Sound of Surviving

59

Belle faced Hook. "You will stay with me?"

"They'll protect you, if the witch comes," Emma told her.

"You do know he'd tried to kill me?"

"Well, there were extenuating circumstances," Hook reasoned.

"Twice."

"Sorry."

"You really know how to charm a girl, don't you?" Emma said.

Nevaeh smiled teasingly. "I'm sure you'd know that, Emma."

Emma shot her a look and Nevaeh continued smiling.

"This will be my way of making it up to you," Hook said. "Besides. Nevaeh won't let me harm you. I'd sooner be struck down if I were to attack you."

"Fine," Belle agreed.

"All right, we should really get out into the woods," Emma told the group.

"Hey, maybe you should stay home," David suggested.

"Me? I'm the best tracker here," Mary Margaret reminded him.

"I know, but we'll manage. Remember, what Zelena said you need your rest."

Emma approached Belle and said, "Belle, thank you for your help. Don't worry, we're gonna find him."

"Okay. Thank you," Belle replied.

THE ENCHANTED FOREST - PAST - ONE YEAR AGO - THE DARK CASTLE

"If there's anyone who can defeat that witch and get you back to your family, it's the Dark One," Belle said. "The way to resurrect him has to be here."

"You really believe in him, don't you?" Neal asked.

"I love him. All of him. Even... Even the parts that belong to the darkness."

"Yeah, it took me a while to see past all that... to the good man trying to get out."

"He did get out."

"Yeah, he did. Irony is, now I need the dark part. In order to get to the ones I care about." Belle noticed Neal taking a closer look at the swan keychain.

"What is that?"

"A necklace. It was Emma's. It was supposed to represent our life together. I don't know how it survived the trip."

"Because, it was born out of true love. Now, come with me. I think I know where we can find what we need." Belle led Neal to the castle's library.

"You think there's magic in here?"

"No, something better than magic. Books. Books on history. Witchcraft. And hopefully, some on the Dark One, too."

"Where do we start?"

Belle lit Lumiere. "One shelf at a time."

"Hello there," Lumiere greeted.

Belle asked Neal, "Did you... Did you say something?"

"Over here." Belle and Neal turned around. "Allow me to introduce myself."

"What the hell?" Neal said.

"No need to be frightened. I am but a humble servant of this castle. My name is Lumiere."

STORYBROOKE - PRESENT DAY - MR. GOLD PAWNBROKER & ANTIQUITIES

Belle hands Hook a book and said, "Uh, watch the cover of that one."