Sound of Surviving

84

LONDON - PAST

A little girl ran into the woods. Two dogs ran after her till they stopped her. A woman parked her car near the little girl and got out.

"Heel," Madeline ordered. "That's far enough. Now be a good girl and come back home."

"I won't," Cruella argued. "You can't make me."

"As a matter of fact, I can... And now that your father's gone, we're going to make a few changes around the house, Cruella." Madeline brought her daughter to the attic. "This is where you'll be sleeping from now on."

"So you're just going to drop me off here? Like one of your dogs?"

"This room must be your world now, until someday, you learn to do as I say."

STORYBROOKE - PRESENT

Cruella drove her car and was stopped by Maleficent. "Uhh!"

"We need to talk," Maleficent said.

"Good thing I had my brakes serviced, darling. I do hate getting blood on the car."

"There's still time for that. Tell me about Lily."

"Sorry. Who?"

"My daughter Lily. You told me she didn't survive the trip to this world. You lied."

"Perhaps I did. Um, but there's an explanation, of course. You see, um... I'm a really terrible person, and I left her in the woods to die."

"You did what?"

"Oh, don't be so flabbergasted. You know I'm not mother material. Ursula and I took that dragon egg she was in. Oh, the magic helped us stay young, you know. Wonderful thing. But the little brat..."

"My daughter."

"Yes. Well..."

"You should know your death is going to last for days." Maleficent turned into a dragon. Cruella used her power on her.

"Oh, I was so hoping you'd do that. People always underestimate a girl in diamonds and furs, don't they? I mean, no one guessed what I was really after. Not Gold. Certainly not you. But now that the Author is here, today is the day that I get mine. Now be a good girl, lie down, and take a nap." The dragon fell asleep.

---

The Charming family went back home.

"You have to remember something else about the Author, some way to find him," Emma said. "Now think."

"We told you everything we know," David replied.

"Are we sure about that? Because secrets just keep coming out."

"Okay. You're clearly still upset," Mary Margaret noted.

"Yes, I am still upset. You were the ones who taught me there is always a right way. A heroic way. And what you did to Maleficent's child..."

David interrupted, "It was our only option to make sure you grew up... Good."

"I'm sorry, but if it were me, no matter what, I would not harm a defenseless person."

"And that right there... That goodness is exactly why we did what we did," Mary Margaret said. "It was worth it."

Regina entered and Emma asked, "Regina, where have you been?"

"In the middle of a very bad day. I'll tell you the whole story later, after I rescue Robin Hood."

"Robin Hood? What the hell are you talking about?"