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.

20. He seems lovely

XIX. "He seems lovely."

–[Enchanted Forest - Past]–

A young Snow White enters the main chamber within the castle, where Queen Eva consults with several women for her daughter's birthday celebration. Snow White is dressed in a pink, sparkly ball down. "Let's be certain she's seated as far away from the Duke as possible, for the Duchess' sake." Eva informs them.

"Yes, ma'am," they reply before leaving.

"Do you like it?" Snow asks, making her mother turn around.

"Oh, my dear Snow. You are an absolute vision," Eva compliments her daughter, smiling brightly. "You are going to be the talk of the ball, and not just because it's for your birthday." They hug briefly. "Come. I can hardly believe you're growing up so fast. Which reminds me… I have a gift for you. It was my mother's once, and her mother's before that. And soon, it will be yours."

{SPELLBINDING}

In another room, Johanna picks up a diamond tiara from the padded ceremonial box and places it on her head, admiring herself in the mirror. However, Queen Eva and Snow White enter, catching the maid in the act, who quickly removes the tiara. "Johanna," Queen Ava scolds her.

"Oh! Oh, Your Majesty. Oh, please forgive me. I just wanted to see-," Johanna apologises profusely.

"How dare you? That's mine. It's not for a servant," Snow White snaps, glaring at her and shocking her mother.

"It was my mistake," she argues lightly to the young Princess.

"Servants don't wear crowns," the Princess sneers, stepping towards her angrily.

"Enough," Eva scolds her daughter.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty-," Johanna apologises, looking at the Queen.

"No, I was talking to Snow," she corrects her faithful servant.

"Me?" Snow questions, looking at her mother.

"I thought I raised you better than that, Snow," the Queen scolds. "It doesn't matter whether one is a servant or royalty. Everyone in the kingdom deserves our love and respect."

"But she took my tiara-," she argues, looking angry and confused.

"She apologised. And it isn't yours yet," Eva reminds her.

"Your Majesty, it's alright," Johanna assures her.

"You're kind, Johanna, but Snow must learn. My dear, we are all the same," she replies, looking at her daughter.

"But I thought we were royals," Snow argues, smiling smugly.

"We are, but that doesn't make us better than anyone else. The upcoming ball, for instance – can you tell me what it's for?" The Queen questions.

"It's to honour me on my birthday," she replies.

"No. It's for you to honour them, by showing them you will be a kind and benevolent leader when that time comes. Please," Eva tells her and looks at Johanna, who hands the tiara to the Queen. "When you are crowned with this on your birthday, it will be a symbol that you will always hold goodness in your heart and rule justly. Now do you understand?"

"I do, mother," the young Princess assures her, and Queen Eva hands the tiara to Snow, who then walks over to the mirror but doesn't put it on, admiring it. "It's beautiful."

"And it's heavier than it looks," she warns her when suddenly, the Queen gasps in pain, and her knees buckle beneath her. Johanna rushes to support her.

"Your Majesty!" Johanna cries, keeping her balanced.

"Mother!" Snow shouts, growing scared.

"I'm fine," Eva assures them.

"No, no. You're not," she argues, and Johanna takes the Queen to a chair and eases her gently.

"Come. There," Johanna mutters, helping into the chair. "I'm getting the doctor." She quickly exits the room, leaving the two royals.

"Mother…" The Princess mutters, looking worried about her mother.

"I'm fine, dear," Eva promises her, but she isn't sure that's true.

{SPELLBINDING}

–[Storybrooke - Present]–

Mary Margaret looks in the mirror and reminisces at the Charmings's apartment while David cooks breakfast behind her. "What are you doing?" Mary Margaret asks, making her husband look at him.

"I'm making breakfast," David states, looking at her.

"Why?" She questions, knowing why she's doing it already.

"I'm hungry," he replies.

"You think I don't know what you're doing? We talked about this. We had a deal," Snow argues, not wishing to celebrate.

"I know. I know. But, with the curse broken, I thought maybe you would change your mind." Charming retorts, wanting to push past it.

"Well, I didn't. What's this?" Mary Margaret asks, spotting a wrapped gift with a card on the table and gesturing to it.

"Birthday present," David replies, shrugging.

"No, I told you…" She grumbles.

"It's not from me!" He argues, holding his hands up in mock surrender.

"No one else knows," Snow reasons.

"Apparently, someone does, and they also think you should celebrate. It was left outside the door this morning," Charming informs her, and she initially ignores the card, opening the gift to find a familiar diamond tiara inside. "What is it?" Mary Margaret lifts the tiara out of the box, beginning to tear up. "I thought that was lost when the curse hit."

"So did I," Mary Margaret replies, spotting the car, opening the envelope, and handing the tiara to David. Inside is a card that says, 'Thinking of you today. -Johanna'. "Johanna."

"I didn't know she was in Storybrooke," David muses, looking at his wife.

"Neither did I," she mutters, happy to have something of her past when her mother was still alive.

"After the curse, you were gone for a while. We're all still finding each other. It hasn't been easy," he reasons, smiling softly at his wife.

"I have to go," Snow states, taking the tiara back from David and going to grab her coat.

"Okay. Hey… Happy Birthday," Charming says, quickly kissing.

"Thank you for understanding," Mary Margaret replies, looking at him thoughtfully. "You should go. It's getting late. You have to go to work."

"I know. I just… I just wish this day made you happier," David remarks.

"I know. But we both know it can't," she argues lightly before leaving the apartment.

{SPELLBINDING}

David arrives for work at the Sheriff's station. He briefly hears a noise distracting him as he hangs up his coat. While his attention is elsewhere, Killian ambushes David, hitting him in the head with a crowbar, knocking him unconscious. Hook takes Charming's keys, looking down at him. "Apologies, mate, but I think you have something of mine," Killian mutters and walks into the office, unlocking the desk drawer and discovering his hook inside and under some files. He unscrews the fake hand he was using as a substitute and replaces it with his hook, looking at it with content before swiftly leaving.

{SPELLBINDING}

Johanna is planting a small flower garden in her backyard when Mary Margaret approaches her old friend. "Johanna?" She calls, smiling, and Johanna looks up, seeing the grown-up Snow.

"Snow…" Johanna mutters, happy to see her.

"It's 'Mary Margaret', here," Mary Margaret corrects her.

"No. You will always be my dear Snow," she argues slightly, and they embrace happily.

"I never thought I'd see you again. Or this," Snow replies, taking out the tiara from her bag and holding it up.

"Oh. I came across it in Mr Gold's shop, and I knew how much it meant to you. I knew you had to have it," the maid explains, smiling softly at the grown Princess.

"Thank you. I haven't seen those flowers in a long time," Mary Margaret compliments, admiring the small garden.

"They reminded me of you. Because they could survive the harshest winter, and you were born during the harshest one of all," Johanna explains.

"That's why she named me Snow," she muses, smiling sadly as she thinks of her mother.

"I thought keeping this garden would be a nice way to honour her," the former maid replies, keeping Snow close.

"It is," Snow assures her.

"I miss her, too. Oh, you…" Johanna says, wiping a tear off of Mary Margaret's cheek. Suddenly, a noise is heard coming from the woods behind them. "What was that?"

"Stay here. I'm sure it was nothing," Mary Margaret tells her.

"Snow…" She mutters, going to go with her, but Mary Margaret stops her.

"No, no, please. Please, just stay here. I'll be right back," Snow assures her, heading into the woods to investigate while Johanna stays behind.

{SPELLBINDING}

In the woods, Mary Margaret comes across Regina and Cora, the Evil Queen, digging a hole, while the Queen of Hearts stands off to the side watching her daughter doing all the work. "And you're sure this is where we're supposed to dig?" Cora asks, and Regina stops digging and consults the map.

"Yes. Hook marked it clearly. Rumpelstiltskin's dagger is here," Regina assures her mother.

"Unless, Hook lied to us," she reasons, still not trusting the pirate even after all this time.

"Well, then this map is useless," the Mayor snaps, throwing her arms up in annoyance. "Gold is the only one who can translate it."

"Oh, don't worry, sweetheart. Hook could've saved us a lot of effort with honesty, but, the truth is, we don't need anyone. I can reconstruct the map. It'll just take a bit more time," the red-haired woman assures her. "And when we find it, I promise you, I'll use that dagger to force the Dark One to kill anyone you like."

"What about Landon?" Regina asks, making Cora look at her. "He loves Emma Swan."

"I can handle Landon," Cora replies and Mary Margaret looks scared about what this means, rushing off and needing to talk to David.

{SPELLBINDING}

Mary Margaret arrives at the Sheriff's station, not seeing David anywhere. "David?" She calls, walking further inside and finds David slightly bleeding and unconscious on the floor by the office. She rushes over to him and frantically attempts to wake him up. "David! David?! David! David!" David regains consciousness and groans. "What happened?"

"Hook. He ambushed me," David replies, groaning in pain and seeing the blood on his fingers as he touches his head, and Mary Margaret helps him up.

"Are you hurt?" Mary Margaret asks, though she can see the tiny head wound.

"I'm fine. It's not me he wants," he replies, looking into the office to see the drawer open. "It's Gold…and his hook. Yeah, I'm going to enjoy throwing his ass in jail."

"Hook isn't the problem, David," she argues.

"Tell that to my head," Charming snaps.

"It's Regina. She's been lying to us. She's working with Cora to find Gold's dagger," Snow informs her.

"The dagger controls him. If Cora gets it, she can force Gold and all his power to do her bidding." David realises, feeling dread.

"Or… Become the Dark One herself," Mary Margaret argues, making him look at her.

"Neither one of those options sounds good. Lucky for us, we can call the man himself. He's with Emma and Landon," he assures her.

"Tried it. Sent a message. To both of them," she tells him, growing worried about what to do next.

"Well, we can't just wait," Charming argues.

"No, we have to buy time until they call us back or return," Snow reasons.

"How?" David asks, looking at his wife.

"Regina. She doesn't trust her mother," Mary Margaret suggests. "Never has. If we can put some doubt in her about Cora's motives, it might slow them down and give us enough time to hear back from Landon."

"And you think she'll just trust you?" He wonders.

"Well, she doesn't need to trust me. She just has to listen to me. And I know how to get her to do that," she assures him.

{SPELLBINDING}

–[New York - Present]–

Meanwhile, Neal, Henry, Landon, Emma, and Mr Gold leave Neal's apartment and walk down the streets of New York. Neal and Henry are talking while Emma, Landon, and Mr Gold trail behind them, watching. "So, uh… You like pizza?" Neal asks awkwardly.

"Yeah," Henry replies, smiling. "Let me guess – you're going to tell me the best pizza's in New York, and I got to try it, right?"

"Actually, it's in the Kingdom of Damarian on the north shore of the Dragon Fields of Zorn," he teases him. "Nah, it's in New York. Here, let's get you a slice."

"So you're really from there?" The Mills boy asks, intrigued.

"Yeah, I am," Baelfire replies, and they enter a pizza shop while Emma and Landon stand outside with Mr Gold.

"Do you think that we should…?" Emma wonders, gesturing to the shop behind them.

"If we were welcome, I feel confident an invitation would have been extended," Mr Gold argues. "It's a sad truth that the people closest to us are the ones capable of causing us the most pain. That's our common ground, Miss Swan."

"Guess my lying to him just caught up with me," she muses.

"Ah, give him time. He'll forgive you," Landon assures her, pulling her towards him and kissing her forehead.

"Is that you projecting your own hopes?" The blond woman questions, frowning.

"My son and I have some way to go," Mr Gold argues.

"I can see that," Emma comments, earning a look from Mr Gold and a chuckle from Landon.

"I need you to speak to him. Try and convince him to come back to Storybrooke with us," he pleads with her.

"If I recall, there was only one favour she owed you, and I think she's paid up," Landon argues, standing between Mr Gold and Emma.

"This isn't about me anymore. You'd both do it for Henry," he reasons, and she looks at him, knowing he's right. Landon growls, glaring at the Dark One, knowing how to play the two loving family members.

"How do you figure that?" The Saviour wonders, not wanting to be played by Rumpelstiltskin.

"Well, because if you don't, you're going to wake up one morning, and discover he's hopped on a bus back to New York. He ran away to Boston to be with you. He'll do the same thing for his father," the Dark One reminds her, and she nods, knowing he's right.

"Until Neal lets him down – which he will. It'll be a hard lesson, but then at least Henry will understand that I lied to protect him," Emma argues, shrugging. However, she's scared she might not be right because Neal and Henry seem to be getting along rather well, and she doesn't want Neal back in her life after everything seems to be going well, even with things getting in the way.

"Someone's beginning to sound a lot like Regina. I think the real reason you lied was to protect yourself," Mr Gold remarks, making her cringe.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She snaps, frowning.

"From getting hurt again," he tells her.

"That's not happening," the blond woman argues.

"You want a second chance with that man," Rumpelstiltskin reasons, looking at Emma, who scoffs at the thought.

"What makes you think that?" Landon asks, looking at him, and Emma wraps her arms around him, wanting to assure him that it's impossible.

"The look on your face," Mr Gold replies, pointing at her.

"You have no idea what…" She argues but stops when Neal and Henry exit the pizza shop, joining them.

"What are we talking about?" Neal asks, looking between his father and ex-girlfriend.

"Oh, nothing," Landon replies, kissing Emma's forehead again and making her lean closer. Neal looks at them, surprised and a little hurt.

"Emma, Uncle Landon, Neal wanted to show me the museum. Do you think we can go back to the apartment and get my camera?" Henry wonders, looking at his birth mother and uncle.

"Yeah, well, I… Kids like culture, right?" He questions, shrugging.

"Sure. Yeah, that's fine. You like the New York pizza?" Emma asks, looking at her son, smiling.

"Yeah. It's delicious, cheesy, and doesn't lie," Henry retorts before stepping away and leaving Emma standing there in shock.

{SPELLBINDING}

–[Storybrooke - Present]–

Regina enters Granny's Diner, where Mary Margaret is waiting for her in a booth, wanting and needing to tell her about what she's learned. Regina walks and stands across from her. "So, how are Henry and Landon?" Regina asks, caring for her brother and son. "Are they okay?"

"They're both fine. Everything's fine," Mary Margaret assures her.

"What'd they say?" She questions, needing something to cling to, with her mother whispering in her ear.

"I didn't actually talk to them," Snow replies, and Regina sits opposite her.

"Then why am I here?" The dark-haired woman wonders, looking at her.

"Because I know you've been lying. And I thought it was time we talk about it," Mary Margaret informs her, buying David some time.

"I don't know what you're talking about-," Regina argues, trying to deny anything.

"No, no, no, no. No more lying," she snaps. "I know you've been with your mother. I know you're looking for the dagger."

"What I'm doing is my business," the Evil Queen growls, glaring at her stepdaughter.

"There's a war starting, Regina," the raven-haired woman warns her.

"That much is clear, yes," Regina replies, thinking about it and wishing her big brother was here to help her through all of this, but she's glad he's with Henry as well, keeping him safe.

"Lucky for you, you've earned enough good will with me to give you one last chance – a chance to choose the right side… The side of good," Mary Margaret argues, wanting her to be on the right side of things before everything goes up in smoke.

"Have you ever considered that maybe, perhaps… I am good?" She muses, making Mary Margaret roll her eyes. "I was always the Queen. It was you who added 'Evil' to my name." She glares at the so-called sweet and innocent Princess.

"Good doesn't do what you do," the raven-haired woman argues. "Why? Regina, why go back to being this way after how hard you tried?"

"And what did it get me? Dinner with a bunch of hypocrites who pretend they'll forgive me, when in their hearts, they know… They never will. You're giving me a chance? How about I give you one? Stay out of my way," the Mayor snaps, getting up to leave.

"Listening to your mother is a mistake, Regina. Please, just be the person that Landon and Henry know you can be," Mary Margaret pleads with her.

"Because listening to you will work out so much better," Regina retorts angrily.

"She doesn't care about Henry. All she wants is power," she argues, wanting Regina to do the right thing.

"Power is how you get things," the dark-haired woman sneers, glaring at the other woman.

"She doesn't care about you," Snow reminds her, though she doesn't understand how she seems to care about Landon more than Regina.

"Really? And what would you know about mothers?" Regina questions before leaving Mary Margaret to mellow in her pity and memories of her late mother.

{SPELLBINDING}

–[Enchanted Forest - Past]–

Queen Eva, now bedridden due to her sudden illness, was checked by a doctor while Snow White and Johanna watched from the side of the bed. "Do you know what's wrong with her?" Snow asked the doctor.

"Not yet, my dear. But I have hope that we shall know soon," the doctor assured him.

"Then she'll be alright?" She asks, growing scared and hopeful that her mother will recover.

"Snow…" Eva calls for her daughter.

"Mother!" The Princess cries, rushing to her mother's side.

"You should call for the King immediately," the doctor instructs Johanna.

"W-What… What message shall I give him?" Johanna asks him nervously, glancing at the Queen lying sickly in bed.

"That whatever business he's attending to can wait. He should be at his wife's side," he replies urgently.

"We'll cancel the ball, and turn it into a celebration once you're better," Snow suggests tearfully.

"We can't cancel your birthday," Eva argues, looking at her daughter. "It'll be fine. I will be well by then. I want to see you walking in that tiara."

"I don't care about my birthday. All I care about is you," she tells her mother, and the Queen begins coughing violently. "Johanna.." She calls for the maid through her coughing fit.

"Snow. Let's leave your mother alone? It's alright. She needs her rest. Come," Johanna says, pulling the Princess away from her mother's bedside.

"Mother?" Snow whimpers as Johanna leads her away, and the doctor returns to the Queen's side. When she pulls back her handkerchief, it's covered in blood. "What's going to happen to her? Is she going to die?" She asks, looking at Johanna, who brings her into a tight embrace, and the young Princess cries against her shoulder.

"Shh… I don't know," Johanna mutters, losing hope.

"I don't want to lose her," the Princess sobs.

"We must hope the doctor-," she tells her.

"He doesn't even know what's wrong with her. How can we place hope in him? There has to be something that can save her," Snow argues, wanting something or someone to tell her what to do next.

"Maybe there is," the maid replies, making the Princess look at her.

"How?" She asks, looking at her.

"If medicine can't cure the Queen… Perhaps magic can," Johanna suggests.

"Magic?" The Princess questions, looking at her trusty servant.

"Yes. Your mother has a confidant – someone few know about. Someone schooled with the most powerful of magic. I'm not really supposed to even know of this," she explains.

"Please, Johanna," Snow begs, wanting to help her mother.

"There is a benevolent fairy who can grant a person's wish, if their heart is true," the maid tells her.

"Mine is. I swear. Where do I find this fairy?" She asks her hopeful.

"Tonight, go into the woods where the sky is clearest. Wish upon the blue star… And she will appear to you," Johanna explains, smiling sadly.

{SPELLBINDING}

–[New York - Present]–

They walk back to Neal's apartment; after letting Neal and Henry get to know each other, Emma, Landon and Mr Gold trail behind the father and son. "So, should I call you grandpa, now?" Henry asks, looking at Mr Gold and laughing when he sees the terrified look on Landon's face.

"Call me whatever you'd like," Mr Gold replies, looking at his grandson.

"He's a good kid," Neal comments, smiling as he looks at his son and father talking. Though he doesn't know how he feels about Landon.

"Yeah," Emma replies, still feeling unsure about everything with Neal now back in the picture.

"Hey, I'm trying my best here," he argues.

"I know. We all are. It's just, we're going to have to go back. To our home," she reminds him.

"I'm just getting to know him," Baelfire retorts sadly.

"Then maybe… Maybe you should come with us," the blond woman suggests.

"To Storybrooke?" Neal questions, frowning.

"I've seen your apartment. You don't got a lot going on here," Emma argues, shrugging.

"Looks can be deceiving. Listen… There's something I've been meaning to tell you. It's complicated," he tells her, but Henry turns to his parents, looking at them and interrupting their conversation.

"So, Neal, do you think we can take the subway?" Henry asks.

"Yeah. Sure, of course. Let's go get that camera," Cassidy replies, and they arrive at Neal's apartment.

{SPELLBINDING}

They enter the lobby, and Henry goes to the gate. "Come on," Henry smirks, heading up the stairs.

"Here. I got it," Neal says, unlocking the gate, and they head for the apartment while Emma and Mr Gold stay behind in the lobby. "So after this, maybe Times Square?"

"So, uh, did you talk to him?" Mr Gold asks, looking at Emma.

"He said it's complicated," Emma replies.

"Oh, I see," Mr Gold sighs, disappointed.

"Well, maybe he just needs some time. I don't know," she argues, shrugging, and suddenly, Killian ambushes them in the lobby. Hook hits Emma, knocking her to the ground. Landon punches Killian, but the pirate wrestles with the much stronger man and knocks him into the gate. Mr Gold watches in shock as Landon and Killian wrestle with each other, and the pirate keeps smashing him against the bars, making Landon waver and slump from the repeated hits. When he's finally subdued, Killian lunges for Mr Gold and pins him against the bars beside Landon's unconscious form. Hook then proceeds to stab Mr Gold in the chest with his hook.

"Tick tock. Time's up, crocodile," Killian sneers, watching the Dark One. "You took Milah, my love, my happiness. And for that, I now take your life." Emma regains her senses and grabs Mr Gold's cane, whacking Killian over the head with it. Once he's knocked unconscious, she rushes over to Mr Gold, who is slumped on the floor, and she looks between him and Landon.

"Gold, are you alright?" The blond woman asks frantically. Having heard the commotion downstairs, Neal races down the stairs and enters the lobby.

"What the hell is going on?" Neal questions, looking around at the fallen body of Landon and then at his father.

"One of your dad's enemies found us," Emma replies, trying to help Rumpelstiltskin when Neal replaces her, and she checks on her boyfriend, cradling his head and feeling the blood on the back of his head.

"Hook," he mutters, spotting the familiar pirate lying on the floor.

"You know him?" She asks, looking up at him, and Neal checks Mr Gold's wound. When he pulls his hand away, there is blood on his fingers.

"Papa?" Baelfire whimpers, looking at him, terrified of losing his father again.

{SPELLBINDING}

Neal brings Mr Gold up to his apartment, where Henry is still waiting and lays him on the couch with Emma helping Landon inside, where Henry is still waiting, and Neal lays Mr Gold on the sofa while Emma sits Landon on the kitchen chair. "We found a storage room and locked our stab-happy pirate in there," Emma informs them and grabs something to help stop the bleeding from Landon's head. "Shouldn't be causing anyone else any problems. And get this – he had a map on him. It looks like he sailed his ship here."

"How'd he get a pirate ship into New York?" Neal wonders, looking at Emma as she holds the kitchen towel to Landon's head.

"It's cloaked. Don't worry. He's not going to hurt any of us," she replies. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just a headache. Once we get to Storybrooke, I'll be able to heal myself," Landon assures her.

"But is Mr Gold going to be okay?" Henry asks, looking at his mum and uncle, holding onto Landon's hand, making his uncle pull him into his side.

"Henry, he's going to be fine," Neal assures him, knowing his father will find a way to survive.

"Mr Gold, are you alright?" He wonders, approaching Mr Gold, who grabs the boy abruptly.

"You stay away from me. You caused this. You brought us back here. You did this," Mr Gold sneers before releasing his grip on Henry. Landon jumps from the chair and pulls his nephew into his arms, and Emma holds her phone over to him.

"Hey, kid. The battery's dead. Go in the other room and see if you can find a charger, okay?" Emma asks him.

"Okay," Henry mutters, exiting the room, and Neal looks at his dad, seeing the bleeding and how worse it's getting.

"Oh, man… We got to get him to an ER, fast," Neal announces, making Emma look over at them.

"It's pointless," Landon tells them, making them look at him. Neal glares at the other man, who ignores him and steps towards Mr Gold, pulling back the towel covering the bleeding wound to show that it's turning a yellow-green colour.

"What the hell is that?" Emma gasps, looking at the gross wound.

"It's poison. It's one of Hook's own making. There's no antidote in this world. It's… It's not from here," Mr Gold explains, gasping through the pain.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey. There's got to be some way we can save you," Neal argues, wanting to save him.

"There is, there is," the Dark One replies, quickly thinking of a way to save himself.

"Storybrooke. There's magic there now. We need to get him back," Emma realises, looking at them.

"I'll get a car," Neal announces, jumping to his feet.

"No, no, no. There's not enough time. We need something faster. The Captain's ship," Mr Gold argues, making them look at each other.

"The Jolly Roger instead of a car?" Emma questions, frowning.

"It's the fastest vessel in all the realms," he informs her.

"Well, that's great, but who's going to captain it, since the only guy qualified wants you dead?" She wonders.

"I can do it," Neal and Landon volunteer, making them look at each other, and Emma looks between them surprised.

"Bae?" Mr Gold gasps, looking at his son.

"Yeah. I can do it," Neal assures them, glancing at Landon, who smirks.

"You know how to sail a pirate ship?" Emma asks, looking at her ex-boyfriend and boyfriend.

"Yeah. I do," Baelfire replies, looking determined.

"Pirate ships aren't any different from voyaging ships, I spent some time travelling," Landon tells her, smirking.

{SPELLBINDING}

–[Storybrooke - Present]–

Mary Margaret and David drive to the convent, needing help, where they meet with Mother Superior outside. "Mother Superior! We need your help!" Mary Margaret shouts, rushing towards her with David tailing behind her.

"I know. Something's wrong. I sense a great deal of dark magic has been expelled," Mother Superior replies, looking around nervously.

"That's why we're here. Cora and Regina are trying to find Gold's dagger," David informs her.

"So they may control The Dark One," she realises.

"We're hoping your magic will find the dagger first. Please, Mother Superior, you're our only hope," Mary Margaret begs, and the Blue Fairy agrees, rushing to David's truck.

{SPELLBINDING}

–[Fairy Tale Land - Past]–

During the night, Snow White wandered by lantern light in the woods by the castle, scanning the stars in the sky. "Is that the star… Or is it that one?" Snow wondered when the Blue Fairy appeared before her.

"Worry not, Snow White. I have found you," the Blue Fairy announced, making the young Princess look at her.

"The Blue Fairy. I knew you'd come, but… I didn't even make my wish yet," she argued lightly, frowning.

"Well, I know when I'm needed. Your mother, the Queen, is sick," the fairy replied, smiling kindly at the young Princess.

"Yes. And if you don't help her with magic, she'll die," the Princess pleaded.

"I can tell that you love your mother very much, Snow White. But fairy magic is the purest magic of all. And, alas, cheating death is the darkest of undertakings," the Blue Fairy argued lightly with the young raven-haired girl.

"Please… You can't just let her die," Snow begged, close to tears.

"It is the way of the world," she warned the young girl.

"There has to be something you can do," the Princess cried, noticing the Blue Fairy's demeanour change. "Yes. There is. You're just not telling me. What is it? Please."

"I may be able to conjure a remedy using a type of magic that is forbidden to fairies, except under the most dire of circumstances. You must promise to keep this a secret. No one must ever know," the fairy informed Snow, who looked hopeful.

"Yes. Yes, anything. Just help her," Snow begged and extended her hand to the Blue Fairy, who magically conjured an odd-looking candle that appeared in Snow White's hand.

"This candle is infused with magic that can save your mother's life. But all magic, especially magic this powerful, comes with a price," the Blue Fairy explained, looking at the Princess, who admired the black and white candle.

"What is it?" She wondered.

"In order for one to live… Another must die," the fairy replied.

"I don't understand," the Princess frowned.

"To salvage a life beyond hope means breaking the laws of nature. So if you are to save a life, then you must lose one in return," the Blue Fairy explained.

"But who must die?" Snow wondered, hoping for some guidance.

"That is for you to decide," she told her. "You must hold this candle over the heart of your sacrifice and whisper their name. And, when the candle is lit, that person's life will be traded for your mother's."

"All she ever wanted was for me to be good. I can't trade someone else's life for hers," the Princess argued, shaking her head.

"Then I'm afraid she will die," the fairy replied sadly, and Snow looked at the candle again.

{SPELLBINDING}

–[New York - Present]–

Everyone is still gathered in Neal's apartment as he takes out his phone and texts someone who can give them a car to get to the Jolly Roger. "What are you doing?" Emma asks, looking at him.

"Getting us a car," Neal replies.

"I thought you were suddenly a pirate and were going to take a ship," Landon remarks, making Neal glare at him.

"Yeah, well, we still got to get his ass to the ship," he argues, shrugging.

"So you know Hook?" Emma asks, looking at her ex-boyfriend.

"It's a long story. Short version is this world wasn't my first stop when I left home," Baelfire explains.

"No?" Landon questions, smirking.

"If it was, I'd be a couple hundred years old by now," Neal reasons, and his phone rings. "That should be our ride. Hang tight." He answers his phone and leaves the room.

"He seems lovely," he remarks, earning a look from Emma. "What? Like I said before, he gave us Henry, so far that's all I like about him."

"Please don't start something, Landon," Emma mutters.

"I promise," the Historian assures her, kissing her forehead. Emma smiles up at him when Henry gets Emma's phone working and finds a text, rushing to her side and giving it to her.

"Emma, uncle Landon, you two need to see this," Henry tells them, worried.

"What is it, kid?" She asks, taking the phone.

"It's a text from David and Mary Margaret. You need to read it – now," he tells her, handing the phone to her, and she reads the text from Mary Margaret.

"Bad news, Gold," the blond woman announces, looking at the dying Dark One.

"What, worse than incurable poison?" Mr Gold questions, groaning in pain.

"I don't know. You tell me," Emma retorts. "You got a dagger hidden somewhere in Storybrooke that's the source of all your power?"

"Get to your point," he grunts.

"Cora's after it. The only way to stop her is have David and Mary Margaret get to it first," Emma informs him and looks at Landon.

"Yeah, let Cora try," the Dark One snaps.

"You can't seriously be willing to risk this. Not with your son coming back with you to Storybrooke," Landon argues, looking at his nephew. "My mother will get what she wants, she has for years."

"Mr Mills, that dagger has not left my possession for centuries. It's not about to now," Mr Gold assures them.

"Here's the thing. You're dying. And right now, we are your best hope. Time's come for you to start trusting someone. And, if I were you, I'd start with family," Emma reasons, needing to ensure that her son is safe, even if it's against his new grandfather.

{SPELLBINDING}

–[Storybrooke - Present]–

Mary Margaret, Mother Superior, and David stand outside of Mr Gold's shop, the fairy using her wand as she attempts to magically break through the protective barrier. However, her magic isn't strong enough, making the wand burn her hand, and she quickly drops it to the ground. "Ah!" Mother Superior yelps. "He's cast a protection spell."

"Well, then we need to try something equally powerful," Mary Margaret reasons, looking at the Blue Fairy.

"Dark magic?" David questions, looking at his wife.

"Dear, you don't know what you're saying," Mother Superior argues.

"Cora can't get that dagger. If dark magic is the only thing that can break that protection spell, we need to make an exception and use it. Just like you told me once before," Mary Margaret retorts, making the Blue Fairy look at her confused.

"What… I never told you any such thing," she says, frowning.

"Look, I kept your secret," Snow assures, and she looks at her, insulted by Mary Margaret's insinuation when David's phone rings.

"Everybody hold on," David tells the two women before answering his phone. "Emma? He told you where it is?" He glances at the town clock, signalling where she told them the dagger's hiding.

{SPELLBINDING}

–[Fairy Tale Land - Past]–

Snow White ran down the castle halls until she reached her mother's chamber. She rushed to her bedside as Johanna, the doctor, and several attendants watched, disheartened at the scene. "Mother… I'm sorry. I've done an awful thing," Snow told her mother, tearing up.

"Snow? What is it?" Eva asked, looking at her daughter.

"I went to the Blue Fairy and begged her to help…" She explained. "To save you with magic. But what she gave me? It… It was dark magic. A candle that could restore your life by taking away someone else's. It was the only way… But I couldn't do it. I'm sorry. I could've healed you. But I was too afraid."

"Snow… That wasn't fear. That was strength… Strength, to resist darkness. I am so proud of you," the Queen assured her, tired and close to death.

"But now you won't get better," the Princess sobbed, looking at her mother.

"We all reach a moment in our lives, where we are not meant to get better. And with or without me, someday… You will be a great queen," Eva told her.

"Please… Don't leave me," Snow begged, crying.

"As long as you hold the spirit of goodness in your heart, I shall never leave you," she promised, drawing her last breath, and then died.

"Oh, no… No…" The Princess sobbed, and Johanna approached Snow, pulling her into a tight hug as she cried.

{SPELLBINDING}

–[Storybrooke - Present]–

David and Mary Margaret climb up the clock tower until they reach the clock face itself. David takes off the pane of glass and looks inside. "It's here! A clever hiding place for a very clever man," David remarks, detaching the dagger from the hand of the clock and handing it to Mary Margaret.

"We did it," Mary Margaret says, smiling.

"The Dark One finally can be controlled," he says when Cora and Regina magically appear in a puff of purple smoke.

"Indeed he can be. But by whom?" Cora muses, smirking at the Charmings.

"Cora…" Mary Margaret sneers, looking at the woman.

"You're too late," David snaps.

"Actually, it seems that we found you just in time," Cora argues.

"I told you to pick your side carefully. Good has won, just as it always does," Mary Margaret says, looking at Regina, who looks conflicted.

"I think the day's finally come, my darling Snow, for you to learn a long overdue lesson." She retorts, waving her hand and making Johanna magically appear.

"Johanna!" Snow cries, looking at the last connection to her mother.

"You see, in the end, it isn't good or evil that wins… But power," the Queen of Hearts argues, and Regina magically sticks her hand through Johanna's chest, pulling out her heart.

"Your choice," Regina says, looking at the Charmings, though she still hesitates, thinking of her brother.

{SPELLBINDING}

–[Enchanted Forest - Past]–

Johanna and Snow White, dressed in black, were in the young Princess's bed chambers, and the maid lifted the diamond tiara from its box. "It's time, Snow," Johanna announced, making the young girl cringe.

"Today was supposed to be a day of celebration," Snow argued, as today was her birthday.

"And the kingdom needs you more than ever. They will find strength through your goodness," she replied lightly with the mourning Princess.

"Where will I find my strength?" The Princess wondered, hoping for some advice.

"Where you always have – from your mother," the maid told her, handing the tiara to Snow White, who then proceeded to place it on her head and looked at herself in the mirror.

"She was right. It is heavy," Snow mused, smiling sadly as she thought of her mother.

{SPELLBINDING}

The citizens of the kingdom gathered for Queen Eva's funeral. Snow White entered and walked down the aisle between the people towards where the Queen's body lies on the raised platform. "I miss you…so much," Snow whispered, placing a flower on top of her mother's body. She closed her eyes, and eventually, everyone left, letting the young Princess grieve in peace. Johanna entered shortly after and placed her hand on Snow's shoulder.

"It's over, my dear," Johanna announced. "It's time to let her go." Snow stood, and they left the room; the Blue Fairy flew in when the coast was clear, transforming into Cora.

"I hate that outfit. Don't know how that fairy stands it," Cora complained, approaching the altar. "As for you… Poison looks good on you. And death is most certainly your colour." She picked up the flower that Snow left. "You raised her well. My daughter doesn't love me the way yours does you. Snow would've been a great ruler someday, but that'll never happen, because my daughter will be Queen. And all yours will be left with is knowing how I've felt… How it feels to be the Miller's daughter. I'll turn Snow White's heart black as coal. That candle won't be her final test. And once I've darkened her soul, it won't just be you I've destroyed. It'll be your legacy." Cora kissed two fingers and placed them on Queen Eva's lips before disappearing into a cloud of purple smoke.

{SPELLBINDING}

–[Storybrooke - Present]–

The face-off between the Charmings and the Mills continues in the clock tower over the Dark One's dagger. "Do not harm her. She has nothing to do with this," Mary Margaret snaps, looking at the only link to her mother.

"Of course she does," Cora argues, glancing at Johanna and Mary Margaret.

"Whatever they want, Snow, don't give it to them," Johanna tells her.

"Quiet, handmaid," she snaps, and David draws his gun.

"Mother, watch out," Regina cries and Cora magically knocks the gun out of David's hand.

"Leave me, Snow!" Johanna shouts, and Regina begins squeezing Johanna's heart, causing her to yell in pain.

"Enough of this. Surrender the dagger," Cora demands. "We all know you'll follow your mother's example, no matter the cost. All she ever wanted was for you to be good."

"Those words… Where did you hear those words?" Mary Margaret asks, looking at Cora.

"Where do you think?" She muses, smirking.

"The Blue Fairy made me swear never to speak of that candle again. Not because it was a secret… But because it wasn't her," Snow realises, glaring at her.

"The dagger, dear," Mrs Mills demands, holding her hand.

"She didn't give me that candle. You did. My mother wasn't sick at all, was she?" Mary Margaret questions angrily.

"Oh, she was quite sick," Cora assures her. "My boy, Landon, was a prodigy even at the beginning." Mary Margaret looks horrified after learning that someone she knew and is dating her daughter killed her mother.

"You did all of this. You and your son killed my mother!" She shouts, heartbroken.

"Actually, the candle would've worked. You could've saved her," the Queen of Hearts argues, shrugging.

"But you knew I wouldn't. Why? Why did you take her from me?" Snow asks her.

"To make my daughter the Queen," Cora reveals.

"Hand over the dagger," Regina demands, ignoring her mother's words.

"No. No. I will not let you win. Not again!" Mary Margaret snaps.

"You've already lost your mother. How many connections to her do you have left? Not many, I'd wager," Cora muses, looking at her.

"If we give up the dagger, we can still win," David assures her.

"Let me go, Snow. It's alright," Johanna tells her as Regina squeezes her heart again.

"What would she say if she could see you now? If she wasn't dead," Cora wonders and Regina squeezes the heart tighter, making Johanna yell out again in pain. "The dagger, dear."

"Enough!" Mary Margaret shouts, throwing the dagger to the ground. Regina releases her grip on Johanna's heart, and Cora magically summons the dagger to her hand.

"Such a good girl," she laughs, admiring the dagger.

"You have what you came for," Snow snaps, and Regina places Johanna's heart back into her chest. Johanna rushes over to Mary Margaret and David.

"Not quite everything," the Queen of Hearts retorts, suddenly using her magic to throw Johanna through the face of the clock, causing her to fall to her death. Mary Margaret looks out in devastation at what she sees, and David attempts to comfort his wife.

"Well, there you go. You see where good gets you?" Regina remarks before she and her mother disappear in a puff of purple smoke.

{SPELLBINDING}

Regina and Cora arrive at Regina's Mayoral office and look around at her nice office. Cora steps over to the desk, sits in the chair and lays the dagger before her. "It's nice to be back. Hiding is quite wearisome," Regina muses, smiling at the familiar feel of the room.

"I like what you've done with the place," Cora comments, interested in the look around the office.

"I'm so happy you approve." she retorts.

"What is it, my love? You're troubled," the red-haired woman asks, looking at her daughter.

"You never told me about your history with Snow's mother," the Evil Queen muses, looking at her. "Or that you used my brother to kill Queen Eva."

"I spared you that burden, like any good parent would do," Cora argues, looking calm. "And I never told Landon about it."

"You didn't think we deserved to know exactly what it took for me to become Queen?" Regina questions, looking hurt.

"Now you know," she assures her, though there is more to it than that. "I will eventually tell Landon."

"That day at the stables, when I rescued her? That wasn't an accident, was it?" The Evil Queen asks, everything clicking into place, all those years ago before she became the Queen.

{SPELLBINDING}

–[Enchanted Forest - Past]–

Regina remembered that day when she was reading a book in the study with Landon, who had disappeared after their mother gave him an enchanted book as a random gift. Cora walked into the room and looked at her daughter, interrupting her alone time. "Regina, sweetie, it's time for your riding lesson," Cora announced, making Regina look at her confused.

"Mother, I have no lesson today," Regina argued, frowning.

"Oh, I thought you'd be happy. I arranged for you to have more time with Rocinante," she replied, smiling.

"Of course. Thank you. I'll send the stable boy for my saddle right away," the future Queen said, smiling, and almost skipped out of the room but stopped herself.

{SPELLBINDING}

A young Snow White and Johanna rode on horseback in the woods with King Leopold and his entourage.

"You made sure I'd be in the pastures when Snow rode past," Regina realises, hurt.

"I'm so tired of these endless journeys," Snow White complains on her horse while Johanna stands with hers as they stop for directions.

"Your father, the King, is a lonely man," Johanna argues, looking at the young Princess and then back at the King. "But have faith. Someday, his wanderings will end."

"You had to make sure when I met Snow White…" She mutters, looking at Cora.

Suddenly, Snow White's horse was spooked and took off through the forest while Cora hid behind a tree, unaware that she was also watched by her son, Landon, writing in his gift from his mother.

{SPELLBINDING}

"Her father would be searching for a new Queen," Regina sighs, feeling betrayed again by her mother.

Regina and Daniel met by the pastures when a distressed Snow White rode past on her horse. "Help me! Help!" Snow screamed.

"Shh. Someone's here," Regina muttered, looking away from Daniel to see Snow racing past them.

"Someone help me!" She shouted in fear as she grew closer to the edge of a cliff.

{SPELLBINDING}

"What does this knowledge change for you?" Cora asks, looking at her daughter and sighing as she sees the realisation cross her face.

"That you won, mother. I am the Queen. And, if that's what you wanted so badly, why do you need Rumpelstiltskin's dagger now?" Regina questions her, wondering what all this could mean now.

"You're worried my interests are no longer aligned with yours," she wonders, looking at her daughter.

"My only interest now is Henry," the dark-haired woman argues.

"And I've told you – you'll have him," the Queen of Hearts assures her.

"But how? Now that Mary Margaret and David know we have the dagger, we can't use Gold to kill them without Henry finding out." Regina reasons, scared of losing Henry forever.

"Have patience, my love. By the time Rumpelstiltskin returns, Emma Swan and the rest of them will be nothing more than a vaguely unpleasant memory. And Henry, will be yours. And Landon will be back with us, we'll be a family again," Cora promises her, though she is more power-hungry than anything.

{SPELLBINDING}

–[New York - Present]–

Meanwhile, thanks to Killian, Emma and Neal walk to the car he arranged to get them to the docks where the Jolly Roger is. "It should be one more block west," Neal tells her, looking at his phone.

"Once we get the car, what do we do about Hook?" Emma wonders, looking at him.

"I don't know. He made his way to New York," he argues. "I'm sure he could make his way out of a basement. You have a problem leaving him behind?"

"Actually, I've done it before," she retorts, smirking.

"Great," Baelfire mutters, looking at the cars as they walk.

"I have to admit, after some of the things you've said, I'm surprised you'd rally to his side like this." The blond woman muses.

"There's a difference between running away from your father, and watching him die in front of you. He may be a monster, but he's my blood," Neal argues, looking at Emma.

"What happens when he's healed?" Emma wonders, hoping he'll stick around for Henry's sake, even if Landon will have a few words to say about it, though they both know it's for Henry.

"I don't know. Forgiveness ain't something I think is possible with him," he reasons, shrugging.

"But somewhere inside you, you hope someday, it will be," she retorts.

"Life's full of surprises, isn't it?" Baelfire questions, looking at her.

"Well, no matter what, it'll be nice for Henry to be around you a little bit, even if it is just for a visit." The Saviour argues.

"Here's our car," Neal announces, running over to a grey car and crouching by the wheel, grabbing a set of keys from inside.

"Please tell me we are not going to hotwire this thing," Emma groans, looking around.

"No. Uh… It belongs to a friend," he replies nervously.

"That's a generous friend," she remarks, looking at her ex.

"Yeah, about that. Um… We need to finish our conversation from earlier. There's something you need to know about me before we get on the ship," Baelfire tells her when they're interrupted by a woman, who spots Neal before running up to them.

"Neal! Thank God I caught you," a woman calls, making them turn to see her as she hugs Neal.

"What are you doing here?" Neal asks, looking at her confused, though he's happy to see her.

"I don't know. I… Maybe I got a little worried after talking to you. You can't just say you're… Leaving town for a while," she argues.

"Hey. Yeah, listen. Everything's fine, okay? I promise," he assures her.

"Great, sweetie. Just tell me what's going on," the woman asks.

"Neal?" Emma questions, looking at her ex.

"I'm Tamara," she introduces herself, shaking hands with Emma.

"Emma," the blond woman replies, glancing at Neal.

"She's my fiancée," Neal reveals, shocking Emma, but she's happy for him.

{SPELLBINDING}

–[Storybrooke - Present]–

Mary Margaret and David are at the graveyard after Johanna's funeral at her grave, and she plants flowers on it. "It was a beautiful service," David comments, looking at his distraught wife.

"That never should've happened. Johanna was an innocent," Mary Margaret argues angrily at the loss of someone else close to her.

"You can't blame yourself. You did the best you could do in an impossible situation," he assures her.

"And yet, Regina's family mausoleum remains untouched," she retorts, looking at Regina's mausoleum behind them.

"Mary Margaret…" Charming mutters, looking at her and not liking where her mind's going.

"I've had the same rule my entire life – hold on to goodness. It's what my mother taught me. How many more lives is following that lesson going to take away from me?" Snow argues, tired of losing everyone she cares about.

"You can't let Cora make you lose faith in who you are – someone who does the right thing. You know, that's exactly what she wants," David warns her, not wanting her to turn down the wrong path.

"I made the 'right' decision, when I stopped Regina's execution all those years ago. When it could've saved us all of this heartache," Mary Margaret snaps. "I made the 'right' decision, when I sent Emma through the wardrobe alone, and we didn't see her first steps. I made the 'right' decision, when I let my own mother die from Landon's poison."

"And we keep beating them," he reminds her, though he's just as surprised at Landon killing Queen Eva; even Cora said Landon never knew about it.

"At what cost? All I want is our happy ending," she argues. "It's time. We've earned it. No more lives lost. No more hearts broken."

"The dagger… It's useless until Gold returns to Storybrooke. We have time," Charming assures her. "We'll get it back. And when we do, we can bring Cora and Regina to justice."

"I don't care about justice anymore. We keep thinking that people will change. What if that's wrong? What if I'm the one who has to change?" Snow snaps full of hate.

"Change how?" David asks her, fearful of the answer.

"I'm going to kill Cora," Mary Margaret replies, glaring at the mausoleum.