Sound of Surviving

87

"Yes, I know. But that is about to change." The Apprentice made a door appear. "The time has come to stop selling televisions. The time has come to take on the most important job in all the realms."

"What the hell?"

"You can see that?"

"I see it, but I don't believe it."

"Actually, the fact that you can see it tells me that you do believe."

"Believe in what?"

"In magic. I think it is time that you find your destiny. Come with me. All of your questions will be answered."

STORYBROOKE - PRESENT - LIBRARY AT THE SORCERER'S MANSION

"Nothing," Regina said. "They're all still blank. Whatever the Author is writing, it's not appearing in the books. This is useless."

"Easy," Robin Hood told her. "This is not your fault."

"Even so, tomorrow, thanks to Gold and the Author, I can wake up a talking frog."

"At least you'll wake up," Hook commented. "I don't doubt whatever the Dark One has in store for me is a far worse fate."

"Well, there's no use speculating what he wants," David said. "We just need to stop it. And if there's nothing useful here, we need to move on, find something else that can help."

"I might know just the thing," August replied.

"August. I thought you didn't know anything more about the Author."

"He doesn't, but he knows someone who does. That's why I called him here," Emma explained.

"Who?" Mary Margaret asked.

"The man who gave him his power... The Apprentice," August answered. "I met him once when I was living in Phuket. He was the one who told me about the story book and that I should learn everything about it."

"If he was in Storybrooke, could you find him?" David questioned.

"Well, I haven't seen him. But... That's what he looks like." He showed them a picture.

"I know this man," Hook said.

"You do?" Emma and Nevaeh inquired.

"More importantly, I know exactly where to find him."

APPRENTICE'S HOUSE

"I trapped him in there," Hook said. "I didn't know."

"It's okay," Emma reassured. "It was Gold, not you. Blue was in there. She can get him out."

"Don't you need the Dark One's dagger?"

"Well, not if I have something that belonged to the Apprentice," Mother Superior replied, freeing the Apprentice.

"Are you..." Emma and Nevaeh trailed.

"Yes," the Apprentice finished. "And there is no time to waste. Isaac has abused his power for too long. The time has come to set... Things right."

"How?" Regina wondered.

"By putting him back where he can't harm anyone... In the book. I will need the page with the painted door and the key. We shall return him to his prison. And this time, I would wager none of you will set him free again. The page."

"It's back in the loft," Henry said.

"Mom, Dad, Killian, Jefferson, watch Henry and Grace," Emma told them. "If Gold's smart, he'll go after the page, too. Nevaeh, where are the twins?"