in return for him," Regina assures him, knowing he wishes for revenge.
"What do you plan to do to him?" King George asks them.
"Oh, I promise he'll suffer. Far more than some swift and simple beheading," Octavia reassures him with a fake smile.
"How?" He questions.
"By using him to destroy his one true love. By using him to bring an end to Snow White," Regina replies, making him smirk back at her.
From her kitchen window, Regina notices her apple tree beginning to wilt. She races out into the garden to investigate and finds that the apples are rotting, so she heads for Mr Gold's shop. "Your Majesty. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Mr Gold questions, looking at the woman.
"My tree is dying. Why?" Regina demands angrily.
"Perhaps, it's your fertiliser," He remarks with a shrug.
"You think this is funny? Well, I'll tell you what I think. I think it's a sign of the curse weakening because of Emma. But do you care? No. You're content to just sit back and do... whatever it is you're doing, while all my hard work burns," she exclaims.
"That's not all, is it? Come on. You might as well get everything off your chest," Mr Gold encourages the woman to vent.
"I don't know what you're talking about," The Mayor grumbles.
"Henry. Miss Swan wants him," He informs her, fueling the fire.
"She'll have that boy over my dead body," Regina snarls at the thought of losing her son.
"The curse was meant to take away Snow White and Prince Charming's happiness. Perhaps, you giving up Henry is just the price to keep the curse unbroken," Mr Gold remarks, pondering on the idea, but he knows she won't do it even at the cost of the curse.
"I think I'd rather just get rid of her," She argues, not even thinking about it.
"Well, well. You're going to have to be quite creative. We both know the repercussions in killing Miss Swan. The curse will be…" He reminds her.
"The curse will be broken. That's because you designed it that way. Undo it," The raven-haired woman demands.
"You know… Even if I wanted to, I couldn't. Magic… Well… Is in short supply around here and dwindling by the minute," Mr Gold tells her with a fake sigh.
"You want the curse broken. Why?" Regina asks him, glaring at the once powerful man in the Enchanted Forest.
"That's not something I care to discuss," He replies, having his secrets he'd like to keep secret.
"Don't bother. You can shove your reasons. I want to strike a new deal—one where I can get rid of Emma without shattering the curse," she demands, wanting to get rid of the blond woman who rolled into town and disrupted her perfect life.
"Unfortunately for you, a negotiation requires two interested parties, and I'm already planning a trip," Mr Gold declines her request.
"I'll give you anything," The Mayor promises him.
"You no longer have anything I want, dearie. But I will give you a piece of advice, free of charge. I'd plan a trip of your own. Because, once people wake up and remember who you are and what you did to them… They are going to be looking for blood," He warns her before she leaves, needing to devise another way to rid herself of Emma Swan.
Outside the school, Regina finds Pagie's bike locked in the bike rack with some others, sticks a 'White Rabbit' card to the back, and walks away, waiting for Jefferson to meet her. Meanwhile, Emma returns to Mary Margaret's apartment after listening to Henry. "Oh. Thought you'd left," Mary Margaret remarks.
"Mary Margaret…" Emma says, looking at her roommate.
"But I couldn't tell for sure, because you didn't bother to say goodbye. Do you remember when I left? When I ran? What you said to me? You said, we have to stick together. That we're like… Family," She reminds her.
"Yeah. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left," The blond woman replies.
"You're right – you shouldn't have. So why, after everything, did you just go?" The sweet teacher asks her.
"I don't want to be Sheriff. I don't want people relying on me. I don't want this. Any of it," Emma argues, feeling the pressure.
"What about Henry?" Mary Margaret wonders, thinking of the poor boy.
"I took him with me," She reveals.
"You abducted him?" The raven-haired woman gasps in shock.
"Maybe," The former Sheriff shrugs, not really thinking it all through.
"So, you don't want people to rely on you, but you took your son? Now, that sounds like a stable home for him. What the hell is wrong with you?" Mary Margaret scolds her.
"I want what's best for him," Emma argues.
"And running is what's best for him? Or, is that what's best for you? You're reverting, Emma, into the person you were before you got here. And I thought you'd changed," She huffs, wanting her to stay.
"You thought wrong," The blond woman corrects her, though she does feel guilty and a little scared.
"Well, regardless, you have to do what's right for Henry now," The sweet teacher warns her.
"What's that?" Emma asks her, unsure of where to go next.
"Oh, I don't know. You're his mother – that's your job. So, you figure it out," Mary Margaret tells her, walking away and leaving the blond woman to think.
The Evil Queen and Cruel Princess enter King George's castle's dungeons to find Prince Charming being held in one of the cells. "Leave us," Regina orders the guards, who listen and leave the three of them alone.
"What do you want?" Prince Charming demands, glaring at the sisters.
"Hm… I suppose I see the allure. I wonder if you'll be quite so incorruptible after your precious Snow is gone," She remarks with a grin.
"Whatever she did to you, leave her alone and take my life instead," He offers, not wanting to live in a world without his Snow.
"Oh, who said anything about taking her life? Oh, no. I have a far more satisfying brand of punishment for her," The Evil Queen assures him. Turning around and beginning to walk out of the cell, she takes out a leather satchel and pulls out the poisoned apple.
"True love, such a powerful tool," Octavia whispers, making Prince Charming glance at her, wondering what she means.
Regina stares at her apple tree from the office window when Jefferson walks in, not looking happy to see her. "Jefferson. So, you got my message," Regina greets him with a smirk.
"How could I miss it? You know I watch her," Jefferson argues, glaring at her.
"It must be so painful, your daughter Paige being oh, so near," She remarks, almost knowing what that feels like.
"Grace. Her name is Grace. You should know that – you changed it. What do you want?" He asks her.
"Your help," The Mayor informs him.
"And what makes you think, I won't kill you after everything you've done?" The Hatter questions, glaring at her.
"Because you don't have it in you. If you did, you would have done it twenty-eight years ago when I brought you here. Because you know if I'm dead, you'll never get back to your daughter. And I have a way for us to both get what we want," Regina tells him, retrieving Jefferson's hat box and placing it on the table.
"My hat," Jefferson gasps, looking at it.
"I want you to use it again," She tells him.
"I can't make it work. No one can. Not here. Not without magic," He reminds her.
"Well, then you're in luck, because I happen to have some. Not a lot… But hopefully, enough… For one last journey," The raven-haired woman says, looking at him.
"Where?" Jefferson asks her.
"Back to our land. Where there's a solution to a very delicate problem I have… How to get rid of the one person who could break my curse," Regina informs him, thinking of the blond woman.
"Emma…" He replies, thinking of her and wanting to take his daughter away from this place.
Emma and Archie sit at Granny's Diner. The blond woman needs some advice about her current situation. "Emma, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you don't have any case for custody," Archie tells her.
"Even after everything she's done?" Emma questions.
"Which you can't prove. Let me just ask you a question—with this war raging on, who really is getting hurt here?" he argues, thinking of the boy caught in the middle of Regina and Emma's mess.
"I know. Henry. But isn't it a good thing that he's spending time with me? I'm his mother," She argues, trying to get him on her side.
"Yes, you are. And so is Regina. And l-look, the court is going to come in and look at him and see how he's been since you've come into his life," The shrink warns her.
"And he's been happier, right?" The blond woman offers, though she is only a little right.
"Maybe. I mean, objectively? He's skipped school, he's stolen a credit card, he's run off, he's… He's endangered himself, repeatedly. And so, in the eyes of the law, it's not so-," Archie corrects her, thinking Regina and Emma aren't better suited for the boy.
"And what about in your eyes? What do you think?" Emma asks him.
"I mean, a while ago, I told you to engage him in his fantasy life, and… And perhaps I was wrong, because he's only retreated further into it," He tells her, thinking of his sessions with the boy.
"You think he's better off with her?" She questions in shock.
"I never said that," The shrink corrects her, thinking of the younger Mills sister.
"Do you think that she would ever hurt him?" The former Sheriff wonders.
"No. Never. I mean, everyone else, but not him. Look, right or wrong, her actions have all been defensive. I'm not judging, but… In many ways, your arrival has woken a sleeping dragon," Archie warns her.
"Tell me honestly – has he been better off since I got here?" Emma asks him, needing the truth.
"It's not a matter of better off. It's… It's a matter of this war has to end. If you two are going to be in his life, you have to figure out the best way to do that," He tells her.
Snow White enters the dungeon of King George's caste and spots Prince Charming in his cell. "Charming… Charming!" Snow shouts, running to his cell.
"Snow…" Charming mutters, and she grabs the keys and opens his cell, only to discover that there is only a mirror in the cell with Prince Charming's image.
"You're… No… No… Oh, no!" She gasps, looking at him.
"The Queen took me to her palace," He tells her.
"But I'm rescuing you," The former Princess argues.
"Snow…" The Prince mutters.
"Is this always going to be our life? Taking turns finding each other?" Snow questions, wanting to stay with him forever.
"We'll be together, I know it. Have faith," Prince Charming replies before his image becomes obscured by purple smoke and when it clears, the image of the Evil Queen replaces him.
"I just had to stop you. I have no interest in cleaning tongue marks off my mirror," The Evil Queen remarks, grinning at her stepdaughter.
"Let him go. Your fight is with me," Snow snaps at her.
"My thoughts exactly. Have you ever heard of a parley? We break off all this messy fighting and have a little talk. Just you and me. Come unarmed," She tells her.
"Where do I meet you?" the fugitive asks her, wanting to end this.
"Where it all began," Regina answers.
Regina leads Jefferson down a set of stairs that sends them to an underground tomb with several urns and boxes lining the walls. "Watch your step," Regina warns him.
"What is this place?" Jefferson asks, looking around.
"Where I've kept the last bit of my magic. The only magic in this world is in the things I brought with me," she explains. Jefferson places his hat in the centre of the room, but nothing happens.
"It's not spinning. It's not working," He tells her in defeat.
"It needs to absorb the magic that's here. I have some things left. A few trinkets," The Mayor assures him, taking a box from one of the side walls and dumping its contents into the hat. Once again, nothing happens.
"It's not enough. You need something that still works," The Hatter says. The Evil Queen pulls out Daniel's ring and holds it up, which seems to have some magic as Daniel's face appears in the middle. "Who's that?"
"Someone long gone," Regina replies shortly, her heart still in pain from losing him all those years ago.
"Well, whatever or whoever it is, it still has magical properties. Give me that, and let me see what I can do with it," Jefferson replies, and she hesitates for a moment. "If you want your son back, if you want your revenge, give it to me." Regina drops the ring into the hat, and a small purple vortex begins to form, but the hat stops spinning.
"What's wrong? Why isn't it opening a portal?" She asks, frowning.
"The magic – it's not enough. We can't go anywhere," He informs her.
"Then you failed," The Mayor sneers at him.
"Maybe not. There's enough magic to touch the other side, just not to get us there. There might be enough to… Reach through and retrieve something," The Hatter tells her, thinking on his feet.
"I can bring something back?" Regina questions, thinking about it.
"Is there an object that can help you? Perhaps, I can open it enough and reach through and grab it. It would have to be small. Something that you can take with your hand. Is there anything like that that can help you?" Jefferson asks her.
"Yes. Yes, I believe there is," She grins, thinking of just the thing.
"Then, you need to direct me to the time and place where this object exists," he tells her and hands her the hat.
"How?" The Mayor asks him.
"Think about it. Guide the hat," The Hatter informs her. She closes her eyes, thinking for a moment before she places the hat back on the ground, and a bigger vortex begins forming. "Excellent. It appears to be working. Now, what is it we're after?"
"An apple," Regina answers with a grin.
Snow White enters the stables of the old Mills family home for her meeting with the Evil Queen. "Hello, Regina," Snow greets her stepmother.
"Follow me," Regina tells her, leading the former Princess into the field, where they come to a tombstone with a heart etched into it and find Octavia there as well, waiting for them both. "Do you remember when I ran down your runaway horse, Snow? Do you remember when I saved your life?"
"Of course. It all looks the same," She replies.
"Not quite. This is new," Octavia argues, looking at the tombstone.
"Is that…" The Princess asks, looking at it.
"A grave. Daniel's grave," Regina confirms, looking at it with dread.
"Daniel? I thought…" Snow mutters, looking at it and then at Regina.
"He ran away? I told you that to spare your feelings out of…kindness. But he died because of you," Octavia tells her, seeing the hatred and sadness in her older sister's eyes.
"I-I'm… I'm sorry," She gasps.
"I'm sorry, too. But nothing can change what happened. What you did. You promised to keep my secret. You promised, but you lied," Regina sneers at her.
"I was very young, and your mother," The fugitive argues, trying to blame Cora for what she did.
"She ripped his heart out because of you. Because you couldn't listen to me," She snaps at her, though she knows how manipulating her mother can be.
"You took my father. Haven't we both suffered enough?" Snow questions.
"No," Octavia answers, and Regina pulls a poisoned apple from her satchel.
"What is that?" She asks him.
"It's just a morsel. Did you know that apples stand for health and wisdom?" Regina questions, looking at her stepdaughter.
"So, why do I get the feeling that one might kill me?" The Princess wonders, looking at it with hesitation.
"It won't kill you. No, what it will do is far worse. Your body will be your tomb, and you'll be in there with nothing but dreams formed of your own regrets," The Evil Queen informs her.
"And you're going to force me to eat it," Snow questions, looking at the sisters.
"Of course not. It wouldn't work anyway. The choice is yours. It must be taken willingly," Regina tells her, looking at her sister who made the apple.
"And why would I do that?" She asks them.
"Because, if you refuse the apple, your Prince, your Charming, will be killed," Octavia informs her with a shrug.
"No…" The younger woman answers.
"As I said, the choice is yours," She replies as Regina holds the apple out to her.
"I take that apple, and he lives? That's the deal you want to make?" Snow questions, looking between them and the apple.
"With all my heart," Regina confirms.
"Then, congratulations. You've won," She tells her and takes a bike of the apple. Then, within seconds, she collapses to the ground while simultaneously, Prince Charming experiences a stabbing pain in his chest. He scrambles to the door of his cell and begins yelling, knowing what is causing this pain.
"Snow… What have you done to her? What have you done? Snow!" Charming yells as the apple rolls from Snow's hand and disappears through a portal.
The poisoned apple appears in the Real World through the hat, and Jefferson catches it. "Is this it?" Jefferson asks, holding the bitten apple.
"Yes. Yes, it is," Regina grins, looking at it.
"And my daughter? My Grace?" He asks her.
"First things first. The deal's not done. Not until I solve the next conundrum. How to get this saviour to taste my forbidden fruit…" She replies, heading back home, needing to get to work.
Regina chops up the apple in her kitchen at home, fashioning it into a turnover. While it bakes, Emma rings the doorbell, and Regina answers the front door. "We need to talk," Emma announces.
"Yes, I imagine we do. I was just about to call you. Come right in," Regina replies, letting her into the house. "Do what you're so skilled at and make yourself at home. I believe you came to see me."
"Right. Look, this isn't easy. I think that this… Whatever is between us needs to end," She offers, thinking of Henry.
"At last, something we can agree on," The Mayor replies, thinking of her revenge.
"I want to make a deal with you about Henry," The blond woman informs her.
"I'm not making any deals with you-," Regina argues.
"I'm leaving town," Emma announces, shocking the raven-haired woman.
"What?" She gasps.
"This… What we're doing is a problem, and I'm going to go, but I have conditions. I still get to see Henry. I get to visit and spend time, whatever," The Sheriff offers her side of the deal, not wanting to part with Henry entirely.
"And you get to see him. You're still in his life," The raven-haired woman muses.
"Look, in any deal, both parties are a little unhappy. But, let's be honest – we both know the world where I'm not in his life no longer exists, and there's no one who can do anything about that," Emma replies, and the timer on the stove beeps.
"You're right. Would you mind following me for a moment?" Regina asks, heading into the kitchen with Emma following her. She takes out the turnover from the oven. "So, what are you proposing?"
"I don't know. Just figure it out as we go," She suggests with a little shrug.
"But he's my son," The Mayor argues.
"Yeah," The blond woman replies and goes to leave, but Regina stops her.
"Oh, Miss Swan? Maybe a little something for the road?" Regina offers, taking out a Tupperware container and gesturing to the turnover.
"Thanks," Emma smiles stiffly.
"If we're going to be in each other's lives, it's time we start being cordial. My famous turnovers—an old recipe, but delicious," she replies, packing up the turnover and handing it to Emma.
"Thank you," The former Sheriff says, taking it.
"I do hope you like apples," The Evil Queen remarks with a smirk, thinking she's won.
The Evil Queen and Cruel Princess watch the scene unfold through the mirror in Regina's castle. "It would appear sacrifice is overrated. Speaking of…" Regina smirks, waving her hand and magically switching scenes to Prince Charming's cell.
"Snow! What have you done to her? What have you done?" Prince Charming demands in anger.
Regina walks into Mr Gold's shop after her little chat with Emma. "I hope you bought travel insurance, because no one's going anywhere," Regina announces, gaining Mr Gold's attention.
"Oh, really? And why's that?" Mr Gold questions, looking at her with intrigue.
"Because I found a solution to my Emma Swan problem," She replies gleefully.
"Oh, yes?" He asks, wanting more information.
"An old, reliable solution," The Mayor answers.
"A sleeping curse. Might I ask how you managed to obtain one here in Storybrooke?" Mr Gold wonders.
"By sacrificing the last bit of magic I had left," Regina replies.
"So, you made magic from magic. Well, I'm sure I don't have to remind you that, uh, all magic comes with a price," He warns her.
"Then you can pay it. Because now, the curse is going to be stronger than ever," She tells him. "And you will be right here where you belong. Don't you understand? I won. So, whatever plan you had… Whatever reason you wanted the curse broken… Too bad. Because it's never going to happen."
At Mary Margaret's apartment, there's a knock on the door. Emma answers it to see it's Henry, and she lets him in. "Hey, Emma. Everything okay?" Henry asks, stepping inside. "You sounded strange over the walkie-talkie."
"Oh, um… No, I'm okay. Just, um… Yesterday, when I tried to take you away, you were right," Emma tells him, surprising him a little. "I can't take you out of Storybrooke. But I can't stay either."
"What?" He asks her.
"I have to go," She replies.
"Go? You mean leave Storybrooke?" The young Mills boy questions, not wanting her to leave.
"Yeah. I spoke to Regina, and we made a deal. I'm still going to be able to see you, just not… Every day," The blond woman tells him.
"No! No, you can't trust her!" Henry warns her.
"I have to. It's my only choice. It's what's best for you, Henry. Every time I fight her, someone else gets hurt," Emma says, wanting what's best for her.
"No, no, no! You're just scared. This happens to all heroes. It's just the low moment before you fight back," He argues, wanting her to stay.
"Henry! This isn't a story. This is reality. And things have to change. You can't skip school, you can't run away, and… You can't believe in curses," She snaps, wanting him to see sense.
"Y-you really don't believe?" The young boy questions in shock.
"I… This is how it has to be right now. I made a deal, and I used my superpower. She's telling the truth. She's going to take really good care of you," The former Sheriff promises him.
"Yes, but she wants you dead," Henry warns her, not trusting his mother.
"Come on, Henry!" Emma exclaims.
"You're the only one that can stop her," He tells her firmly.
"Stop her from what? All she's ever done is fight for you. It just… Got out of hand. I'm sorry," she replies. Henry hugs her as the two of them embrace, and he notices the turnover on the table.
"Where did you get that?" The young Mills boy asks, pulling away.
"Regina gave it to me," The blond woman answers, looking at him.
"Apple!" Henry yells.
"So?" Emma questions, looking at him.
"You can't eat that. It's poison," He warns her, seeing it for what it is.
"What?" She asks him.
"Don't you see? The deal… It was all a trick to get you to eat that, to get rid of the Saviour," The young boy tells her.
"Henry, come on. Why would she do that when I just told her I was going to go?" The blond woman questions, not seeing it.
"Because as long as you're alive, you're a threat to the curse," Henry replies.
"Henry, you've got to stop thinking like this," Emma sighs.
"But it's the truth! And you leaving isn't going to change that," He argues.
"I'll prove it to you," She tells him.
"No!" The young boy shouts, grabbing the turnover from Emma.
"Henry… What are you doing?" The former Sheriff asks, looking at him.
"I'm sorry it had to come to this. You may not believe in the curse... or in me. But I believe in you," Henry says, taking a bite, and nothing happens.
"See? You want to have some ice cream with that? And then we can go back to talking about…" Emma says, but she speaks too soon as he suddenly collapses. "Henry? Henry? Henry!"
Chapter Seven - A Land Without Magic
Season 1 - Episode 22
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…
At the hospital, Henry is being wheeled in on a gurney as Emma follows with Dr Whales, and several nurses attend to Henry. "Henry, can you hear me? Come on, Henry. Wake up, please. Come on, Henry. Come on. You can do it," Emma begs with tears in her eyes.
"Ma'am, let me take you to-," A Nurse says to her.
"No, I am not going anywhere!" She argues.
"There's no pupil response. What happened? Did he fall? Hit his head?" Dr Whale asks as they move into the ward, passing Octavia as she does charts, not noticing.
"He ate this. I think it's poisoned," The blond woman explains, holding up a baggie containing the turnover.
"His airway's clear. Did he vomit? Any convulsion or disorientation?" He wonders, looking at her.
"He took a bite of this, and then he just collapsed. So, run the test for arsenic, or bleach, or Drano, or whatever could've done this to him!" Emma explains, not understanding what's happening to her son.
"The boy is showing no symptoms that would suggest neurotoxins. So, whatever's going on, this is not the culprit," The Doctor argues, shaking his head at the medical mystery.
"Well, what else could it be?" She asks him.
"I don't know. That's what I'm trying to find out," He tells her, needing some help.
"He's going to be okay, though, right?" The Sheriff demands an answer.
"Right now, we just need to stabilise him, cause he's slipping away. Is there anything else that you can remember? Any little detail?" Dr Whale questions, needing to know everything.
"I already told you everything. Do something!" Emma snaps at him, growing scared and frustrated.
"Look, I understand you're frustrated, Miss Swan. I do. But I need something to treat. And, right now, there is no explanation. It's like…" he tells her, and Emma dumps the contents of Henry's backpack onto the table, seeing the book.
"Like magic," she mutters, picking up the book. Her mind fills with memories of the fairy tale world, particularly the time when she was sent to the real world as a baby. When she comes to, Regina frantically rushes into the room with Octavia chasing after her.
"Where's my son?" Regina demands.
"Where is Henry?" Octavia asks, looking over and talking to Dr Whale.
"You did this," Emma growls, grabbing Regina and dragging her to a storage room, leaving Octavia with Henry to help Dr. Whale. Emma angrily throws Regina against a storage rack and attacks her while the Mayor struggles to defend herself against the angry blond. In her anger, Emma pins Regina against the wall, demanding answers. "You did this!"
"What the hell are you doing? Stop this! My son-," Regina snaps at her, trying to get back to her son.
"Is sick because of you! That apple turnover you gave me? He ate it!" She shouts at her.
"What? It was meant for you!" The Mayor shouts back at her.
"It's true, isn't it?" The Sheriff asks her, glaring.
"What are you talking about?" Regina questions.
"It's true, isn't it? All of it," Emma realises finally.
"Yes," She confirms.
"I was leaving town. Why couldn't you just leave things alone?" The blond woman snaps at the woman.
"Because as long as you're alive, Henry will never be mine!" The raven-haired woman argues.
"He'll never be anyone's unless you fix this. You wake him up!" Emma demands she fix this now.
"I can't!" Regina tells her.
"Don't you have magic?" She yells.
"That was the last of it. It was supposed to put you to sleep!" The Evil Queen informs her, and Emma releases her grip on Regina.
"What's it going to do to him?" The Sheriff asks her, fuming with anger.
"I don't know. Magic here is unpredictable," Regina tells her, growing fearful for her son's life.
"So… So he could…" Emma stutters as she thinks about losing Henry.
"Yes," She answers with dread.
"So, what do we do?" The blond woman questions.
"We need help. There's one other person in this town who knows about this… Knows about magic," The Mayor suggests.
"Mr Gold," Emma agrees.
"Actually, he goes by Rumpelstiltskin," Regina corrects her.
The Evil Queen paces in her chambers after learning of Prince Charming's escape, and the Huntsman arrives. "Where is he? The prisoner!" The Queen demands.
"Escaped," The Huntsman informs her, and she magically throws the Huntsman into the wall when her sister enters the room.
"A palace full of guards, and you let him escape?" She snaps at him.
"I did my best," He argues.
"You failed. And do you know what happens to people who fail me, Huntsman?" Regina remarks, looking at him.
"I'll find him. You needn't worry. Leave him to me," The Huntsman assures him.
"That won't be necessary. He's mine," Octavia corrects him. The Cruel Princess sees Prince Charming through the mirror and waves her hand, warping him through a portal.
Prince Charming is transported to a clearing in the Infinite Forest. Lost, he runs in a random direction and soon comes across another clearing, where Rumpelstiltskin awaits him. They talk as the Prince wants to get back to Snow. "No, I don't think so. This is the Infinite Forest. There's no way out. Well, except… My way," Rumpelstiltskin informs him.
"I want nothing from you," Prince Charming snaps at him.
"Not even this?" He questions, holding up a ring.
"My mother's ring. It was just… How did you get it?" The Prince demands, looking at it.
"The same way I get everything I want – magic. The same magic that allows me to do… This," The Dark One replies, flipping the ring and catching it in his hand, making the jewel on the ring glow. "This ring is now enchanted. The closer you get to Snow White, the brighter it will glow. Interested?"
"Give it to me," Prince Charming demands again.
"Ah! It's not something for nothing, dearie. Time to make a deal," He suggests with a smirk.
"No more deals!" The former Shepard snaps, drawing his sword and attacking the Dark One, who simply catches the blade with his hand. Charming draws back again but finds that Rumpelstiltskin has disappeared. The two duel, but the Dark One eventually gains the upper hand and holds the sword against Prince Charming's neck.
"Had enough?" The Dark One questions, teasing the Prince.
"Never," Prince Charming replies, striking back and cutting Rumpelstiltskin's face, which magically heals instantly. The Dark One gains the upper hand again and disarms the Prince onto the ground.
"Looking for this?" Rumpelstiltskin questions, holding the ring. "So brave. So gallant. So pointless. Bravery won't get you out of this forest, dearie. Magic will. Trust me. This is a deal you want to make because we both want the same thing."
"What's that?" He questions.
"Why, you and your true love to be together, of course," The Dark One replies.
Emma and Regina enter Mr Gold's Pawn Shop, needing his help. "Do my eyes deceive me, or is that the look of a believer?" Mr Gold taunts the blond woman.
"We need your help," Emma announces, still getting her head around all this.
"Indeed, you do. It seems quite the tragic ailment has befallen our young friend. I told you, magic comes with a price," He remarks, looking at Regina.
"Henry shouldn't have to pay it," Regina argues.
"No, you should, but alas, we are where we are," Rumpelstiltskin retorts with a shrug.
"Can you help us?" Emma asks him.
"Of course. True love, Miss Swan… The only magic powerful enough to transcend realms and break any curse. Luckily for you, I happen to have bottled some," He informs them, shocking the Evil Queen.
"You did?" Regina gasps.
"Oh, yes. From strands of your parents' hair, I made the most powerful potion in all the realm. So powerful that when I created the Dark Curse, I placed a single drop on the parchment. Just a little safety valve," Mr Gold explains with a grin, his plan coming to ground.
"That's why I'm the Saviour. That's why I can break the curse," Emma states.
"Now you're getting it," He smiles.
"I don't care about breaking the curse. All I care about is saving Henry," She argues, wanting to save her son.
"Which is why it's your lucky day. I didn't use all the potion. I saved some… For a rainy day," The Dark One replies.
"Well, it's storming like a bitch. Where is it?" The Sheriff demands.
"Where it is isn't the problem. Getting it is what should worry you," Mr Gold argues.
"Enough riddles. What do we do?" Regina demands.
"Mr. Gold: You do nothing. It has to be Miss Swan," He turns to the blond woman.
"He's my son. It should be me," She argues.
"All due respect, but it's her son. And it has to be her. She's the product of the magic. She must be the one to find it," Rumpelstiltskin retorts.
"I can do it," Emma assures her, both women having something to save.
"Don't trust him," Regina argues.
"What choice do we have?" She argues back.
After talking with Mr Gold and learning where the potion is at the hospital, Emma speaks to the comatose Henry as she holds the book. "Henry… You were right about the curse. I should have believed you. I'm sorry," Emma says, placing the book under his pillow. "For when you wake up." She kisses his forehead when Regina arrives as she goes to leave. "Say what you got to say. You got ten minutes."
"You know where to meet?" Regina asks her.
"Yeah. Don't be late," She replies, leaving Regina and Henry alone.
"I'm sorry…" The Evil Queen mutters, and Jefferson, lurking in the shadows, makes his presence known.
"Pity, isn't it? There's nothing harder than not knowing whether you'll ever see your child again," Jefferson remarks, needing to talk to the woman.
"Jefferson, now is not a good time," Regina replies, needing to save her son.
Emma knocks on August's room door at Granny's bed and breakfast. "August? Please open up. I know you're in there. Open the door," Emma demands.
"I can't," August replies. She breaks the door down and finds him lying in bed, almost entirely turned to wood.
"No. What's happening to you?" She asks him, looking at him in shock.
"You can see it now. You believe," He replies, glad to know she believes now.
"Yeah. I-I do, but… H-how do I stop this?" The blond woman wonders, wanting to help him.
"Break the curse," Pinocchio tells her.
When the Mayor arrives, Emma waits for Regina with her father's sword outside the town library. The two of them enter the building. "What is this place?" Emma asks, never seeing anyone come in or out or the building even being used once.
"Would you like a tour, or shall we just get to it?" Regina questions sarcastically.
"Lead the way," she replies, and they walk inside quickly. Regina walks up to one of the walls, placing her hand on it and making the wall rise, revealing an elevator. The elevator doors slowly open. "Whoa."
"Get in," The Mayor tells her.
"After you," The Sheriff says.
"It's a two-man job. The elevator's hand-operated. I have to stay up here and lower you down," Regina informs her.
"And I'm just supposed to trust you?" Emma questions, not trusting the other woman at all.
"I don't think you have much choice in the matter, Miss Swan," Regina argues, not wanting to argue with her over this now.
"This battle I'm supposed to fight… Who is it? What is down there?" She asks her.
"An old friend," The Evil Queen answers.
"Then why don't you go talk to them?" The blond woman wonders, looking at her strangely.
"Because her punishment here was different than everyone else's. I trapped her… In a different form. She doesn't want to hear from me. You have to trust me on that," Regina tells her, not wanting to see her friend.
"Okay. I will go down there. But let's be clear about something… Your Majesty. The only reason you're not dead is because I need your help to save Henry. He dies? So do you," Emma agrees, though somewhat reluctantly.
"Well, then let's get on with it. Now, this is what you're going to have to do," she snaps. Emma enters the lift before being lowered down the shaft.
Maleficent sits on her grand little throne in the middle of a large chamber. Prince Charming ambushes her from behind the chair, holding his sword against her throat. "Where is it?" Charming demands. Where is the beast that reigns over this castle?" She magically throws him across the room.
"That would be me. But, beast is so harsh. I prefer Maleficent," She replies with a smirk.
"I'm going to need a smaller egg," He jokes.
"Such a shame. So handsome," Maleficent compliments him, waving her hand and extinguishing all the candles lighting the room. It becomes dark like the night sky, and all he can hear is her laughter.
"Show yourself, witch," The Prince snaps, and from behind him, Maleficent has transformed into a fire-breathing dragon.
The elevator carries Emma downward to the bottom of the shaft, and it finally stops. She finds herself in a cavern. Emma starts walking through when she comes across Snow White's broken coffin, and the wall behind her turns out not to be a wall, but instead dragon-Maleficent, who awakens and senses the blond woman's arrival.
Prince Charming hides from the dragon behind a pillar while the dragon searches for him. He notices a glowing weak spot near its head. "Come on!" Charming shouts, drawing her attention to him.
Meanwhile, in the cave beneath the library, Emma poses to fight the dragon but decides against using the sword. "To hell with this," she mutters, dropping the sword on the ground and drawing her gun instead. She shoots the dragon, which does nothing but provoke it.
Prince Charming continues being chased by the dragon, though he manages to scale a set of stairs, giving him a chance to jump onto the dragon's neck below, making her struggle to get him off, but he clings on tight. He positions himself and plunges the egg container into the glowing weak spot near the dragon's head.
Emma runs from dragon Maleficent, ending up falling into the cavern, and she looks over the edge as the dragon is nowhere to be seen.
With the egg secretly inside the dragon, Prince Charming escapes the castle by jumping through one of the open windows and lands in the water below.
At the hospital, Mary Margaret reads a piece from the book by Henry's bedside, trying to distract herself and Octavia, who checks on her nephew. "And, yes, she was beyond hope. Beyond saving. This was her end. When Prince Charming saw his beloved Snow White in her glass coffin, he knew all that was left was to say goodbye. He had to give her one last kiss. And when he did, true love proved more powerful than any curse. A pulse of pure love shuddered out and engulfed the land, waking up Snow White and bringing light to the darkness," Mary Margaret reads, looking up at him. "Henry… When I gave you this book, it was because I knew… I know life doesn't always have a happy end. But I thought…" The machines monitoring Henry start going off, alerting Octavia, who jumps into action. "What is it? Dr Whale?" Dr Whale and several nurses enter the room to help Octavia. "Dr Whale, what is that?" What… What… Octavia? What's wrong?"
"Nurse, get her out of here now!" Octavia instructs her, not looking up as she looks at her nephew.
"What is it?" she asks as the nurse tries to leave the room.
"His heart rate's falling. Come on, Henry," Dr Whale mutters as they try resuscitating Henry.
In the hospital, Jefferson, disguised as a nurse, enters the psychiatric wards in the basement and hands the desk nurse a cup of tea. "Your tea," Jefferson says with a fake smile.
"Thank you. What's the commotion upstairs?" The desk nurse asks, wanting to know the latest gossip.
"There's a sick boy. He took a bad turn," he replies.
"How tragic. Is there any hope for a…" The nurse says before passing out.
"Recovery? Doubtful," The Hatter muses, taking the keys and walking down the corridor with several doors on each side. He walks past a patient mopping the floor and passes a door labelled 'S. Glass'. Jefferson turns to one of the doors and unlocks it, which is Belle's room. "Come with me."
Prince Charming swims to shore, where Rumpelstiltskin is waiting for him by a fire. But he is not alone; he sees a woman clad in black robes hiding her face. "Impressive, dearie. Very impressive, indeed. Come warm yourself," The Dark One tells him, giggling.
"I have done what you've asked. Return my ring to me," Prince Charming demands, just wanting to find Snow.
"Of course—you're in a bit of a rush. How rude of me," he replies, taking out the ring. "With this… Prince Charming… You will find her." He hands the Prince the item.
"Thank you," Charming says.
"You're right, dearie. Something's missing," Rumpelstiltskin says, magically transforming Charming's outfit into something more 'princely'. "Now, you're ready for your big moment."
"Why do you want us together? What do you get out of it?" The Prince asks, looking at the stranger whose face he can't see.
"I'm a fan of true love, dearie, and, more importantly, what it creates," he replies, letting the Prince leave.
"Indeed you are," The woman in robes remarks, looking at the Dark One, who looks back at her.
Emma stares at the dragon, stunned. "Really?" She questions, and the dragon attacks her again; she attempts to shoot Maleficent, but she drops the gun, spots the sword on the ground nearby and rushes over to pick it up. "Hey!" When the dragon turns to her, she throws the sword towards the dragon's belly, disintegrating the dragon into pieces of ash with the egg container resting neatly on top of the pile. Emma looks at it in shock before picking it up.
The dwarves remove the coffin's lid, allowing Prince Charming to kiss Snow goodbye. This causes the spell to break, and a pulse of magic spreads through the land, and Snow wakes up with a gasp. "You found me," Snow smiles at him.
"Did you ever doubt I would?" Charming questions, getting down on one knee. "Will you marry me?" He places the ring on her finger.
"What do you think?" She asks, kissing him, and she breaks away.
"What is it?" He wonders, hoping she's not regretting her decision.
"There's the little matter of your father and my stepmother," The Princess remarks.
"Ah. That. I'm open to suggestions," The Prince replies.
"Here's one – let's take back the kingdom," Snow suggests.
"How?" Charming asks her.
"Like we shall do everything… Together," She replies, smiling at him.
On the main street, David packs up his track and looks at the clock tower one last time before driving off. Meanwhile, Emma heads up the shaft in the elevator when it suddenly comes to a sudden stop. "Regina!" Emma yells up. "What the hell was that? Regina!" She looks up to see Mr Gold leaning over the edge of the shaft.
"Miss Swan? You got it?" Mr Gold asks her.
"Mr Gold. What are you doing here?" She questions, surprised he came out of his shop.
"I've come to check on you. I'm glad I did. Regina abandoned you and sabotaged the elevator," He lies.
"What? I'm coming up," The blond woman says.
"Now, there's… There's no time for this. You can't possibly scale the wall and carry that," The Dark One argues.
"Yeah? Well, I can try," Emma snaps, climbing on top of the elevator with the egg container.
"No, you can't. Just toss it up. Your boy's going to be fine. I promise. We're running out of time. Toss it up," Mr Gold encourages her.
"You hold on to it. I'll be right up," she replies, tossing the egg to him. Once he has it, he leaves. "Mr Gold? Gold!" She shouts and scales the shaft, arriving back in the library to find Regina gagged and tied to a chair. "Regina." She rips the tape off of her mouth and begins untying her.
"He tricked you! How could you give him that?" Regina snaps at him.
"Where is he?" Emma asks her.
"Gone. Gold. He manipulated all of this," The Evil Queen sneers.
"Come on. He can't be that far," She replies, and the two women's phones ring. "It's the hospital."
Regina and Emma rush to Henry's room at the hospital, arriving in time to see Dr. Whale and Mother Superior leave the room. "We did everything we could," Dr. Whale informs the mothers.
"I'm sorry. You're too late," Mother Superior tells them, and Emma enters the room to see Octavia standing by the bed as a nurse unhooks the machines from Henry.
In the back of Mr Gold's shop, he unlocks the egg container, takes out the 'True Love' vial, pockets it when he hears the front shop doorbell ring, and quickly hides the egg. "Um, excuse me? Are you Mr Gold?" Belle asks.
"Yes, I am. But I'm afraid the shop's closed," Mr Gold replies, not looking back.
"I was, uh… I was told to… To find you and… Tell you that Regina locked me up. Does… Does that mean anything to you?" She asks, making him turn around to see the woman he loves standing there.
"You're real. You're alive. She did this to you?" He questions, growing angry at the Evil Queen.
"I was told you'd protect me," The beauty replies, and he hugs the confused girl.
"Oh, yes. Yes, I'll protect you," The Dark One assures her.
"Um, I'm sorry. Do… Do I know you?" Belle asks him, looking at the man strangely.
"No. But you will," Mr Gold tells her.
Emma, Octavia, Regina, Dr Whale, and Mother Superior gather in Henry's hospital room as his condition worsens. "No… No…" Regina cries.
"I love you, Henry," Emma mutters, kissing him on the forehead, which breaks the Dark Curse finally, and a pulse of pure magic spreads throughout Storybrooke, waking the boy with a gasp.
"I love you, too. You saved me," Henry beams.
"You did it," Octavia smiles, hugging her nephew tightly. The pulse of magic awakens everyone in the town, which means a crowd begins to gather in Henry's room.
"Henry… What's going on?" Emma asks, looking as more people come into the room.
"No…" Regina mutters in shock and horror.
"The curse. I think you broke it," Henry tells her, pulling Octavia closer, not wanting her to leave.
"That was true love's kiss," Mother Superior explains with a smile.
"No, no…" Regina gasps, looking around.
"If I were you, Your Majesty, I'd find a place to hide," She warns.
"Henry… No matter what you think, no matter what anyone tells you, I do love you," The Mayor tells him before fleeing the room.
"I love you too, kid. I got to go," Octavia says before racing out of the room, needing to get to a scheduled surgery. "Emma, look after him. Blue, it's good to see you again."
After turning back from the edge of Storybrooke, David spots Mary Margaret in the street and jumps out of his truck. "Snow!" David shouts.
"Charming," Mary Margaret smiles, and the two run towards each other. "You found me."
"Did you ever doubt I would?" He questions before they kiss.
A dejected Regina sits in her son's room at their house after feeling betrayed by her sister and losing Henry; she grabs one of his pillows off the bed and cries into it.
Belle and Mr Gold walk through the woods, heading deeper, when Belle suddenly stops. "Wait," She says.
"No, no, we're very close," Mr Gold continues.
"Rumpelstiltskin, wait. I-I remember. I… I love you," she reveals, making them stop. He turns and hugs her.
"Yes. Yes. And I love you, too. But, hey… There'll be time for that. There'll be time for everything. But first… There's something I must do," He replies, and they finally reach a well at the forest's edge.
"What is this?" The beauty asks him, looking at it.
"This is a very special place, Belle. The waters that run below are said to have the power to return that which one has lost," The Dark One explains, approaching the well and dropping the potion vial, creating a thick purple smoke that emerges from inside and begins spreading.
Emma, Henry, and others are still at the hospital. The blond woman checks on Henry as Octavia warily walks into the room, away from the others. "Henry… What's going on here?" Emma asks him. "If the curse is broken, why didn't they go back?"
"I… I don't know," Henry answers, and suddenly, a nurse drops the tray she's holding after she looks out of the window. Emma checks on the woman to see what's wrong. "Are you okay?" She turns around, trying to see what it is and sees the giant clouds of purple smoke.
Regina stands in Henry's room at home and moves to the window, seeing the purple smoke from the well as it spreads over the town.
Emma and Henry watch the purple smoke take over Storybrooke from the hospital window. "What is that?" Emma asks, looking at Octavia behind them as the Surgeon sighs, wondering what will happen now.
"Something bad," Henry and Octavia answer.
Mr Gold and Belle continue watching the purple smoke pouring out of the well. "I-I don't understand," Belle gasps.
"We're in a land without magic, Belle. And I'm bringing it. Magic… Is coming," Mr Gold informs her.
"Why?" She asks.
"Why? Because magic… Is power," he replies as the smoke engulfs Storybrooke, Regina, who is observing this from her window; he smiles as the smoke wraps around the clock tower as it strikes 8:15.