The Historian (No 16)

by DeadGirlEtarnal

As a Historian, it is their job to watch over the land and record everything that happens, but unlike the Author, they write facts, not fiction, or manipulate the story. Landon Mills loves to write and begins writing stories, much to his Mother's love and when Storybrooke appears, that doesn't stop even when the Saviour rolls into town in her yellow bug. OCs only.

7. Least He Gave Us Henry

VI. "Least He Gave Us Henry."

Henry is in the Dark Star Pharmacy on his way home from school, standing by the comic books and flipping through one, when a girl, who is roughly his age, approaches him. "Whatcha reading?" The girl asks him, startling the boy, who turns around to see the pretty, curly, blond-haired girl talking to him.

"The Hulk versus Wolverine," Henry answers, staring at her.

"I'm Ava. I think I've seen you around school. You're in Miss Blanchard's class, right?" Ava asks, making the boy nod as another boy close to their age walks up to Ava.

"Almost ready, Ava?" The boy asks her.

"This is my brother, Nicholas," She introduces him.

"Hi. Come on – let's go," Nicholas says quickly, wanting to get out of there as soon as possible.

"You want to come hang out?" The blond girl asks Henry, surprising him.

"Sure!" Henry replies quickly, liking the blond girl, and the three children go to leave the store, but the owner stops them.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Mr Clark snaps at them, making the children stop. "Open up your bag." The owner demands, standing in their way.

"What?" The Mayor's son questions, looking at Mr Clark.

"Don't think I didn't see you rob me. Open your bag," Mr Clark snaps at the children, glaring at them accusingly.

"I didn't take anything," Henry argues, and Mr Clark snatches his bag, looking through it and finding a fistful of candy.

"And a liar, too," Mr Clark sneers at the Mayor's son.

"That's why you were talking to me," He questions, looking at Ava. "So your brother could put that stuff in there."

"Henry… I'm shocked," The shop owner sighs, looking at him before turning to the siblings. "And you two – just who do you think you are?" Mr Clark gets on the phone with Regina and Emma, and the Sheriff quickly leaves. The Mayor, too busy at work to step away, calls her brother to pick up Henry. Soon, Mr Clark, Landon, Henry, Ava, and Nicholas stand in the Pharmacy waiting for the Sheriff.

"Well, I'm sorry, Mr Mills, but your nephew was shoplifting," Mr Clark explains, looking at Landon, a little terrified at the tall, well-built man standing before him.

"Were you?" Landon asks Henry, who shakes his head quickly.

"Look for yourself," he argues, gesturing to Henry's confiscated bag filled with chocolate, sweets, and other things.

"My nephew doesn't eat that brand of candy. And he knows better than to steal. It was obviously those two. We're going," The Chief Editor snaps, grabbing Henry by the arm and heading for the door. Emma walks in just before they get a chance to leave.

"Henry. What happened?" Emma asks, looking at her son and then her boyfriend.

"Hey, Em," Landon greets his girlfriend. "It seems our Henry was used as a mule."

"I see. Well, as Sheriff, I need to talk to you, Henry before you go," She informs them.

"Great…" He mutters, folding his arm. Henry looks at his uncle, who seems uncomfortable being there and in a hurry. Henry quickly explains what happened, which is short, with a few remarks from Mr Clark. "Can we go now, Sheriff?" Landon asks, looking at Emma, who nods. Henry remembers a section in the fairy tale book about his uncle and mum meeting two children, and it seems even here Landon is uncomfortable around children. "Lovely, well, see you later. Sort them out, please." He looks back at the siblings before escorting Henry out of the shop.

"Did you call their parents?" Emma asks Mr Clark, thinking about Landon's odd behaviour.

"Uh, the number they gave me was disconnected," Mr Clark replies, calming down after Landon's departure.

"Did you guys give Mr Clark a fake number?" She asks the children, who shake their heads. "Then why's it disconnected?"

"Cause our parents couldn't pay the bill," Ava lies to the Sheriff.

"And you guys are just trying to help out, huh?" The blond woman questions, looking at them and feeling for them.

"Please – please don't arrest us. It will just make things worse for our parents," She begs the Sheriff, who feels sorry for them and gives in.

{BLESSING}

Emma drives Ava and Nicholas to their supposed house and pulls up in front. "This it?" Emma asks them, looking at the place. Ava nods, lying again. Emma takes off her seatbelt, wanting to talk to the parents, and leaves the car, but Ava stops her.

"Please, no. If our parents see you, they'll be so embarrassed," Ava begs her.

"Did Henry tell you about my superpower?" She questions, looking at the siblings.

"We just met him," The blond girl argues.

"I have the ability to tell when anyone is lying. Tell me the truth – money problems aside, is everything okay at home?" The Sheriff asks them.

"Yeah, we're great. Can we go?" Ava replies hastily.

"Alright," Emma agrees, and Ava and Nicholas get out of the car with a shopping bag and go up the house's stairs. They stop at the front door, turning around and waving at Emma, who soon drives off.

"She's gone. We're good," she declares. They don't go into the house; instead, they go back down the stairs and around the back, where they jump a fence. The siblings end up behind an abandoned house, which they enter through the basement. Ava unpacks the things they got from the shop, and Nicholas sits on the makeshift bed. Suddenly, they hear a noise coming from upstairs. When they go to investigate, they find Emma standing there.

"Why'd you guys lie to me? Where are your parents?" The Sheriff asks the siblings, who look down, knowing they've been caught.

"We don't have any," Ava tells her.

{BLESSING}

Ava and Nicholas eat at Mary Margaret's apartment kitchen table while Emma and Mary Margaret talk off to the side about them. The Sheriff is holding a file about the boy and girl. "Do you know them? Do they go to your school?" Emma asks her roommate.

"I've seen them, but… I had no idea. None of us did," Mary Margaret replies, glancing at the children, and Emma opens the file she's holding.

"Ava and Nicholas Zimmer. They said their mother was a woman named Dory Zimmer. She died a few years ago. No one seems to know her or remember her," Emma remarks, looking at her.

"And the father?" She asks,

"There isn't one. At least not one that they know," The Sheriff explains.

"What does, uh… What does Social Services say?" The sweet teacher questions and Emma gives Mary Margaret a look. "You didn't report them."

"I report them, I can't help them. They go into the system," Emma argues, wanting to help the kids.

"The system that's supposed to help," Mary Margaret retorts, looking at the woman who knows more about the system than anyone.

"Yeah, the system I knew and was in for sixteen years. Do you know what happens?" She replies, looking at her roommate. "They get thrown into homes where they are a meal ticket – nothing more. These families get paid for these kids and as soon as they're too much work, they get tossed out and it all starts over again."

"But they're not all like that," The dark-haired woman argues.

"All the ones I was in," the blond woman snaps.

"What? We're just going to adopt them?" Mary Margaret questions, looking at her.

"I want to look for their father. They don't know him. He may not know they exist," Emma tells her.

"And you think if he knows, he'll want them?" She asks, seeing the look in her eyes.

"I don't know," The Sheriff replies honestly. "But what I do know is it's hard enough finding foster families to take one kid that isn't theirs, let alone two. It's their best shot, or-." Both women are unaware, and Ava hears them.

"We're going to be separated?" Ava snaps, interrupting them in tears.

"No. That's not going to happen," Emma promises the girl.

"Please – please don't let it," She pleads to the woman in tears.

{BLESSING}

Emma goes to Landon at his office, needing his help and wanting to talk about earlier with the Zimmer siblings. "Hi, Hayley, is Landon in?" Emma asks the receptionist, who looks ready to cry again.

"Yeah," Hayley replies, focusing on her computer screen. "It's nothing bad is it? Mr Mills has been in a funny mood since he came back from getting Henry."

"Funny? How?" She asks, frowning.

"Just, funny, he's been in his office with Henry since, he hasn't shouted either or come out of his office unless to check on something," The receptionist explains.

"I see. Thanks, Hayley," The Sheriff replies, heading into the newsroom to see most people tying frantically, all watching the door at different times as if waiting for Landon to burst out of the room. Emma knocks on the door, waiting to hear something, but it's quiet, so she knocks again before opening it. "Landon?" She calls, looking into the office to see her son and boyfriend doing the boy's homework and chatting. "Hey," She gains their attention and sees them listening to music using Henry's earphones. "Hey."

"Hey," The Mills boys greet her back.

"What are you doing here?" Landon asks her, getting up and walking over to his girlfriend.

"I wanted to talk to you about earlier, and I need your help with something," Emma tells him.

"Okay, what is it?" He asks her, looking at Henry.

"Earlier, you seemed to know those two and acted a little uncomfortable. Do you know them?" She asks him, and Landon sighs.

"I sort of know them," the tattooed man explains. "I remember their mother. She died a few years ago if I remember right. She was nice enough, she used to work at the cannery. She helped me with a story when I was starting out as Editor. I never really met the kids, but she used to talk about them and show me pictures of them a lot. I guess I was uncomfortable, because well, I couldn't make it to the funeral unfortunately."

"I see," The blond woman muses. "Okay." She tries to deny her feeling of overwhelming delight because, for some strange reason, deep down, she had a feeling that maybe he knew them differently. After all, the Zimmer siblings don't seem to know who their father is.

"What did you need help with?" Landon asks her.

"Yeah, how would you find their father?" The blond woman asks him, making him look at her.

"I'd go to Mr Kryszkowski's office at Town Hall," He replies, smiling. "Good luck." He leans toward her, both meeting in the middle for a sweet little kiss.

"Thanks, I'll see you later. Bye, Henry," Emma waves, seeing Henry smiling at the couple before she leaves, heading for Town Hall.

{BLESSING}

Emma enters Mr Krzyszkowski's office at Town Hall after talking with Landon. "Excuse me. Mr… Krzyszkowski?" Emma calls, looking around the dingy office space.

"Yeah, it's Krzyszkowski. Everyone calls me K," Mr Krzyszkowski announces, walking over to the blond woman.

"Mr K. I am Sheriff Swan. I'm hoping to look at the birth certificates of Ava and Nicholas Zimmer," She informs him.

"Alright, just, uh, fill out this form – in triplicate," He tells her, pulling out three identical forms.

"Okay," The Sheriff agrees, starting to fill out the forms while Mr Krzyszkowski looks through a filing cabinet.

"I'm so sorry. Those documents have been recently removed," The man explains.

"By who?" Emma asks him.

{BLESSING}

Emma storms into Regina's office, needing to confront the Mayor. "Don't worry, Miss Swan. You can relax. I've contacted Social Services. Turns out these kids are on their own. They need help," Regina replies, having heard about it from Landon and Henry while on the phone.

"Which is exactly what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to find their father," Emma replies, not wanting to split the siblings up when unnecessary.

"Well, he doesn't exist," She argues, handing Emma the file.

"He has to," the blond woman retorts, opening the file. She sees that the Father section on the birth certificate only has 'Unknown' written.

"Well, of course, biologically, he exists," The Mayor remarks. "But there's no record of him. Which means we have no choice – these children need a home, so they will be put into the foster system."

"Storybrooke has a foster system?" Emma questions, still learning a lot about this small town.

"No, but I've contacted the state. Maine's group homes, unfortunately, are filled. But they put us in touch with two homes in Boston – a boy's home and a girl's." Regina explains, making the blond's stomach drop because this was precisely what she was trying to avoid.

"They're separating them?" She asks.

"I don't like it, either. But we've got no choice. You need to have them in Boston tonight," The dark-haired woman replies, looking at her son's biological mother.

"Me?" The Sheriff questions, pointing to herself in shock.

"Well, you wanted to be Sheriff. This is what Sheriffs do. Yes, you're taking them," Regina tells her.

"No. I promised them they wouldn't be separated," Emma argues, wanting to keep to her word with the Zimmer children.

"Well then, perhaps you should stop making promises you can't keep," She argues, glaring at the blond woman. "These children need a home. I'm just trying to find the best one."

{BLESSING}

Emma returns to her office at the Sheriff's Station and sees the pile of files and papers on her desk, which she's sorting through. Henry, who has his book, enters the room and wants to talk with her. "Any luck?" Henry asks her, Landon having explained a little.

"No," Emma replies, and he puts the book on the desk and flips through it.

"I know who they are. They're brother and sister, lost, no parents – Hansel and Gretel." He informs her, showing the start of the story.

"Anything in there about the dad?" She asks him, glancing at the pages.

"Just that he abandoned them," The Mills boy replies, frowning.

"Great. Sounds like a familiar story. Whoever this guy is, he could be in Laos by now," The Sheriff retorts.

"No, he's here," Henry argues.

"Just how do you know that?" Emma asks him, looking at her son.

"Cause no one leaves Storybrooke," he reminds her. "No one comes here, no one goes. It's just the way it is."

"I came here," She retorts.

"Because you're special. You're the first stranger here – ever," The Mayor's son tells her.

"Right – I forgot. Well, if he's around here anywhere, I'm going to find him," The blond woman replies, not wanting to separate the Zimmer siblings.

"Can you tell me about him?" Henry asks, looking at her mum.

"I don't know anything yet," Emma says, not getting it.

"Not their father – mine," He tells her, and she looks at him. "I told you about your parents and now, you're even living with your mom."

"Mary Margaret isn't… She's… Never mind," She argues, still not believing what he tells her.

"Please?" The Mills boy pleads, giving her puppy dog eyes.

"I was pretty young. I'd just gotten out of the foster system and the only job I could get was at this twenty four hour diner just off the interstate," The Sheriff replies. "And, um… Your dad was training to be a fireman. He always got the worst shifts, so he'd come in and order coffee and pie and sit at the counter and always complain that we didn't sell pumpkin pie. But he always came back the next night anyway."

"Did you get married?" Henry asks her, listening to the tall tale.

"Oh, no. Nothing like that. We just… We hung out a few times outside of work, and…life happened. His got better, and mine got worse and… I got into some trouble." Emma tries explaining but doesn't tell him everything, thinking he is too young to know the truth.

"And you went to jail," He guesses, remembering the newspaper article.

"Yeah. Before I went, I… I found out I was pregnant with you," The Sheriff adds. "And I tried to contact him, and I found out that he died saving a family from a burning apartment building. So, you think I'm a saviour, Henry – he was. Your father was a real hero."

"Do you have anything of his? Something you can remember him by. Something I could see," The Mayor's boy pleads, wanting something of his father's.

"I… I don't. Henry, I'm sorry," the blond woman replies and thinks of something, coming up with an idea. "I got to go. I may know how to find this guy."

{BLESSING}

Ava and Nicholas eat cookies at the Blanchard apartment. Emma comes downstairs with a box, needing to see if her idea will help. "I want to show you guys something," Emma tells them, pulling a blanket out of the box.

"What's that?" Nicholas asks her, observing the blanket.

"It's my baby blanket," She replies. "It's something I've held onto my whole life. That's the only thing that I have from… From my parents. I've spent a lot of time with a lot of kids in your situation, and all of them – all of us – we held onto stuff. I want to find your father, but I need your help. Is there anything of his you've held onto?"

"I might have something," Ava announces. "But if I give it to you, you'll make sure we stay together, right?"

"Right," The Sheriff agrees, and Ava pulls a compass on a chain from her pocket and hands it to Emma."A compass."

"Our mom kept it. She said it was our dad's," The girl explains, looking at it as the woman holds it.

"Thank you," Emma smiles, admiring the compass.

"Did you find them?" Ava asks the woman.

"Who?" She questions, looking back at the children.

"Your parents," The girl replies, and Emma sees the hope in Ava and Nicholas's eyes.

"Not yet. But I'm going to find yours," the blond woman assures the Zimmer siblings and the little hope spark in their eyes brightens.

{BLESSING}

Hansel and Gretel stand outside the gingerbread house. The boy goes to eat icing off the side of the house, but the girl stops her younger brother. Gretal opens one of the windows, and the two children enter. Inside, there is a table of sweets. "How can you be sure she's sleeping?" Hansel questions, whispering to his big sister.

"I can't. And remember what the Queen said – not even a lick," Gretel reminds him. They see the Blind Witch asleep by the fireplace and the leather satchel hanging on the wall.

"You're right. Look," The brother says, pointing to the Witch.

"And there's the satchel," She adds.

"What do you think's inside it?" The girl wonders.

"Does it matter?" the younger brother argues. "All that matters is getting it to the Queen so she can find Father." Getal goes to grab the bag while her younger brother, who stays behind by the table of sweets, picks up a cupcake full of greed. The Blind Witch senses this, awakening from her slumber. The siblings hear the rattle of bones at the Witch's feet. Hansel and Gretel listen to it and run for the exit, but the Blind Witch magically locks the door, stopping their escape. The siblings try the window, but they are also closed.

"I smell dinner," The Blind Witch muses, making the siblings gulp.

{BLESSING}

Later, Henry, Ava, and Nicholas are baking at the Blanchard apartment when the phone rings and Mary Margaret answers. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me. I need you to come outside right away," Emma tells her, needing to talk to her after what she's found out about the father and their talk.

"Is everything okay?" She asks nervously, glancing at the children.

"Don't say anything in front of the kids, but no, it's not," the blond woman replies, sighing.

{BLESSING}

Mary Margaret walks outside, meeting Emma. "He doesn't want the kids," Emma informs her.

"And you don't want to tell them," Mary Margaret replies, knowing that Emma really wants to reunite the children with their father.

"I can't. Because all I'll be telling them is that the false hope I gave them is exactly that," She argues, not wanting to let them lose that hope.

"The truth can be painful, Emma, but it can also be cathartic," The sweet teacher assures her.

"I agree with the painful part," the blond woman retorts.

"Well, hey, look – you told Henry the truth that his father's dead and he's handling it great." Mary Margaret argues, looking at her.

"I didn't tell him the truth," Emma retorts, shocking the other woman.

"What?" She asks, looking at the blond woman, who hides her eyes, not wanting to look at her friend.

"Henry's father was no hero and trust me – he does not need to know the real story," the blond woman replies. "Maybe we can hide the kids. Just until we can find a family for them. Someone to take care of them."

"Yes, hiding the twelve year olds is a good plan," the raven-haired woman says sarcastically.

"You have a better idea?" Emma questions, looking at her roommate.

"Emma, maybe there isn't an idea. Maybe you just have to-," Mary Margaret argues, and Regina approaches the two on the sidewalk, needing to talk with the blond woman.

"Sheriff. Shouldn't you be on the interstate?" Regina questions, looking at her brother's girlfriend.

"What are you doing here?" Emma asks her, looking at the Mayor.

"Seeing to it that you do your job," She replies curtly.

"You know, you don't have to check up on me. I know what I have to do," The Sheriff assures her, though she doesn't like it.

"Really? Because those kids are supposed to be in Boston tonight," The Mayor argues.

{BLESSING}

The Blind Witch locks Hansel and Gretal in a cage in the corner of her house. She sticks her arms through the bars and feels around for them. "Where are you?" The Blind Witch questions and grabs Hansel's arm. "Oh, yes. Nice and tender. A succulent roast, you'll make." She walks away from the cage and over to the oven. The Witch opens the oven door and sticks her hand inside, testing the temperature. Hansel and Gretel watch her in the cage, scared of what she will do to them.

"Gretel, she's going to cook me! We've got to do something – quick!" Hansel mutters in fear.

"Stay calm. When she opens the cage to get you, don't try to fight. And while she's carrying you to the oven, grab the key that's in her pocket and toss it to me through the bars." Gretal tells him, coming up with a plan.

"She's coming. She's coming – I can't do it! I'm going to die!" He gulps in a panic as the Blind Witch approaches the cage.

"Gravy or butter? Which shall it be?" The Blind Witch muses, smiling wickedly. The Blind Witch sticks her hand through the bar and feels Gretal's face, who kicks her brother's leg, making him yell out in pain, causing the Blind Witch to think Gretal is Hansel. The Blind Witch unlocks the cage door and pulls the girl out. "Come with me, little boy." Gretal steals the key to the cage from the Blind Witch's pocket and throws it to Hansel. He uses it to unlock himself from the cage and free himself. He runs up a short set of stairs and grabs a pole as a weapon. He ends up tripping on the stairs as he tries to flee; the sudden thud alerts the Blind Witch, who looks around for the source of the sound. "Gravy or butter?" The Blind Witch questions but gets no reply; growing angry, she asks again. "Gravy or butter? How shall I baste you?" Hansel raises the pole in his hands, but the Blind Witch magically whisks it away and approaches him. "Butter it is. Time to cook." She grabs him and drags the boy towards the oven. However, Gretal manages to undo the rope on her wrists and pushes the Blind Witch onto the cooking tray that was meant for her. Hansel and Gretal slide the Blind Witch into the oven and shut the door on the raging fire.

"Quick, Gretel! Lock her in!" Hansel shouts to his sister, who grabs the leather satchel from its hook. The two siblings run towards the exit.

"Let me out!" The Blind Witch shouts, banging on the oven door as Hansel and Gretel escape the gingerbread house. The Blind Witch continues to yell at them. "Let me out! You come back right now! Let me out! Let me out!" The Evil Queen sees the Blind Witch in the oven through her magic mirror safely in her castle, and she casts a fireball through the mirror, burning the Blind Witch alive.

"I would've gone gravy," The Evil Queen muses, looking at the mirror. "Now, where is my brother?"

{BLESSING}

Landon strolls through the gates of the Queen's castle, having gone on a wander through the forest, when two children come running up to him. "We need to see the Queen!" the girl announces, surprising the man, who looks at the siblings.

"And pray tell, why do you need to see my sister so urgently?" Landon questions, gazing at the children.

"We have something she wanted," the boy explains, showing the leather satchel.

"Very well, follow me," He agrees, leading Hansel and Gretel inside his sister's chambers, where she waits for them.

"My dear children. Were you successful in your task?" Regina asks them, smiling, and Landon has a bad feeling about this.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Though, we were almost made into dinner," Gretel explains.

"Oh. How barbaric," She muses, looking at her brother. "Now, if I could have my satchel." Regina holds out her hand, and the girl hands over the bag. "I've waited a very long time for this. Let's hope you didn't let me down." The Evil Queen opens the bag and pulls out an apple, making Landon frown, recognising it. "You did it."

"Yeah, we did," The girl replies, looking at it.

"You've got a strong heart, girl. You remind me of myself at your age," Regina remarks, looking at the girl.

"We did all that for an apple?" Hansel questions, looking at the magical item.

"Oh, trust me, dear boy. This is not just an apple. It's a weapon. A weapon for a very particular and devious enemy. One who's still under the illusion that she's safe," She explains, walking over to her vanity, where she puts the apple in a box for safekeeping.

"Whatever your plan is, we did what you asked. Now you have to keep your promise and find our father," Gretel retorts, wanting to find their father immediately.

"Of course. To reunite your family, so you can live happily ever after," The Evil Queen remarks. "You were left alone in the woods. You deserve better than a father who would abandon you."

"But he's all we have," She argues.

"Perhaps, he doesn't have to be," Regina replies, looking at the children.

"What do you mean?" The girl asks, looking at her in confusion. Landon frowns, knowing it will only bring heartache to his dear sister.

"You and your brother have impressed me. You aren't the first boy or girl I've sent into that…sticky sweet house," She confesses, surprising Hansel, Gretal, and Landon. "But, you are the first to emerge. And as a reward, I've decided to invite the two of you to live with me. Here."

"You mean that we get to live in a castle?" Hansel questions, looking at her.

"Yes. You would have your own rooms, of course. Personal carriages – valets, too. All of your dreams could come true," The Evil Queen tells them, trying to lead them into her open arms.

"No. We want our father back. He would never abandon us," Gretel argues. "And even if he did, we would never want to live with someone as terrible as you."

"Is that so?" Regina muses, glaring at the children.

"Yes. We're going to find him, with or without your help. And when we do, we're going to prove you wrong," She snaps.

"We'll see about that," the Queen sneers, casting a spell that creates a purple tornado around Hansel and Gretel.

"Gretel? What's happening?" Hansel shouts before disappearing.

"Did you really have to do that, Sister?" Landon questions, moving towards Regina and wrapping his arms around her shoulder. "You will find happiness. I know it."

{BLESSING}

Emma takes Ava and Nicholas to her squad car while Regina and Henry watch from a distance. Emma opens the door to the car and gestures for them to get in, though she wishes she could do anything but. "Come on. It's going to be… Here," Emma says, giving Ava back her compass. "I'm sorry, but we got to go." Ava and Nicholas get in the car.

"Let's go, Henry," Regina says, putting her hand on Henry's shoulder, who shrugs it off and runs over to Emma's window.

"No, you can't take them! They can't leave Storybrooke, Emma! They can't. Something bad will happen," Henry warns her.

"Something bad has already happened," Emma argues and starts the car, driving off.

{BLESSING}

Emma, Ava, and Nicholas drive along the road that leads out of Storybrooke. Suddenly, the car starts slowing, and the engine begins malfunctioning. They pull off on the side of the road. "You've got to be kidding me," Emma mutters.

"What happened? What's wrong?" Ava asks, looking at the woman.

"Engine's stalled," She tells them, getting out her phone.

"Who are you calling?" The girl asks, watching her.

"Help," The Sheriff replies, calling a number she hopes will answer.

{BLESSING}

The Evil Queen and Historian watch Snow White through Regina's magic mirror; the girl appears to be in the forest with several dwarves. "Now she's cavorting with dwarves? When did that happen?" Regina wonders, looking at her sister.

"I imagine some time ago," Landon retorts, earning a scolding look from the little sister.

"That is not what I meant, Landon," She snaps, earning a laugh from her big brother when a guard enters the Queen's chambers.

"Your Majesty. The prisoner you requested is here," The guard announces, making the siblings turn to face him.

"Bring him in," The Queen replies, and two other guards drag the siblings' father inside, cuffed in shackles.

"I demand to be released," the man demands. "My children are in that forest that you took me from – alone. They could be in great danger."

"Yes, I know all about your children. That compass you gave sweet, little Gretel… Well, I'm afraid it didn't help her find you now, though, did it?" Regina remarks, looking at him.

"What have you done with them? You tell me where they are!" He shouts, trying to break free of the guards' hold.

"Gone. I told them you abandoned them, leaving nothing but a compass to find their way," She informs him, and the father looks at her in horror. "But I didn't bring you here to answer your questions. You're here to answer mine. I offered your children everything – whatever their hearts desired – and they still chose uncertainty because of their blind faith in you. Tell me why. Hm? Why did your children refuse me?"

"Because we're a family. And family always finds one another," the children's father replies, making Landon smile.

"Release him," The Evil Queen orders her men.

"You're letting me go?" He questions, looking at her as the guards begin removing his shackles.

"You can all be together, as a family, as soon as you all find one another," Regina tells him, smirking.

{BLESSING}

Hansel and Gretel are later lying next to each other, unconscious, in the woods they were found in not long ago. Gretal wakes up first, looks around, and shakes her brother awake. "Hansel, wake up! Hansel!" she shouts, waking her brother, who looks around. They stand up, looking around the forest. "She let us go," Gretel remarks, looking at her brother.

"I'm scared," Hansel states, holding his sister's hand, who is just as scared as him.

"Don't be. Everything will be fine," she assures him, walking along with her brother, clasping each other's hands as they venture through the vast forest, which they may never escape.

{BLESSING}

Emma waits for help outside her squad car while Ava and Nicholas sit in the back seat. "Nicholas, look!" Ava announces, noticing the compass is moving and appears to be working again as a tow truck pulls over to assist them. The driver, who ends up being Michael, the children's father, gets out of the truck. He spots Ava and Nicholas in the squad car, looking out the back window at him.

"Those are them," Michael comments, looking at the children.

"Those are them," Emma confirms.

"And your car – it's fine?" He guesses, looking at the Sheriff.

"I just wanted you to see 'em. Just once," She replies. "I didn't think I could do it, either. I gave up Henry because I wanted to give him his best shot. When I saw that he didn't have it entirely, I couldn't leave. I was just as scared – more, probably. But once I saw him, got to know him, I couldn't go back."

"You're taking them? To Boston?" The man questions, feeling a tug on his heart.

"I don't have to," The Sheriff argues.

"No, you don't," Michael agrees, walking to the side of the car, where they roll down the window, looking at him with such hope in their eyes.

{BLESSING}

When Emma returns home, Mary Margaret folds clothes in her room and enters the apartment. "Hey. What happened?" Mary Margaret asks them, wanting to know how the children are.

"Their dad – he showed up. Changed his mind," Emma tells her.

"Changed his mind? Just like that?" She questions, frowning and stopping her folding.

"He might have had a little nudge," The blond woman replies, shrugging.

"They found their father. That's great," the raven-haired woman says, happy for the children.

"I wonder what that would be like?" Emma wonders, moving over to her roommate.

"Maybe you'll find out. You can't give up," Mary Margaret assures her.

"I don't know. I kind of think giving up might be the best plan. I think I need to let go," She argues, thinking about her long past of searching for the people who left her alone in this world.

"No, you don't," The sweet teacher retorts.

"Really? If they wanted to know me, they wouldn't make it so hard to look," The Sheriff argues, shrugging and helping her friend with the folding.

"Maybe. But maybe there's other reasons. Maybe there is an explanation," Mary Margaret replies, wanting to help her friend see the brighter side.

"If there is, it's something crazy. Something even crazier than Henry's theory," Emma smiles, thinking of her son.

"Yeah? What's Henry's theory?" She asks her.

"Well, that my parents put me in a magical wardrobe and sent me to this world to save them," The blond woman informs her, rolling her eyes with a laugh.

"Aw. And who does he think they are?" The raven-haired woman asks.

"Well, for one, you," Emma replies.

"Me?" Mary Margaret questions, shocked.

"Well, Snow White," She counters.

"Snow White has a kid?" The raven-haired woman asks, still trying to wrap her head around it.

"Apparently that book you gave him? Not exactly the stories in the most traditional sense," The blond woman retorts, smiling.

"I have a kid. You'd think I'd remember that," Mary Margaret jokes.

"Yeah, you'd think," Emma laughs.

"You do kind of have my chin," She remarks, looking at her roommate.

"I think I need to go get some air," The Sheriff announces, getting up from the table and leaving the room, but Mary Margaret follows her. "I'm going to go think."

"If you're going to be back later, I can wait to eat with you?" The sweet teacher suggests, looking at her.

"No, don't do that," Emma tells her.

"I'll leave you leftovers," Mary Margaret replies. Emma heads for the door, and Mary Margaret notices the woman's baby blanket in a box. "What a pretty blanket."

"Thanks. Goodnight," She mutters before leaving. Mary Margaret stands alone with the baby blanket and picks it up, smelling it, unable to help herself. She pauses, realising what she's doing and puts it down.

{BLESSING}

Emma sits in her car, reading her file, the articles she keeps reading over and over again: ' Still no leads on deadbeat parents - baby Emma remanded to foster system', and another reads, '7-year-old boy finds baby on side of road'. Henry and Landon walk up to the little yellow bug, the boy carrying a box. "Uh, what's that?" Henry asks, seeing the file.

"Just an old file. What's up?" Emma asks, looking at her son and spotting her boyfriend behind him.

"Pumpkin pie. I… I thought you'd like some. It was pumpkin, right?" He asks, gesturing to the box.

"Right," She agrees, getting out of the car to stand with Henry and Landon. "Henry, about your father…"

"Yeah?" The Mills boy questions and Emma looks at Landon for a second.

"I'm glad I told you," The blond woman replies, not being able to tell him the truth.

"Me too," Henry agrees, hugging her.

"Give me that," Emma says, taking the box from Henry.

"What you did – with Ava and Nicholas – you really are changing things," He remarks when the sound of an engine comes from the distance, making them look as a man on a motorcycle turns the corner and parks across from them. There is a large wooden box on the back of his bike. He removes his helmet and approaches Emma, Henry, and Landon, though he seems a little hesitant, looking at the tattooed man.

"Hi," the newcomer says, smiling at them.

"Hey," Emma replies, sitting on her car hood with Landon, who is wrapping his arm around her waist. Henry sits between them.

"Afternoon," Landon greets him back.

"Is this Storybrooke?" The stranger asks them.

"Yeah," Emma answers.

"Any place to get a room around here?" He wonders, looking around at the deserted street.

"Uh, you're staying?" Landon asks him, glancing at the man.

"That's the plan. Just looking for a bed," The newcomer retorts, smiling.

"Granny's Bed and Breakfast is just up the road – another two blocks," Emma informs him.

"Thank you," The stranger replies, turning around and walking back to his bike.

"Hey, I didn't catch your name," Landon shouts after him.

"Well, that's because I didn't give it," He replies before driving off, leaving Emma, Landon, and Henry alone.

"I thought you said strangers don't come to Storybrooke?" Emma asks, looking at Henry.

"They don't," Henry replies, watching.

{BLESSING}

Emma and Landon come to his apartment after dropping Henry off back at home. Landon gives her a glass of wine as they sit on his brown leather sofa in his living room. "So, you told Henry about his dad?" Landon questions, leaning back and looking at Emm as she gulps her drink down quickly.

"I didn't," Emma confesses, making Landon look at her as she moves towards him, leaning against him, and he wraps his arm around her, pulling her closer. "He wasn't a firefighter. And he certainly isn't dead."

"What happened?" He asks her, looking at his girlfriend.

"We stole some watches, I got caught, and he left me," she tells him, feeling him tensing under her.

"I take it you loved him?" The tattooed man remarks, and she looks at him, kissing him on the corner of his mouth.

"I thought I did," The blond woman mutters, snuggling into him.

"Least he gave us Henry," Landon says, smiling.

"Yeah, he did," Emma replies, hiding her face in the crook of his neck.

{BLESSING}

The following morning, the stranger ends up tinkering with his motorbike outside the Mayor's house when Henry comes outside and walks up to him. "What are you doing here?" Henry asks him, watching the man as he fixes up his bike on the curb of the boy's house.

"Fixing my bike," the stranger replies, looking at the kid.

"No, I mean in Storybrooke," he argues, looking at the boy occasionally as he tinkers with his bike.

"Just visiting," the man answers without really answering.

"What's that?" The Mills boy asks, pointing to the wooden top box on the back of the motorcycle.

"A box," the stranger replies shortly.

"What's inside it?" Henry wonders, looking at the box.

"Just something I need to do what I came here for," He tells him, and Regina opens her front door and sees her son talking to the strange man.

"Well, I thought you were just visiting?" The Mayor's son questions.

"Doesn't mean I don't have something to do," The man retorts, smiling and getting onto his bike before starting it up.

"Henry!" Regina yells for her son and storms towards them, feeling suspicious of the man.

"Better get to school. Looks like a storm's coming," the stranger warns him before driving off just as Regina reaches Henry.

"Henry. Who was that?" She asks him, but Henry just shrugs.

{BLESSING}

Emma eats her breakfast in the kitchen and watches her roommate, Mary Margaret, scramble to get ready. The TV runs the weather channel in the background. "I can't believe I overslept," Mary Margaret groans as she runs around the room for everything she needs before heading out.

"It's only seven ten. You've got plenty of time to get to school," Emma argues, wishing she didn't have the last glass of wine.

"No, I have to be there at 7:15 – science fair. I'm helping the kids with their project before school," she lies to her roommate.

"I'm sure if you're five minutes late they'll live," The blond woman retorts, knowing where her friend is really going.

"We're making a volcano," The sweet teacher argues, coming up with the lie quickly before leaving.

"Okay," Emma mutters, smirking as she grabs her squad car keys before heading for the door, grabbing her things calmly on the way.

{BLESSING}

Mary Margaret hurriedly arrives at Granny's Diner and sits at one of the tables near the door, taking out a book and fixing her hair in a spoon's reflection. When he strikes 7:15 am, David enters the diner and walks up to the counter. Ruby happily serves him two coffees, his usual order. "One cream and sugar, one black," Ruby says, handing the two to-go cups.

"Thank you," David replies, taking the coffees and noticing Mary Margaret sitting behind him. "Good morning."

"Morning!" Mary Margaret greets him overley enthused.

"I-I… I should go. I'm going to be late for work," He replies, smiling at the woman.

"Oh, the animal shelter, right? How's that going?" She asks him.

"Well, the apes haven't taken over," Mr Nolan jokes.

"Yet," the raven-haired woman laughs.

"Not on my watch," David replies before leaving, and Mary Margaret watches him meet Kathryn at their car, where he hands her the coffee and a kiss on the cheek. Emma comes out of the back room, having parked her car outside to meet Landon for coffee before they both go to work.

"This is making a volcano?" Emma asks her friend, who realises she's been caught.

"I was-," Mary Margaret stutters as Emma approaches her friend.

"I get it," She assures her, sitting opposite her.

"He comes here every morning at seven fifteen a.m. to get coffee," the raven-haired woman tells her, hating herself for knowing this.

"For him and his wife," The Sheriff adds.

"I know, I know, I know. I just like to…come here to see him," Mary Margaret confesses.

"So you're a stalker?" Emma questions, trying to understand.

"No, not really… Maybe a little bit. I mean, it's not like I'm following him," She argues. "I just know that he spends his mornings with Kathryn, gets coffee, then drives to the animal shelter to start work at seven thirty and then he's home around five."

"Oh, is that all?" The blond woman wonders, looking at her.

"Thursdays they pick up Chinese for dinner. I can't get him out of my head," The sweet teacher groans, wishing she could forget David.

"I know. Maybe the first step is not showing up here tomorrow," Emma suggests, trying to help her friend.

"Love's the worst. I wish there was a magic cure," Mary Margaret grumbles, hanging her head, and the door behind them opens. Emma smiles, spotting Landon coming inside.

"Hey you two," Landon greets them, smiling at the two roommates.

{BLESSING}

Emma walks into Granny's Diner to escape the storm that hits Storybrooke the next day and goes inside for shelter. She sees the strange man she and the Mills boys the day before and remembers what Henry told her yesterday about seeing him outside his house. Emma walks over and joins the man at his booth, spotting the box from the back of his motorbike sitting under the table. "We need to talk," Emma announces, glaring at the man, thinking he is threatening her son.

"Why?" The man questions, looking at the woman.

"Because you're suspicious," She argues.

"Sitting here, out in the open, drinking coffee. I wonder what kind of hell I would've raised had I ordered a donut," he jokes.

"You were talking to Henry," The Sheriff snaps, feeling protective of her son.

"You mean the little kid who came up to me asking me questions?" The stranger retorts. "Is that unusual for him? Being curious and precocious?"

"What were you doing outside his house?" Emma demands.

"My bike broke down. It happens," The man argues, shrugging.

"Your mysterious box – what's in it?" She asks him, tapping the box with her foot.

"It's awfully frustrating not knowing, isn't it?" He teases her.

"Just tell me," The blond woman orders.

"Why? Is it illegal to carry around a box in these parts?" The stranger ponders.

"No, of course it's not," Emma retorts, sighing in frustration.

"You really want to know what's inside it, don't you?" The man questions, looking at the woman he knows but doesn't know him.

"No. Well, maybe," She answers honestly.

"I'm going to make you wait," He replies. "You're going to have to wait a long time and watch me carry it around. Hauling it to strange and mysterious places. And with each passing moment, the mystery will become more tantalising. Your imagination will inflame, but so will your frustration. Never knowing – only guessing – what could possibly be inside that box? Or, you could let me buy you a drink sometime and I'll tell you right now."

"You want to buy me a drink?" The blond woman questions, looking at him in surprise.

"Yes," The stranger tells her.

"Okay. A drink it is. Only to find out what it is," Emma agrees, and the man takes the box out from underneath the booth and puts it on the table. He unlocks it and opens it up, revealing a typewriter similar to the one in Landon's apartment, which he says is for aesthetics. "Really?"

"I'm a writer," the man tells her.

"That's why you're here?" She questions, still not sure if she trusts him.

"I find this place provides…inspiration. Don't you?" He retorts, closing the box and locking it back up before getting up from the booth.

"Wait. Have you been here before?" The Sheriff asks.

"I didn't say that," the stranger argues, going to leave.

"What about that drink?" Emma asks although she is glad it's not now.

"I said sometime," he argues before leaving.

{BLESSING}

Emma and Mary Margaret sit at the kitchen table in their apartment, and the blond woman is eating her breakfast. Her roommate stares at the clock, which reads 7:15 a.m. Emma reaches over and squeezes Mary Margaret's hand in comfort, knowing this is hard for the woman.

{BLESSING}

Mary Margaret walks into Granny's Diner, and Ruby serves her coffee at the counter. The raven-haired woman is glad she isn't running into David. "Thanks, Ruby," Mary Margaret says, heading out when David enters the diner, stunned for a moment due to seeing Mary Margaret there later than usual and quickly exits. Mary Margaret frowns in wonder before heading out and following him outside. "What are you doing here?"

"It's seven forty-five," David replies, avoiding the question.

"I know!" She snaps.

"Well, I'm trying not to see you," He tells her, sighing.

"Well, I am trying not to see you," the sweet teacher replies, making them both look at each other in surprise.

"Well, how do we stop seeing each other?" Nolan wonders, looking at her.

"Apparently, we can't," Mary Margaret groans.

"This is a problem," David grumbles, wanting to stay faithful to his wife.

"Yes," She agrees.

"She's not pregnant," he confesses, and Mary Margaret smiles before they launch into a kiss, unaware they are being watched by Regina, who is parked across the street.

{BLESSING}

The storm soon passes, and Henry, on his bike, heads toward the castle playground his uncle helped make when he was born. Emma is already waiting for him in her squad car, and she sees him getting closer, so she gets out to greet him. "Hey, Kid," Emma greets him, but he just rides past her. "Nice to see you, too." She catches up to him and sees the playground is noticeably damaged from the storm.

"The storm!" Henry shouts, looking at his precious safe haven in ruins.

"It's okay – we can fix it. I'll talk to Marco and Landon," she assures him.

"Do you think it's still here?" He wonders, digging in the sand near the base of the playground.

"What are you looking for?" the blond woman asks, watching him.

"My book," the Mills boy announces.

"Why'd you bury it here?" Emma questions, moving toward him.

"So my mom doesn't find it," Henry reminds her.

"Hiding it under your mattress wasn't good enough?" She asks, and he uncovers a red metal box under the sand and starts to unlock it.

"That's the first place the Evil Queen would look," he argues.

"How about leaving it with me?" the Sheriff questions, thinking the two of them are much closer. "And what about Landon's apartment?"

"That's the second and third place," The Mayor's son argues, opening the box and revealing the fairy tale book safe inside. "It's still here. Good."

"So, your mom doesn't know about the castle?" Emma asks, thinking about it.

"No. This is ours and Uncle Landon's secret," Henry replies, closing and relocking the box before starting to rebury it. Behind them, Regina arrives, spotting her son with the blond woman she wishes would just leave her town.

"Henry! Henry!" Regina calls for her son. "I've been looking everywhere for you. You know you have a session with Archie this morning." She stomps over to them and glares at Emma. "I should've known he was with you. Henry – car. Now." Henry runs over to the car, leaving Regina and Emma alone. "You let him play here?" She glances at the broken wooden play area destroyed by the earlier storm.

"The storm hit it hard, but we can fix it," Emma argues.

"Well, can you fix a cracked cranium?" She snaps, glaring at the blond woman. "Because that's what you'll have on your hands if one of these boards collapses under his weight. You're not thinking about Henry or his safety. Just ways around me. Miss Swan, don't let your feelings cloud your judgement. People can get hurt."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The Sheriff wonders, glaring back at the dark-haired woman.

"You're the Sheriff now – it's time to be responsible," The Mayor growls before stomping back to the car and driving off with Henry.

{BLESSING}

Emma and Mary Margaret sit at the table in Granny's Diner, chatting about everything. "Don't let my feelings cloud my judgement? That's all Regina ever does," Emma grumbles, annoyed at the woman.

"Well, she's just upset because you and Henry have a special place and she… She doesn't," Mary Margaret tells her.

"How'd she find out about the castle in the first place?" She wonders, knowing only Landon and Henry really know about the castle.

"She knows everything about this town – she's the Mayor," The sweet teacher argues, and her phone vibrates, alerting her to a text from David, which she quickly reads: 'We need to talk. Meet at our spot'.

"Everything okay?" The Sheriff asks her friend.

"Yeah, I just need to go," Mary Margaret announces suddenly. "Look, if it makes you feel any better, I think you're right. I see the effect she has on Henry."

"I wish everyone else did, too," Emma grumbles, and Mary Margaret puts on her jacket before quickly leaving. Sidney then takes her place and sits with Emma with a mostly empty glass of whiskey.

"I can grant your wish," Sidney slurs, lulling side to side from how in the bottle he is.

"Wow. Sidney. You want a side of bacon with that whiskey?" She questions, looking at him.

"You want to show this town who the Mayor really is? I can help," He tells her.

"That's going to be kind of hard to do from inside her pocket," The blond woman argues, glaring at the man.

"The Mayor and I are done," The news reporter announces.

"Sure you are," Emma mutters, rolling her eyes, and she certainly doesn't believe him.

"She got me fired from the paper. Though Landon had no problem with it, he's wanted to fire me for a long time, but she stopped him most of the time. She made a fool of me in the election. So I started working on an exposé on the Mayor's office, and I found something she didn't want found." Sidney explains.

"Sidney, you're drunk. Go home – sleep it off. Be grateful that you don't have to answer to her anymore," She tells him, and Sidney pulls a business card out of his pocket.

"Call me. Storybrooke deserves to know the truth about her," he tells her. Emma takes his business card before leaving, needing to talk with Landon to confirm his story.

{BLESSING}

The Genie sits in his lamp, looking at himself in the mirror; his lamp is furnished with several couches and cushions, and the magic is having a lot of time on his hands being trapped inside the lamp. Suddenly, breathing can be heard from above, and the Genie looks up and sees an eye peering inside. "Here we go," Genie groans, and outside, the lamp is picked up by King Leopold, who rubs it, and the Genie is freed in a puff of smoke. "You awakened the Genie of Agrabah. You're entitled to three wishes – no more, no less. But you must know that magic has its limits. You cannot wish for life nor death, you cannot wish for love, you cannot wish for more wishes. And once spoken, a wish cannot be undone – no matter what the consequences. So, tell me your first wish." He explains, going over his speech for the millionth time.

"Hm. Uh… Hm. I cannot think of a single thing I desire," King Leopold replies. "I have everything I need. I seek nothing more than the happiness of all who set foot in my kingdom."

"Ugh," He groans, sitting down disappointed.

"You are in my kingdom and yet, you seem unhappy," The King remarks, looking at him.

"I have served as Genie of the lamp for longer than you've been alive. Life as a Genie is not…as magical as it may appear," The magic being argues.

"So, you wish to be free?" Leopold asks him.

"More than anything," Genie replies, looking at the King.

"Then, I know my first wish. I wish you to be free," He declares, and the two armbands around the Genie's wrists release themselves.

"Can it be? Am I truly free?" The magical being questions, looking at his free wrists for the first time in so long.

"You're the Genie – you tell me," The King jokes, smiling at the happy face of the other man.

"There are two more wishes left in the lamp. What will you do with them?" Genie asks the King.

"For my second wish, I wish to give my third and final wish to you," Leopold replies and hands the lamp back to the Genie.

"In my time, I have granted a thousand and one wishes and I have seen them end poorly a thousand and one times. Making a wish comes with a price. And that is why I will never use this wish," He declares, not wanting to become a victim to this magical wish.

"You are a man of wisdom, Genie. Now tell me – what will you do with your freedom?" The King asks his new subject.

"Find the one thing I've always desired, that my prison has kept from me – true love." The magic being announces with a smile.

"Then you must come join me at my palace," Leopold announces. "I am certain you will find it there. Come – meet my family." The two men leave together, heading for the palace in the distance.

{BLESSING}

The Genie and King Leopold walk through the palace gardens together, and the King shows his new friend around and tries to find his daughter and wife. "Your palace is as lovely as you are kind," Genie remarks, looking around at the lovely garden.

"Oh, it's more than kindness, my friend," Leopold replies, and they come across Snow White, who is picking flowers, and Regina, who is picking apples. "This is my beautiful daughter – Snow." He gestures to his daughter.

"How do you do?" Snow White greets the Genie, smiling at him, and he bows back with a friendly smile. Landon walks towards his sister, whispering in Regina's ears, who smiles.

"Oh, this is my brother-in-law - Landon," The King announces, introducing the man and the magical being, the Warlock looking at him cautiously.

"Lovely to meet you," Landon greets him, smiling stiffly at the Genie.

"And Regina – my wife. The Queen," Leopold adds, gesturing to his wife, who moves away from the tree. Landon sees the lovesick look appear in Genie's eyes at the sight of his sister and can't help but glare.

"Hello," Regina greets him, smiling sweetly at Genie, who smiles back at her.

{BLESSING}

Henry watches the construction team tear down his castle playground in tears as Landon walks over, wrapping his arm around his shoulder. Regina is off to the side, talking to a group of workers, and Emma arrives and joins the Mills boys. "Hey, what happened? I came as soon as I could," Emma says, looking at them.

"The castle! She's tearing the whole thing down! My book! It-it's gone," Henry sobs, hiding his face in his uncle's chest, and Emma glares, approaching Regina to confront her.

"Emma don't do anything rash!" Landon warns her, watching her confront his little sister.

"Congratulations, Madam Mayor. You destroyed the thing he loves," She remarks, glaring at Regina.

"A dangerous thing that can only hurt Henry and others," Regina argues. "You see me as a villain, Miss Swan, but that's just your perception and you're wrong. Learn your place in this town or, soon enough, you won't be in it."

"Landon built it for him," She tells him, and Regina looks at her with wide eyes before glancing at her son and brother across the playground. Regina storms away, and Emma decides to pull out Sidney's business card and dial the number on her phone. "Sidney? Hi. I'm in. I want everyone to know who she really is."

{BLESSING}

Emma drives her squad car along a deserted road and stops near the end of a tunnel before getting out, and Sidney appears from the woods. "Alright. I'm listening. So, what do you know about her?" Emma asks him.

"Fifty thousand dollars," Sidney answers shortly.

"I'm sorry?" She questions, looking at him.

"Fifty grand out of the budget is missing and Regina is responsible," He explains.

"That's it? That's what you have on her?" The Sheriff asks, not seeing the significance.

"The money is just the tip of the iceberg," The news reporter argues. "We figure out what she's doing and it all falls apart – it all crumbles. And we'll finally learn her secrets. You see what she is. I see it. All we need is a crack in the mirror to show everyone. I'm telling you – this is it."

"Alright. What's your plan?" Emma asks him.

"Tap her phone. GPS her car. Hack into her email. Dip into your bail bondsperson bag of tricks," Sidney suggests.

"No. I'm Sheriff now. I have to be responsible. I want to do this by the book," She argues, not wanting to get into trouble.

"She's going to know that you're on to her – sooner than later. Are you prepared for her wrath?" He wonders, looking at her.

"Oh yeah," the blond woman replies.

"Good. Because I wasn't," The fired newspaper reporter retorts, looking at her.

"If you thought she was so terrifying, how did you allow yourself to end up in her pocket?" Emma wonders, glancing at the man.

"I used to think she was a different person," Sidney tells her.

{BLESSING}

A small crowd gathers in King Leopold's castle room for the gracious King's birthday. Snow White, the Genie, Landon, and Regin are all in attendance. King Leopold goes to the front of the room to make his annual speech. "No gifts are required to mark this special day, for they all pale in comparison to the greatest gift of all – my daughter, Snow." King Leopold tells the audience.

"Father…" Snow mutters bashfully, joining her father at the front of the room as everyone claps for the Princess. "Father, you make me blush."

"Every day I look upon your face, and I am reminded of your dearly departed mother. Who, like you, truly was the fairest in all the land," He remarks, looking at his daughter, who overcomes with love for her father, hugging him, and the crowd claps again. The Genie and Landon watch Regina get up from the back table and leave the room. Landon frowns but knows this is all part of his sister's plan.

{BLESSING}

Outside, Regina stands near her beloved apple tree as she stares at the moon, and the Genie joins her. "Not in a festive mood?" The Genie asks her, looking at the sullen Queen.

"No one seems to notice my absence except my dear brother," Regina retorts.

"I noticed. Such a lovely tree," He compliments, admiring the apple tree behind them.

"Yes, it's from my childhood garden," She remarks, smiling sweetly at him. "Well, the tree and I share something in common – neither of us can leave the palace and neither of us truly belongs. No matter how hard I try to please the King, he will never love me the way he loved his first wife. I'm trapped by the memory of a life they used to share."

"I know about being trapped more than anyone. Maybe this will lift your spirits," the magical being replies, looking at her. He takes out a hand mirror and gives it to her as a gift to show his affection for the woman. "So you can see yourself the way I see you."

"And how do you see me?" The Queen asks him, looking at him and seeing the look of devotion on his face as he admires her.

"As the fairest in all the land," The Genie coos, almost taking her hand, but fears someone may see them.

{BLESSING}

Emma and Sidney meet at Mary Margaret's apartment as they sort through boxes of files and papers. "When did that transfer go through? Does three weeks ago sound right?" Emma asks him, reading through the documents.

"Yeah. Why?" Sidney asks, looking at her.

"Because those records are missing," She replies, and Mary Margaret suddenly comes through the front door.

"Emma, there's something I'd like to talk to you…" Mary Margaret says, then she notices Sidney sitting at their kitchen table. "Hi, Sidney."

"Hey. We're just doing some work. I think we may have found something on Regina," The blond woman explains.

"Interesting work. Well, I approve," She replies, happy to let them take Regina down a peg or two.

"You want to go by the book? Let's get a warrant," Sidney suggests, though he knows she won't if he plays it right.

"And what judge are we going to find that she doesn't own? We're screwed," Emma argues, knowing that Regina has almost everyone in her pocket.

"Or, there's my way," He retorts, glancing at her.

"I want to do this right, Sidney," She snaps, knowing he could be trying to set a trap for her.

"Well, what's right is exposing her. Sometimes, doing a bad thing for a good reason is okay, right?" The former reporter argues.

"Yeah. I mean, maybe you're doing something wrong, but if it's what's meant to be – if it's what's right – does that really make you a bad person?" Mary Margaret babbles, making her roommate look at her with concern.

"Exactly," Sidney agrees.

"You two are doing a whole lot of rationalising," Emma remarks, glancing between them.

"But look what she's done to you, to me, to your son. I mean, she's not going to stop, so whatever you do, you've got to do something," He warns her.

"Okay. Let's start by talking to her," She tells him.

{BLESSING}

Emma and Sidney later decide to confront Regina and head to her office at town hall. "And just what are you and the disgraced ex-reporter accusing me of?" Regina asks them, looking between them.

"Fifty thousand dollars was transferred out of a city account – by you," Emma states firmly.

"Well, as Mayor, I'm involved in many transactions. Check the public records if you have questions," She retorts, not bothering to look at the blond woman as she talks.

"That's the thing – they're missing from three weeks ago," The Sheriff informs her. "You have any idea what happened to them?"

"Well, if they're missing, I probably checked them out – as my job often requires me to do," The Mayor argues. "And if they were checked out three weeks ago, well, that means they burned. In a fire. In a fire, that, if I recall, got you elected Sheriff. I have nothing to hide." Emma leans over Regina's desk and stares at her briefly.

"Okay. There's nothing for us to do. Let's go, Sidney," Emma says, knowing that Sidney and Regina are trying to trick her and she won't be pulled into their games.

"Emma," Sidney mutters.

"No, she's right. We have nothing," she argues, walking out of the office. She notices the look the pair gives each other.

{BLESSING}

Emma and Sidney walk outside of Town Hall after trying to confront Regina about the missing money. "That was your plan? I thought you were going to do something?" Sidney asks her, not understanding why she did that.

"I did. I planted a bug. You win, Sidney. Let's do whatever it takes," Emma replies, making him smile. Inside Regina's office, under the desk, is a wiretap device recording everything.

{BLESSING}

The Genie later meets with King Leopold in one of the many rooms inside the castle. "You called for me, Your Majesty?" Genie questions, stepping into the room cautiously.

"I have reason to believe my wife's heart belongs to another man," Leopold announces urgently.

"Certainly, the Queen would never stray, Your Majesty," He assures the King.

"And yet, her diary suggests otherwise," The King argues, handing the magical being his wife's diary. The Genie reads the pages silently to himself, absorbing every word.

'Last night, a man gave me a gift. And though it was but a simple mirror, it awakened feelings in me that I abandoned long ago. Hope for love and companionship, even though I am trapped in my husband's court.'

"Sadly, the diary does not name the man who gave her this mirror," Leopold reveals, making the Genie sigh inaudibly with relief. "I am not a fool – I realise that the Queen is unhappy and yearns for someone to love her in a way that I never can. And yet, I never imagined that she would betray me like this."

"Well, certainly the Queen would never act on these feelings?" The Genie assures him, trying to placate the King.

"Love makes people do foolish things," He argues, shaking his head.

"And why have you called upon me, Your Majesty?" The Magical Being questions, looking at him.

"I need someone with your wits. To learn the identity of the man who has stolen my wife's heart," The King requests his dear friend.

"And, what will you do to him once I have found him?" The Genie asks curiously.

"That is my concern – not yours," Leopold assures him, but it does nothing of the sort. "Now, tell me, Genie – can you find the man who gave the Queen this mirror or not?" He picks the hand mirror off the table and hands it to the Genie.

{BLESSING}

At the station, Sidney listens to the wiretap that Emma set in Regina's office when she comes into her office and sits next to him. "Miss Ginger, I really don't have time for more complaints about working conditions," Regina's voice says. "The air temperature is not one of my areas."

"Scintillating. Find anything good yet?" Emma asks him, having gotten off the phone with Landon.

"Yeah, better than good. She made this call a little over an hour ago," Sidney informs her.

"I'll meet you tonight at Access Road Twenty Three with the rest of your payment," The recording says. "Yes, it will all be in cash. And I don't need to remind you that no one can know about this. Yes, I know it has to be tonight."

"Who's on the other end?" Emma asks him, frowning.

"You bugged the office – not the phone," Sidney reminds her, shrugging.

"Well, we're just going to have to find out," She argues.

"Yeah," He agrees, thinking she's falling into his and Regina's trap.

"A payoff in the woods. That's promising," The Sheriff suggests, looking at him and smiling as she thinks about what she promised Landon. She promised she wouldn't let Regina or Sidney sway her thinking or corrupt what was right before her. Landon knows that Sidney is in Regina's pocket and has known him for years, so he fires him for that exact reason.

"A payoff using stolen city funds," The former reporter adds, though he knows it's further from the truth.

"Let's go find out who she's meeting," Emma suggests, getting out her phone and quickly texting Landon.

{BLESSING}

Emma and Sidney drive along an empty road in the Sheriff's squad car. They spot Regina's car up ahead, which turns onto a road leading into the forest. Emma attempts to brake when they get closer, but the car doesn't stop. "Emma?" Sidney asks, seeing her trying to break.

"It won't stop!" Emma exclaims, continuing to try and brake, but it won't even slow down as she closes control of the car as it crashes into a sign along the roadside. "You okay?"

"Yeah, you?" He asks her, shaking in shock, as he thinks about shouting at Regina and suggesting cutting the brakes on the car.

"Yeah," she replies, and they get out; needing to check on the car, Emma goes around to the front while Sidney checks under it. "We're going to miss that handoff."

"Emma," The former reporter calls her, and she comes over.

"What?" The Sheriff asks, looking at him.

"You know that bug you planted? I think Regina found it. Someone's been tampering with the brakes. She's onto us." Sidney informs her, and Emma feels the anger fueling her body as she takes off into the forest, and Sidney chases after her. "Wait!"

"The bitch tried to have me killed. I'm finding her," Emma snaps, racing through the trees.

"Let's be cautious. We need to think clearly," He argues, trying to calm the fiery blond woman.

"To hell with caution. I'm going to find out what she's doing and why she's out here," She sneers, hating the woman more for trying to kill her. Mr Gold appears in front of them, blocking their path.

"She was meeting me," Mr Gold informs them, surprising the pair.

"What are you doing out here with her?" Emma asks him, surprised to see the man in the woods this late at night.

"Just a little business transaction," He replies, hiding what really happened.

"What's in the briefcase?" Sidney asks, noticing him holding the large briefcase.

"Everything comes at a price. Land is no different," Gold retorts shortly.

"That's why you're meeting her out here? Regina bought your land?" Emma questions, frowning at this new piece of information.

"The very ground you're standing on," Mr Gold informs them, gesturing to the plot of land they are standing on now.

"What does she want it for?" she asks him, wanting to know what Regina is up to. She plans on talking with Landon later.

"You know, in business, I find it's best not to ask too many questions. Hurts the bottom line," He replies. "The question is, Emma – why are you standing out here in the middle of the night with Mr Glass?"

"You don't know what Regina did to me. You don't know what she did to her son. We can't just sit idly by," Sidney argues rather convincingly.

"Of course you can. Be careful – emotional entanglements can lead us down very dangerous paths." Gold warns Emma before walking off.

{BLESSING}

The Genie cuts an apple off Regina's apple tree as he waits for the Queen when he hears footsteps behind him. "I was beginning to worry you wouldn't come," Genie remarks, not looking.

"You were expecting the Queen?" Henry Sr questions, making the Genie turn around and see the Evil Twin's father, Henry, holding a black box with holes in the side.

"Who are you? What have you done with her?" He demands, glaring at the older man.

"The King has locked her away in her chambers. My daughter is a prisoner in her own kingdom. Not even my son or I can see her," The father explains, feeling guilty about trying to persuade the man in love with his darling daughter to do something he disagrees with.

"You are the Queen's father?" The Magical Being realises, looking at the man, who doesn't carry himself like Landon or Regina, who both hold themselves with such confidence and grace.

"Please, take this to her. The palace guards won't allow me or her brother into her chambers. They know we'd die for her," Henry Sr pleads with him.

"But you…" Genie mutters, and Henry Sr hands the box to him.

"The King trusts you. He doesn't know that you have my daughter's heart," he argues. "The guards will allow you in. Give her this box."

"Wait – I don't understand. What is in it?" The Genie questions, looking at the box as the man hands him the strange box.

"This is the only thing that can free her from this wretched life," Mr Mills informs him, knowing what's inside. "If you truly care for my daughter, I know you'll do whatever it takes to set her free." Henry Sr quickly leaves, and the Genie looks down at the box in his hand and notices a key sitting on top of it. He holds it up, showing a key with a skull engraved on the top.

{BLESSING}

Emma and Sidney pull up outside Town Hall, needing to find out why Regina bought the land. They both get out of the squad car and walk towards the entrance. "What are we doing here?" Sidney asks her.

"We know she bought land from Gold – we don't know why," Emma reminds him. "I'm willing to bet it's for personal reasons, but we have to know for sure. We need documents that officially link her to that land."

"So, you want to break into her office? It's locked," he argues. "And she's got a state of the art security system and alarm."

"If we don't show this town who Regina really is, who will?" She retorts.

"Do you think you can crack her code?" The former reporter wonders, looking at her as they walk towards the building.

"Yep," The Sheriff replies, smashing the front door window with a rock and setting the alarm off. She reaches her hand through the shattered glass and unlocks the door.

"Emma!" Sidney snaps.

"Who does the alarm system alert? The police. I'm the police," Emma assures him. "Two minutes for her to get a call from the alarm company, one minute to get her coat and keys, three minutes to drive here. We got maybe six minutes." They enter the Mayor's office, and Emma goes to the computer and hacks into it easily. "I just uncovered every file that references the tract of land she bought from Gold. Nice." She prints off the records and then goes through Regina's desk drawers. She uncovers a key ring with several skeleton keys attached. "What the hell do these open?" She wonders, looking at them.

"I don't know. What are you doing?" He asks her, watching her, unsure if she will find anything that will help as he already warned Regina.

"Looking for Henry's book," She tells him, looking around the office.

"We didn't come here for Henry. We came here for the files and-," Glass argues, glaring at her.

"No, you didn't come here for Henry. Me? That's the only reason I'm here," The blond woman snaps, and the lights in the office switch on, alerting them, and they see Regina enter.

"What are you doing?" Regina demands, glaring at them.

"Some kids broke in," Emma lies. "I heard the alarm, so I'm checking it out cause…I'm Sheriff."

"Well, that was an awfully quick response time," She remarks, looking at the blond woman, not trusting her.

"You told me to do my job, and I'm doing it," The Sheriff retorts, shrugging her shoulders.

"And you brought him," The Mayor questions, glancing at Sidney.

"Oh, well, he saw it while he was on a walk. So he's a witness," Emma lies again.

"Hm. And what did you see, Sidney?" Regina asks him, looking at her spy.

"Some kids with a…" Sidney says, trying to find the right word.

"Rock," Emma supplies.

"A rock," He agrees, nodding.

"Did they take anything?" Regina asks the Sheriff.

"I don't know. I'd have to do a thorough sweep to, uh, find out," She replies, wanting to look around a little more.

"It appears to me it's all just a prank," The Mayor argues, not seeing anything too out of place.

"You sure you don't want me to take the place apart?" The Sheriff asks her.

"Sheriff, your services are not wanted nor needed," Regina snaps, glaring at her.

"Okay. Well, you know where to find me," Emma replies before walking out with Sidney.

{BLESSING}

Regina sits at her vanity in her bed chambers, still imprisoned inside by the King, when the Genie enters, holding the box from Henry Sr. "It's you!" Regina exclaims, and the Genie sets the box on the table. They hug, though it's more passionate on the man's side than the Queen's. "My love for you grows stronger with every beat of my heart," She says, pulling away from him. "But the King has read my diary – found my mirror. Soon, he will discover the truth about us. There is no escape."

"There is always an escape. Your father said what's in this box would give you your freedom," Genie tells her and hands her the key.

"Yes, I believe it will," She agrees, glad her father and brother could get their hands on this without raising suspicion. She unlocks the box and opens the lid, revealing two snakes, which the Genie recognises. "The Agrabahn viper. A snake so deadly, it can kill anything."

"With a single bite," He finishes, knowing them quite well. "This serpent is from my homeland – I know all too well of its poison. But why would you have it brought here?"

"There is no happiness left for me in this life," The Queen tells him. "One small bite and I shall be free from this prison forever. I'm sorry we couldn't be together, my love. Perhaps, in another life, we will find each other again." Regina looks at him and slowly extends her hand towards the box as if to let them bite her. Just as her hands near the snakes, the Genie grabs her wrist, stopping her.

"There is another way. What if the King…didn't live?" The magical being questions, making her look at him and knowing he has fallen into her trap.

"You would do that for me?" Regina asks him, smiling sweetly at him and standing to face him.

"For you, I would do anything," Genie assures her and pulls her into a hug, and Regina can't help the evil grin that spreads across her lips.

"I don't know what I'd do without you," She muses softly.

"You will never have to find out," He promises her, not releasing how true that will be soon enough.

{BLESSING}

Henry tries writing and drawing his fairy tale book from memory with markers at Granny's Diner with Landon, who is texting on his phone. "I've got to get this, stay here, Henry," Landon tells him, stepping away from the booth and heading to the back of the diner. August enters the restaurant and sits next to the boy, watching him.

"Whatcha working on?" August asks him, watching the kid.

"Uh, no time to talk. I got to write it all down before I forget," Henry tells him, not even noticing that his uncle has left the table.

"Yeah, I hate it when great ideas slip away from me," He replies.

"They're not my ideas. They're stories from a book that I lost," The Mills boy explains, rushing as he draws.

"Must be a hell of a book. What's it about?" The writer asks him.

"Stuff," Henry replies shortly.

"Sounds exciting," August teases.

"You seem awfully interested in me and my book," He retorts, stopping his frantic drawing, and he looks at the man.

"No, I'm just being neighbourly," The writer assures him, smiling.

"What are you doing in Storybrooke?" The Mayor's son asks.

"I'm a writer," August replies, not really answering the question.

"You can write anywhere, my Uncle Landon says. What are you really doing here?" Henry asks him, unsure if he believes him.

"Stuff. Good luck with the stories," he replies, leaving the boy alone. He finally notices his uncle isn't there and looks around, seeing him on the phone with someone at the back of the diner as August leaves. He looks warily behind him at Landon, who doesn't seem to notice him as he's too busy on the phone.

{BLESSING}

At Sidney's home office, he and Emma sort through the papers they stole from Regina's office earlier. "Blueprints, bank statements…" Sidney lists, filing through the documents.

"What is she building out there? A mansion?" Emma wonders, not understanding half of them as well as she'd like.

"Well, whatever it is, it doesn't matter, because these escrow statements have her name all over it," He argues. "You were right – personal use. She's done – we got her. What's wrong? Didn't you hear me?"

"We stooped to her level. That's exactly what I promised Henry I wouldn't do," she sighs, hating to break her promise to Henry.

"Emma, we got her!" The spy exclaims.

"It's fruits of the poisonous tree – illegally obtained evidence. It'll get thrown out in court in a heartbeat," The Sheriff reminds him.

"No. We don't need her to go to jail," Sidney argues, seeing the bigger picture.

"Then, what are we doing here?" Emma asks him.

"What you wished for – get everyone to see who she is. What she did to Henry, she does to everyone. She destroys what people love. Let me show you something," He tells her and pulls out a box of files and photos, putting it on the desk. Emma looks through them. There are pictures of her and Henry at various places around town; a few are even of her and Landon. "She made me follow you. She made me tell her everything. She knew about your secret place weeks ago. She just waited to destroy it until it would hurt you and Henry the most. It's all my fault. If you don't do this – I have to."

"Okay," Emma agrees, though somewhat reluctantly.

{BLESSING}

The next day, Regina sits in front of the town council members. The regular citizens of Storybrooke sit in the audience behind them, watching everything. Regina bangs a gavel to start the meeting finally. "This session of the Storybrooke city council will come to order," Regina announces. "We will begin by reading the minutes from our last meeting." Sidney stands up from the audience suddenly.

"Uh, excuse me, um, Madam Mayor. I have something I'd like to bring to the council's attention." Sidney requests, looking nervously at Landon, who stands on the town council.

"This is not an open forum, Mr Glass. And no one on this council's interested in hearing the boozy complaints of a disgraced reporter. Now sit down," Landon demands, and Emma stands up, as well, holding a binder. Landon sighs, having heard about this already.

"He's not the only one who has something to say," Emma announces.

"Miss Swan, this meeting is to discuss issues facing Storybrooke," Regina snaps, glaring at the blond woman who has caught her brother's eye.

"Like the Mayor taking thousands of dollars from the city to build a secret project no one knows about?" She questions, earning gasps from the audience. Regina bangs the gavel to silence them.

"Miss Swan, you will sit down immediately or so help me," The Mayor demands, glaring at her hatefully.

"What? You'll punish me?" The Sheriff snaps back at her. "You'll bully me like everyone else in this town? No. Not today. In my hand, I am holding documents proving that this woman, your Mayor, stole funds from the city to build something in the woods in secret. And this disgraced reporter – you want to know why he was really fired?" She points at Sidney. "Because he stood up to her. Because he questioned her. We all know what happens to people who question the Mayor. You claim that you act in the best interest of all of us, but that isn't the truth, is it? The truth is, you are a thug that doesn't care about anyone, or anything, but yourself. That is who you really are. And it is time for the people of Storybrooke to know that."

"You are right, Miss Swan. I am building something in the woods – a playhouse," Regina reveals, pulling the playground image on the screen behind her. "The accusations are true – I did take city funds. I wanted to build a playground so my son, Henry, and all the children of Storybrooke, could have a special place to play. Safely. As for the sketch in your hands, it was inspired by a drawing I found in one of my son's books. So, there you have it, Miss Swan. You've exposed me for who I really am. I hope you're satisfied." Emma looks at him in mock horror, with Landon having already told her what's happening.

"I am, thank you," Emma replies, shocking everyone. "But I find it horrible that you had to do this behind everybodies back. What kind of Mayor does that?"

{BLESSING}

The Genie enters King Leopold's bed chambers, where he sleeps. The magical being stands at the foot of the bed, holding the box of snakes. "Forgive me," Genie mutters, unlocking the box and releasing the snakes. He points towards the King's bed, where the two snakes crawl under the sheets. The Genie walks to the side of the bed as the King awakens, feeling something moving under the sheets. Before he has a chance to say anything, the snakes bite him in the neck. King Leopold gasps for air while his skin begins to turn black. "The pain will soon pass," Genie assures him. "You asked me to find the man who gave the mirror to your Queen. I did – I am that man. You gave me my freedom. You gave me a chance to find love, and, for that, I'm forever in your debt. But just as you freed me, so must I now free your Queen. Forgive me." The Genie turns to leave, but King Leopold grabs his arm.

"You were right – I never should have made a wish," King Leopold gasps as he dies.

{BLESSING}

The town council meeting is over, and outside Town Hall, Regina speaks to a group of people while Emma and Sidney head for the car. They run into Mr Gold on their way. "Look at her—Queen of the castle. You know, what you did in there was commendable, Miss Swan," Mr Gold remarks, looking at her. But if you really want to bring her down, you're going to need a strong ally."

"Like yourself? Thanks, but I'm still not interested," Emma snaps.

"Oh, one can wish," He replies, leaving, and Regina approaches them.

"Miss Swan. A word? Alone," Regina requests, and Sidney leaves the two women alone. "I don't know what you were hoping to accomplish in there. But now, I hope you'll go back to your job. Which is upholding the law – not breaking it. You don't think I know you broke into my office?"

"Don't pretend like you're so innocent," Emma retorts harshly. "I know you messed with the brakes on my car."

"Your brakes? Are you delusional? Why would I kill you when you just saw I had nothing to hide?" She argues.

"Nothing I can prove," The Sheriff repeats, and she notices Landon watching them.

"Well, until you have something more substantial than disdain to throw my way, you're going to stay away from me. And, more importantly, from Henry," The Mayor snaps.

"But that's-," Emma argues, looking at her.

"Not open for discussion. You've lost the high ground, Sheriff. If I wanted to, there's not a judge in the world that would deny me a restraining order after what you've done. You don't get to see my son unless I say so. And right now? I don't say so," Regina tells her and storms away. Landon replaces his little sister, seeing the upset look on his girlfriend's face and pulls her into a hug.

"What is it?" Landon asks her.

"I should have listened to you," Emma mutters.

{BLESSING}

A few days later, the new playground is in full swing, and the children of Storybrooke are playing wholeheartedly. Emma watches Henry from her car. He notices her, waving at her, and takes out his walkie-talkie to talk with her. "Why are you so far away? Come out here!" Henry tells her.

"Sorry, kid. I can't today," Emma tells him.

"You're undercover, aren't you? For Operation Cobra?" He questions, looking at her.

"No, Henry. I'm not undercover. Your mom – she doesn't want us seeing each other for a while," she replies sadly.

"You don't have to listen to her," The Mills boy argues, not liking his adopted mother more and more for keeping Emma and him away.

"Actually, this time, I do," The blond woman replies. "I screwed up, Henry. I got mad at your mom about you and the book and everything and… Well, we're just going to have to be apart for a little while."

"I don't want to be apart," Henry sulks, looking at her with big puppy eyes.

"Neither do I. But, right now, we have to," Emma argues, needing to assure Regina that she isn't a problem or put a restraining order against her. "Don't worry – I'll find a way back in. And hey. If it's out there, Henry – I will find your book."

"Good luck. It's probably gone and it's probably never coming back," He tells her.

{BLESSING}

In August's room at the inn, he breaks the lock off the metal box containing Henry's book, opens it, and takes it out.

{BLESSING}

Emma enters Granny's Diner after talking with Landon about the town meeting, where Sidney waits at the counter with a beer. She sits next to him, needing to talk quickly and having a game plan after Landon tells her about Sidney's spying habits. "Looks like we had the same idea," Emma remarks, looking at the beer.

"Well, if you can't beat her – drink. How did we not see this?" Sidney wonders, and she orders another beer for herself.

"We did. We saw it all, right from the start," She argues, accepting the beer from Ruby. "Just didn't want to look. Blinded by our anger – by everything."

"This time. But there are a lot more skeletons in Regina's closet. And the good news? You got yourself an ally," He assures her.

"We won't get fooled again," The Sheriff replies, and they clink glasses.

{BLESSING}

The Evil Queen sits in her bed chamber when suddenly, the Genie enters and rushes over to her. "It is done. You're free, my love," Genie announces. "We are free to be together at last. D-did you not hear me? Our days of imprisonment are over."

"You haven't heard the news?" Regina asks, looking at him. "The palace guards found the snake. They know it's from your country. They know it was you who killed the King. It's only a matter of time before they catch you. You will be executed. I'm sorry, but we will never be together. Come – I've arranged for a boat to provide you safe passage out of the kingdom. You must leave at once."

"The Agrabahn viper. Of all the snakes in all the world, that is what you chose. You wanted the murder to be traced back to me. You… You fooled me. You never loved me," He realises, and Landon appears behind him.

"Loved you? We wanted the King killed, and you killed him. You are no longer of any use to us. Be grateful we're offering you an escape. Now, flee the kingdom and never turn back," Landon snaps at the magical being.

"I can't live without you. I won't live without you," The magical being declares, looking at the Queen.

"Did you not understand me? I don't love you. There is no way we will ever be together," Regina replies, glaring at him.

"There is one way," Genie argues, taking the lamp out of his pocket. "There is still one wish remaining. I wish to be with you forever. To look upon your face always. To never leave your side." The Genie wishes, but the wish does not go as planned as he disappears in a puff of blue smoke.

"Where is he?" Landon wonders, looking around, when they hear a tapping noise from somewhere. The Evil Twins look around, and Regina glances at the mirror, spotting the Genie, now trapped inside.

"No! No ! No!" The Genie shouts, banging on the glass.

"Well, it looks like you got your wish. You will be with me – forever," Regina remarks, smirking at him.

"Lovely, I will never look at a mirror the same again," Landon grumbles, earning an eye roll from his sister. "Now, your Majesty, I think it's time to declare your silent victory." He holds his hand out for her, and she takes it.

{BLESSING}

Regina and Sidney stand in the Mayor's office after the man meets with the Sheriff and her little chat with Emma Swan. "Have a seat, Sidney," Regina demands. The two sit on the couch, and she reaches for an apple. "Well?" He pulls out a tape recorder from his pocket and plays it.

"You've got yourself an ally. We won't get fooled again," Emma's voice says.

"She bought it," She smirks, looking at her little spy.

"All of it," Sidney assures her.

"Masterful job, Sidney. Top to bottom," The Mayor praises him and hands him the apple. "And cutting the brakes on her car? Inspired."

"I'm glad you approve," He replies bashfully.

"Now, she trusts you. Now, we can have some fun," Regina remarks, leaning back.

"Everything she does, everywhere she goes – you'll know about it," The Spy assures her, and Regina puts her hand on Sidney's leg.

"I don't know what I'd do without you, Sidney," She replies, smiling at him.