(Storybrooke)
By morning, the clock tower was still up and running, time had been unfrozen. Everyone looked happy as things changed, well almost everyone. Regina took Henry's book and started flipping through it. She still remembers everything from the curse and she still wants to see if Emma is a part of the book. However, when she hit the final page of the book, some of the pages were missing. The pages looked like they were ripped out by someone. She marched into Henry's room and asked him about the pages. "It's an old book. Stuff's missing. What do you care?" Herny asked.
"I care because you think I'm some Evil Queen. And that hurts me, Henry. I'm your mother." said Regina.
Henry just told her no and finished getting ready for school. She doesn't like what this book or Emma is doing to Henry. She thought both were no longer an issue but once she heard the chime of the clocktower, she got suspicious. Once Henry left for school, Regina headed to the clock tower and stared at it as it still chimed. Archie was walking by with his dog Pongo when they saw Regina looking at the clock. "Look at that, guess those rusty old innards finally straightened themselves out." Archie guessed.
She saw Emma's car and that meant that Emma was still in town. Regina grabbed a basket of apples from her house then headed to Granny's Inn and knocked on Emma's door. Emma opened the door and was a little shocked that Regina was being nice. She even offered Emma an apple and told her to enjoy them on her ride home. Emma revealed that she was staying for a while and that changed Regina's mood. "I'm not sure that's such a good idea. Henry has enough issues. He doesn't need you confusing him." Regina spoke in a threatening tone.
Emma was just trying to keep her cool around Regina but after being threatened by her in the last 12 hours twice it's only making her stay more. She can tell when people are lying and right now Regina is telling more lies than ever. Emma only wants to see if Henry is okay but Regina tells her that he's fine. "Any problems he has are being taken care of." Regina bluntly stated.
"What does that mean?" Emma asked.
"It means I have him in therapy. It's all under control. Take my advice, Miss Swan, only one of us knows what's best for Henry." Regina replied.
Emma pretended to agree with Regina, she wanted Emma to leave but she wasn't going anywhere. "Don't underestimate me, Miss Swan. You have no idea what I'm capable of." Regina spoke in a threatening voice.
(The Enchanted Forest)
After The Evil Queen threatened to destroy Snow White and Prince Charming's happy ending, she headed for the door. Charming took a chance to throw a sword at the Evil Queen but she used her magic to transport to her castle and led the sword to hit the wall. The Queen's butler asked if she would like a drink. She snapped at him but she did take the drink. "Now that was an awfully big threat." the magic mirror spoke to the queen. "Destroy everyone's happiness? How do you plan on accomplishing that?"
The Evil Queen planned on using The Dark Curse however, she made a deal with someone when she gave away that curse because it was too powerful. She traded it for the curse to put Snow White into enchantment sleep. Her own butler begged her not to do it since the person that the queen gave the curse too, won't be happy to see her. "Since when do I care about anyone else's happiness but mine? Prepare the carriage. We're going to the Forbidden Fortress." the queen stated.
The Forbidden Fortress was the home of the evilest villain in fairytale history. The Dark Fairy, The Mistress of Evil herself, Maleficent. Once the Queen had entered Maleficent's lair, she and Maleficent were talking about the idea of the dark curse over tea. She kept the curse; when the Queen entered, Maleficent greeted her with the detached elegance of a queen in her domain. "How are you, dear?"
"I'm fine," the Queen replied curtly. "And you?"
"If it were me," Maleficent purred, "I'd be simply tortured, watching that flake of Snow so happy. Weren't you about her age when she ruined your wedding?"
"Yes," the Queen replied icily. "Much as you were when Sleeping Beauty got the best of you. But I soldiered on, as will you."
"Hopefully," Maleficent muttered.
The Queen cut to the chase. "I need my curse back."
Maleficent arched a brow. "The Dark Curse? Really? You must know that not even its unholy power can bring your loved one back. Have you considered a pet? They're quite comforting."
Malficanet stroke her little unicorn to prove her point. The Queen's voice hardened. "The only comfort I seek is Snow White's suffering."
Maleficent smirked. "Well, it's her wedding night. I doubt she's suffering right now."
"Enough games!" The Queen's patience snapped. "Hand it over!"
Maleficent sighed. "Must we do this?"
"Alas, we must," the Queen replied darkly.
Thunder roared through the fortress, lightning lit the darkroom as Regina reached for the fireplace. She used some of the flames to form a ball of fire and aimed it at Maleficent. Thankfully, Maleficent moved before it hit her. She used her staff to fight back, the queen threw another fireball and this time Maleficent blocked it with a shield. The Queen had enough, she used her magic to grab every weapon by the fireplace. Instead of aiming it at Maleficent, she aimed it at her pet unicorn. Maleficent saw what the queen was trying to do. She jumped in the way and blocked every weapon that was thrown.
But that left her exposed, the queen used magic to wrap a chandelier around Maleficent and threw her against the wall. The queen took her staff and smashed it to the ground. "Love is weakness, Maleficent. I thought you knew that," she said coldly as she grabbed her curse.
"Don't do this." Maleficent begged, "This curse. There are lines even we shouldn't cross. All power comes with a price. Enacting it will take a terrible toll. It will leave an emptiness inside you. A void you will never be able to fill."
The queen didn't listen to Maleficent's warning, she just took the curse and left her there. The queen then gathered the darkest souls she could find. She explained to them that this curse that she'll enact will help them get their happy ending. She had already put most of the ingredients into the fire, the queen needed a lock of hair from each of them to complete the spell. They didn't trust her at first, "Well then, there are other ways." the queen said with a wicked grin.
She used magic to command the trees and form a barrier around them as no means of escaping. The first the give in was a blind woman whose eyes were sewn shut. The others followed as the queen placed the locks of hair into a basket and threw it into the fire. All that was left was the final ingredient, a prized heart. The queen had her butler hand her the box with the heart, the heart of her childhood steed. "Let my wrath be unleashed," she said as threw the heart into the fire.
The curse begins to grow into a tornado with flashes of green lightning. The queen had done it, she won. But that victory was short-lived, the curse started to break apart and then disappeared as it had never happened. The queen didn't understand, she did everything right but it wasn't enough.
(Storybrooke)
In Regina's garden, she was tending to her apple tree when the town reporter Sidney Glass came to her with the latest news. She was still furious that Emma was staying in town, so she asked Sidney to do a little digging on Emma Swan. "What did you find out about her?" Regina asked Sidney.
"Well, the truth be told, there wasn't much. She spent a lot of time in foster homes. She got into some trouble when she was a kid, but the details are locked up pretty tight. Since then, she's clean. Bounced around all over. The only thing I really learned was that she doesn't like to sit still." Sidney explained.
But that changed when she found out about Henry. Sidney even revealed that Emma had Henry while she was still in Phoenix. But it wasn't enough to convince Regina who Emma was. He offered to keep looking more into Emma's past then left Regina's house. Meanwhile, at Granny's Diner, Emma had just read the paper about herself coming to Storybrooke but it wasn't making her feel better. She was about to take a bite of an apple when Harry came over and gave her a hot chocolate with whipped cream and cinnamon on top. "I thought you worked at the Sheriff's Station," Emma asked.
"No, I only take night patrol when Graham is out. I'm just helping out Ruby with the orders since her boss is making her work double shifts." Harry explained.
Emma was confused about all this. Harry does so many things in this town but he's only 15 and he lives by himself. She asked him if he gets alone sometimes. Harry explained that he does sometimes but he's used to it by now or he'll ask Regina for a guest room to stay in for the night. Emma didn't know what to say, except for the fact that she didn't order yet. Harry knew someone else ordered for her. Emma looked at Graham who was having coffee, she thought it was him. She walked over to him with her hot chocolate. Graham was surprised that she was staying which was good for the tour sighting but bad news for their local signage.
He only joked about that since Emma crashed into the sign. "Look. The cocoa was a nice gesture. And I am impressed that you guessed that I like cinnamon on my chocolate 'cause most people don't, but I'm not here to flirt. So thank you but no thank you." Emma stated as she handed back the cocoa.
Graham confessed about the cocoa, he didn't give that to her. Henry spoke from one of the booths, he knew about the cinnamon part because he liked it too. "Don't you have school?" Emma asked Henry.
Walking Henry to school, Emma was still processing everything Henry had told her. The fairy tales, the curse, Regina's true identity—it all seemed too far-fetched. But Henry's conviction was hard to dismiss. He practically radiated belief. "It's not about me and my mom," Henry said, breaking the silence. "It's about breaking her curse. That's why I've got a plan. Step one: identification. I call it Operation Cobra."
Emma raised an eyebrow. "Cobra? What does that have to do with fairy tales?"
Henry grinned. "Nothing. That's the point. It's a codename, to throw the Queen off our trail. She's always watching."
"Right. The Queen," Emma said, still struggling to keep up with his leaps in logic. "So, everyone here is a fairy tale character, and they just don't know it?"
"That's the curse. Time's been frozen. Until you got here."
Emma was about to take a bite of her apple, but Henry stopped her. "Where'd you get that?" he asked sharply.
"Your mom," Emma replied.
"Don't eat that." He grabbed the apple and threw it away.
"Okay, uh, all right," Emma said, startled. "What about their pasts?"
"They don't know. It's a haze to them. Ask anyone anything, and you'll see."
"So, for decades, people have been walking around in a haze, not aging, with screwed-up memories, stuck in a cursed town that kept them oblivious?"
Henry grinned. "I knew you'd get it. That's why we need you. You're the only one who can break the curse."
"Because I'm the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming?" Emma asked incredulously.
"Yes. And right now, we have the advantage. My mom doesn't know that. I took out the end." He pulled out a set of pages from the book. "The part with you in it. See? Your mom is Snow White."
Emma sighed, looking at the pages. "Oh, kid."
"I know the hero never believes at first. If they did, it wouldn't be a very good story. If you need proof, take them. Read them. But whatever you do, don't let her see these pages. They're dangerous. If she finds out who you are... it would be bad."
Emma took the pages, scanning them briefly. The Savior—her? She shook her head, tucking them into her jacket. "All right. I'll keep them safe."
"Good luck," Henry said, giving her a quick hug before running off.
They both made it to Henry's school, he made a plan for them to meet up later and start the plan. Mary Margret watched as Henry left, smiling. She and Emma started talking about Henry and his book until Mary Margret revealed that Henry thinks she is Snow White in his book. When she asked Emma if she was in the book, Emma just told her that she wasn't in the book. Emma looked more and more worried for Henry. "Regina mentioned the kids in therapy. Do you know where I could find the doctor?" she asked Mary Margret.
Emma found out that the kids' doctor, Dr Hopper was the one helping Henry. She headed to his office and to her surprise, Harry was there. "Emma, nice to see you again. I guess I forgot to tell you, that I work with Dr Hopper with some of his patients. If you're looking for him, he's not here. He just left to take his dog for his to check up." Harry explained.
Emma tilted her head. "Aren't you supposed to be at school?"
Harry smirked. "Aren't you supposed to be a tourist?"
Emma explained to Harry that Henry might have been seeing Dr Hopper longer than before with the fairy tale obsession. Harry just told Emma that it's how he communicates with his feelings but he doesn't know anything else about his sessions. Regina doesn't let him stay for Henry's therapy sessions because she thinks he'll get more confused with reality. However, Harry could tell that Emma wanted to be in Henry's life and she had the right intentions. So he gave Emma the file with all of Henry's sessions with Dr Hopper. "Why are you helping me?" she asked.
"Because Henry trusts you. You're the only other person who seems to understand what he's going through. Regina may have taken care of him for ten years but he's still your son. Not many people would try to have a second chance with their child." Harry spoke in a sad tone.
Emma used her superpower to tell if he was lying but he was telling the truth. So she decided to put her trust in him and left. Emma was in her room at Granny's Inn, looking over Henry's file. That was when she heard someone knocking at her door. She opened it and standing in the hallway was Graham, he came to see Emma after she stole from Dr Archibald Hopper. She was confused until Graham explained that she demanded to see Henry's files and when he refused you came back and stole them.
"He wasn't in his office. Harry was there and he gave me the files." Emma tried to explain.
"Alas, Dr. Hopper's telling a different tale. He also told me that Harry was with Henry at school. May I check your room or must I get a search warrant?" Graham asked with impatience.
Emma let him into her room, he saw the scattered papers on her bed. They were Henry's files "I'm afraid, Miss Swan, you're under arrest. Again." he said as he put handcuffs on Emma.
Emma was dragged down to the Police Station, she kept saying that Regina was setting her up so she could have Henry to herself. Graham didn't believe her and he still took pictures of Emma for her stay in jail. Henry, Harry, and Mary Margret came running in to help Emma out. Henry knew what Emma was doing, she was gathering data for Operation Cobra. "Graham, Miss Blanchard is gonna bail her out. And she's telling the truth. I was the one who gave her Henry's therapy files to her." Harry explained.
Emma looked confused at Mary Margret, she asked why she would help out. Mary Margret told Emma that she trusted her. "Well, if you could uncuff me, there's something I need to do," Emma stated with a smirk on her face.
Outside Regina's house, she saw Emma with a chainsaw in front of her apple tree. Emma saw Regina looking out the window, she smirked and used the chainsaw to cut down a branch of the tree. Regina was filled with anger and she came storming towards Emma. "What the heck are you doing?!" she screamed.
"Picking apples." Emma joked.
Regina was steaming "Your out of your mind." she stated.
"No. You are. Do you think a shoddy frame job is enough to scare me off? You're gonna have to do better than that. You come after me one more time, I'm coming back for the rest of this tree. Because, sister, you have no idea what I am capable of." Emma threatened and walked away, "Your move."
(The Enchanted Forest)
In the Forest, The Evil Queen was trying to figure out why the curse didn't even work. Her butler/father, King Henry was trying to convince her to give up on this quest for vengeance but it didn't work. She will not stop until Snow feels the same amount of pain she has felt. Her father told her that to figure out the curse, she would have to talk to the man who gave it to her. That man was Rumplestiltskin. "Revenge is a dark and lonely road. Once you go down it, there's no heading back." King Henry spoke.
The Queen was willing to take that chance, there was nothing left for her. In Rumplestiltskin's cell, he had left a half-eaten apple on the floor where rats began to nibble away. He saw a black rat scurrying across the floor, he knew that was the Queen. "It's just us, dearie, you can show yourself," he said in a sing-songy tone.
The Evil Queen changed from a rat to her normal self. She told him that the curse wasn't working but she soon found out that Snow and Charming came to see him as well. The Queen asked him what he told them. "The truth. That nothing can stop the Darkness." He told her and she smiled.
Except her smile faded when Rumplestiltskin told her that Snow's unborn child could break the curse. No matter how powerful the Queen may be, all curses can be broken. She demanded that Rumplestiltskin tell her what went wrong with the curse. However, he wasn't going to tell her, not without making a deal. He wanted comfort and a good life in the new land, he wanted to be rich. She promised him an estate but Rumple wanted more than that. "In this new land, should I ever come to you for any reason, you must heed my every request. You must do whatever I say. So long as I say please." he explained with a chuckle.
"You do realize that should I succeed, you won't remember any of this?" The Queen reminded the Dark One.
Rumplestiltskin didn't care, all he wanted was for the curse to be enacted. So she took the deal, and the Queen asked him what she must do to enact the curse. Rumplestiltskin told her that she needed to sacrifice a heart. "I already sacrificed my prized steed," she answered. bluntly.
Rumplestiltskin grabbed The Queen's wrist and pulled her close to the bars. "This is the curse to end all curses. Do you think a horse is gonna do? Great power requires great sacrifice. The heart you need must come from something far more precious." he explained.
The Queen asked what would work for the curse, he answered that it must be from the thing she loves most. However, the thing she had loved was already dead, because of Snow White. But Rumpe reminded her that there was someone else that she loved that could be used to start the curse. The Queen started to hesitate, she couldn't do it to the one person that was loyal to her. "This curse isn't gonna be easy. Vengeance never is, dearie. You have to ask yourself a simple question. How far are you willing to go?" Rumple asked her.
"As far as it takes," she answered with a smirk.
"Then please stop wasting everyone's time and just do it. You know what you love." Rumple said then poked his head out from the bars, "Now go kill it."
(Storybrooke)
Emma headed back to her room in Granny's Inn but she asked Emma to leave since she was a criminal. She grabbed her things and headed out of the Inn. Emma was certain that Regina was behind it. That didn't stop Regina, she even had Graham put a boot on Emma's car. But it wasn't enough, Regina wanted Emma gone from Storybrooke but Graham suggested that she and Emma make amends before someone gets hurt, namely Henry. Regina called Emma and asked her to come over and end this fight between them. This was only making Emma want to say more, Regina was up to something.
Emma ended up walking to Regina's house and that was when the trap was sprung. "I'd like to start by apologizing, Miss Swan," Regina began.
Emma blinked. "What?"
"I just have to accept the reality that you want to be here," Regina said with feigned sincerity.
"That's right, I do," Emma replied.
"And that you're here to take my son from me," Regina continued.
"Okay, let's be clear. I have no intention of taking him from anyone," Emma said firmly.
"Well, then, what are you doing here?"
Emma sighed. "I know I'm not a mother. I think that's pretty self-evident. But I did have him. And I can't help it—he got in my head, and I want to make sure he's okay. And the more you try to push me out, the more I want to be here, especially after seeing how troubled he is."
"You think he's troubled?" Regina asked, her tone sharpening.
"Well, he's in therapy," Emma pointed out. "And I only got through a couple of pages of his doctor's notes before you had me arrested. But putting all that aside, he thinks everyone in this town is a fairy tale character."
"And you don't?" Regina asked, her lips curving into a smile.
Emma shook her head. "That poor kid can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality, and it's only getting worse. It's crazy."
"Crazy?" a small voice said from behind her.
Emma turned, her stomach dropping. Henry stood in the doorway, his face pale and stricken. "You think I'm crazy?" Henry asked, his voice trembling.
"Henry, wait—" Emma began, but he backed away, shaking his head. Then he turned and ran out of the room.
Emma spun back to Regina, her eyes blazing. She knew he was there the whole time they were talking. "You set me up, didn't you?" Emma asked Regina with anger in her tone.
"Did I know that my son comes to my office every Thursday at precisely 5:00 p.m. so I can take him and Harry for dinner before his therapy session? Of course, I did. I'm his mother." Regina explained with a smirk on her face.
Emma was filled with anger, Regina had made her move and now Emma was determined to get back at her. Regina was one with no soul in her body, she wondered how Regina even got like this in the first place. With that thought in her mind, she left Regina to try to make things up for her son.
(The Enchanted Forest)
The Evil Queen was storming and pacing through the castle walls, she was debating whether or not she should kill the one person that she loved. She was so lost in thought that she didn't even hear the Mirror asking her questions or calling out to her. She marched into the main room where her father was lighting the candles. He asked her if Rumplestitsking told her what she needed to do to enact the curse. She couldn't even say it to her own father, she was conflicted with this decision.
Her father asked her if he could help her. "I have to cut out the heart of the thing I love most." The Queen revealed.
Her father knew that he was the thing she loved the most. The Queen turned to her father with tears in her eyes, she couldn't do it. Her father told her that she didn't have to cast the curse for revenge. But The Queen couldn't keep living like this, she wanted Snow White to pay for what she did to her. "It's eating me alive, Daddy. Her very existence mocks me. She must be punished." she told her father.
"If the price is a hole that will never be filled, why do it? Stop worrying about Snow white and start over." Her father suggested.
Regina couldn't have a new life, everything that she worked for and built will be gone. Her power will be gone, everyone already thinks the Queen is nothing. Her father still believes that she still has a chance with love, she could have it again if she would just let go of this quest for vengeance. The Queen hugged her father tight, letting the tears fall from her eyes. Her father told her that they could find happiness together if given the chance, but the choice was hers. She believed that her father was right, she could be happy, but not here.
The Queen reached into her father's chest, cast a spell on her heart, and ripped it out of his body with ease, the body fell to the ground and lifeless. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
She headed back to the sight of the curse, started the fire, and threw the heart in. The curse started to grow and grow until it was a stormy fog that was rolling across the land. Just before she left her castle, she placed a rose on the top of her father's grave. She whispered the words 'I love you' and headed to the castle. In front of the grave was the name of her father, Henry.
(Storybrooke)
Emma was still filled with guilt that Henry heard her, so she went to Mary Margaret's apartment to try and ask for advice. She knocked on the door of Mary Margrent's apartment and the door opened, she thanked her for bailing her out and paid her back. Mary Margaret invited Emma into her home and gave her a cup of cocoa with cinnamon. "When you bailed me out, you said that you trusted me. Why?" Emma asked.
"It's strange. Ever since you arrived here, I've had the oddest feeling like we met before. And I know it's crazy. But for what it's worth, I think you're innocent." Mary Margaret explained.
They talked and talked until Emma revealed that she was leaving Storybrooke. She thought if she stayed then Henry is gonna keep getting hurt. Mary Margaret didn't seem to think so, the reason why she wants to leave is the same reason why she stays, she cares about Henry. "Who will protect Henry if you won't?" Mary Margaret asked.
The air in Storybrooke was thick with the weight of the past. Emma Swan walked with determination, her boots clicking softly against the cobblestone as she made her way to Dr. Hopper's office. She had to fix things with Henry—nothing else mattered now. The mistakes she'd made were too many, but this, this was one thing she couldn't let slip away.
She pushed the door open, stepped inside, and immediately spotted Henry sitting on the couch next to Harry. Dr. Hopper, looking flustered, was behind his desk. The tension in the room was palpable. Emma's heart tightened, but she was ready. This was the moment.
Dr. Hopper was the first to speak, his voice apologetic but firm. "Miss Swan... I owe you an apology. The misunderstanding with the files... it was Regina. She forced me to do it, and I..."
Emma barely heard the rest. She stepped forward, cutting him off. There was no need for excuses. What mattered now was her son. "Henry," she said, her voice trembling slightly, "I'm so sorry."
Her words hung in the air, and she felt every second of the silence that followed. Henry didn't respond right away. Instead, he turned his head away, staring out the window with his arms crossed tightly across his chest. "I don't want to talk to you," Henry muttered, his voice tight with anger and hurt.
Emma's heart sank, but she didn't back down. She was here, and she was going to fix this. She glanced over at Harry, who was watching them both intently. Harry, who had always been protective of his brother, gave a small nod as if silently encouraging Emma to keep going. "Henry, just hear her out," Harry said quietly, his tone full of concern.
Dr. Hopper gave Emma a wary look, but it was Harry who spoke next. "Archie, I'll handle this. I was the one who gave Emma the files in the first place."
Emma appreciated the support, but her focus remained on Henry. She moved closer to him, her voice growing more urgent. "Henry, there's one reason I stayed here. You. I wanted to get to know you. I made a mistake, but I'm here now, and I want to make things right."
Henry's eyes remained cold, but Emma could see the flicker of doubt in them. It was a small crack, but it was enough for Emma to press on. "You think I'm crazy," Henry said, his voice bitter.
Emma shook her head. "No, I think the curse is crazy. And it is. But that doesn't mean it isn't real. It's hard to believe, I get that. But there are a lot of crazy things in this world. And what do I know? Maybe it is true. But I know this, Henry: I'm trying to make things right. And I'm not giving up on you."
Henry looked away again, his lips pressed into a firm line. He didn't respond right away, but Emma could feel the weight of his hurt.
"You told my mom..." Henry started, but Emma quickly interjected.
"I told her what she needed to hear," Emma said softly, her eyes pleading with him to understand. "But what I do know is this: If this curse is real, the only way to break it is by tricking the Evil Queen into thinking we're nonbelievers. We need to stay under her radar. And we need someone who knows everyone in this town. Someone who can sneak us information."
Emma glanced at Harry. "Isn't that what Operation Cobra was about? Throwing her off the trail?"
Henry's face lit up with recognition. "Brilliant!" he exclaimed, his excitement growing. "And for that someone, I think Harry would be perfect."
Emma turned to Harry, her eyes hopeful. "Harry, do you want to help us?"
Harry hesitated for a moment, his eyes flicking from Henry to Emma. After a few seconds, he gave a small nod. "If it helps Henry get you to stay... then I'm in," Harry said, his voice steady and sure.
Emma smiled, relieved. It wasn't going to be easy, but they had a plan. A real chance to fight back. She took a deep breath and pulled out the pages; the pages that could destroy everything if they fell into the wrong hands. Henry had been right about them. They were dangerous. Too dangerous. Without hesitation, Emma stood and walked to the fireplace. The flames crackled as she tossed the pages into the fire. They caught quickly, turning to ash almost immediately.
"Now we have the advantage," Emma said, her voice full of determination.
Henry's face softened, and Harry gave her a small, approving smile. Emma felt the weight lifting off her shoulders, but the battle was far from over. They still had so much to do. Henry stood up slowly, stepping toward Emma. He wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. Emma's heart swelled with emotion as she hugged him back, feeling the warmth of his acceptance. "I knew you were here to help me," Henry whispered into her ear.
Emma smiled, a genuine smile that reached her eyes for the first time in a long while. "That's right, kid. I am."
Regina stood beneath the apple tree, her fingers grazing the ripe fruit that hung just out of reach. She was lost in thought, her mind swirling with plans, schemes, and the ever-present weight of her rivalry with Emma Swan. Her peace was short-lived, however, as the sound of footsteps approached. She turned, seeing none other than Mr. Gold walking toward her with his usual calculated grace. His cane clicked against the stone path, the sound like a reminder that he was always watching, always waiting. "I hear Emma Swan is staying in Storybrooke," Gold said, his voice smooth, almost too calm.
Regina didn't respond immediately, choosing instead to focus on the apple in her hand. Her fingers curled tighter around it, the skin of the fruit cool and unyielding. She didn't want to make a deal with him. Not today. "I don't have time for your deals today, Mr. Gold," Regina said sharply. "Keep your offers to yourself."
Gold gave her a knowing smile, his eyes glinting with something unreadable. "Oh, Regina… you may not have time for them now, but eventually, we all must play the game," Gold said, his words dripping with something sinister.
Regina's grip on the apple tightened, but she said nothing. Gold would wait. He always did.