Belle and Mr Gold entered the pawnshop, "Okay, come on. See? I knew you could make it," Belle said.
"I should've known better than to argue with you by now," Mr Gold said.
"Here," Belle handed him his cane, "Now, what did we come here for?" Belle asked.
An arrow targetted them as Merida entered the shop, "I told the Dark One you wouldn't be daft enough to seek shelter in your own shop, but she said you wouldn't be able to resist the pull of your magic," Merida said.
"Merid, you... You don't have to do this," Mr Gold said.
"No, I tried to fight it, but I couldn't. So, now her fate rests in your hands," Merida said as she pulled another around and as she was putting it on her bow.
Mr Gold and Belle took off into the backroom as they shut the doors, pressed themselves against it to keep Merida out, but Merida shot her arrow through the door next to Belle's face.
In Regina's vault, Regina was making the potion to contact Merlin.
"What the hell is taking so long?" Neal asked.
"Patience, Cassidy. If these spellbooks are correct, as soon as Arthur adds the Crimson Crown to the cauldron, he should be able to make contact with Merlin," Regina said.
"Then we'll be speaking with him before you know it. David told us everything," Arthur said as he, Guinevere and David walked in.
"And you're willing to help?" Mary Margaret asked.
"After everything you've done for us, it's the least I can do," Arthur said.
Regina handed him the Crimson Crown and Arthur just stares at it, "What are you waiting for?" Regina asked.
"Perhaps it's best if I do this alone. Back in Camelot, Merlin delivered his prophecies to me from inside a tree. But I'm afraid he only delivered them when I was alone," Arthur said.
"This is too important to risk. Come on. Let's leave him to it," David said.
Regina, Emma, Mary Margaret, Neal and Guinevere walked out of the vault when Arthur knows they were gone, he crouched down and threw the mushroom into the fire.
Outside the vault, Emma was pacing back and forth, "Emma, calm down," David said.
"I'm sorry, I can't. My little sister is doing god knows what, I can't just stand around and wait," Emma said.
Arthur walked out of the vault, "Did it work?" David asked.
"Afraid not... I thought the spell was gonna make contact, and then it... Just fizzled out," Arthur said.
Back at the pawnshop, Merida was banging on the door of the backroom that Mr Gold and Belle were leading again. Then they ran to take cover as Merida burst into the backroom with her bow.
Merida saw them and shot her arrow at them, but it was just their reflection in a mirror. She turned a corner and saw them, "Stop me, you coward. Be the hero we all need," Merida said.
"I ca... I can't. I ca... I'm sorry, Belle," Mr Gold said.
"No, I am... For what I'm about to do," Merida said.
Belle pulled the rug out from under Merida's feet, knocking her out as she hit her head, Belle got up and helped Mr Gold up.
Mr Gold grabbed a potion from his safe, "What's that?" Belle asked.
"We may not outrun her arrows, but there's somewhere where this can keep us safe," Mr Gold said.
"Then, let's go," Belle said.
Mr Gold drove Belle and him to the town line, "Rumpel? What... Where are we going?" Belle asked.
"The only place we'll be safe from Alana and her quivered friend," Mr Gold said.
"Wait. You're taking us out of Storybrooke... What about your children?!" Belle asked.
Mr Gold held up a small pouch, "This is anti-transformation powder. This will keep us safe from any ill effects from crossing the town line and Del and Bae will be better off without me as a father," Mr Gold said.
"No, no, we can't leave, not while there are still people we care about in this town," Belle said.
"Belle, I used to be the Dark One. I know Alana better than she knows herself. She will keep coming till she gets what she wants," Mr Gold said.
"Well, we'll stop her together," Belle said.
"Didn't you see what happened back there?" Mr Gold asked.
"Yeah," Belle said.
"I couldn't even protect you from Merida," Mr Gold said.
"Rumpel, stop the car," Belle said.
"What?" Mr Gold said.
"Now!" Belle yelled and tried opening the door.
Mr Gold stopped the car, "Belle! Belle!" Belle got out of the car and Mr Gold got out of the car, "Belle. Belle. What are you doing? Come back in the car," Mr Gold said.
"No," Belle said as she walked away from the car.
"Please," Mr Gold begged.
"No," Belle turned to him, "You know, running never made anyone a hero, okay?" Belle said.
"Well, don't... Don't you get it? I'm not a hero," Mr Gold said.
"Well, you've been brave before," Belle said.
"When? During the first ogres' war? Let me tell you the truth about that day... I didn't... Cripple myself to get back to my son... I did it because I was scared," Mr Gold said.
"Rumpel..." Belle said.
"I joined the army to prove I wasn't a coward. But when I saw the wounded coming back from the front lines... I don't want to die... I'm a coward, Belle... And that's never gonna change. Please come back in the car, eh? Th... This is the only way I know how to protect you. Come on, come on," Mr Gold said.
"Protect yourself, you mean," Belle said.
"No," Mr Gold said.
"No," Belle said and walked away.
"Belle... Belle!" Mr Gold called out as Belle continued to walk towards the town as Mr Gold got back in his car, he looked at the sign Leaving Storybrooke.
Belle continued to walk down the road when Merida was waiting for Belle.
"You should've followed your wee sweetheart over the town line," Merida said.
"O-Okay. He's not my sweetheart and I'm not scared of you," Belle said.
"Ah, but you should be, because now the Dark One's not taking any chances. She's making me drinking this," Merida said as she held up a portion then drunk it and her bones began to crack as she turned into a bear.
Belle took off running into the woods.
In the woods, Belle continued to run, trying to escape Merida who was now a large bear.
Belle tripped over which allowed Merida to catch up to her, "Ah!" She turned to Merida, "Merida! Listen to me! Don't do this!" Belle said as she got up and backed away slowly.
Suddenly, Mr Gold threw a rock at Merida and Belle turned to see Mr Gold, "No, no! She'll kill you! Rumpel, run!" Belle said.
"No, Belle! I'm not running this time," Mr Gold said.
"No!" Belle said.
"Go!" Mr Gold yelled.
Merida hit Mr Gold and sent him flying a foot away to the ground,
"No, no," Belle said as Merida walked over to Mr Gold and growled.
Mr Gold looked at her, "Do your worst," Mr Gold as she threw the potion into Merida's mouth and within seconds she turned back into a human.
Belle ran over to him, "How... How did you know that would transform her back?" Belle asked.
"I didn't," Mr Gold said as he stood up, resting on his cane.
"I knew you have it in you, you saved me," Belle said.
"Actually... I think you saved me," Mr Gold said and they hugged each other, Mr Gold tucked his head into the crook of her neck.
In Alana's basement, she was standing in front of Excalibur.
"He bested me fair and square," Merida said as she got dragged in, tied up by the wrists, Mr Gold and Belle walked in after her.
"I was getting worried. For a moment, I thought I was going to have to drag you down here myself," Alana said.
"No. A hero never runs away from his problems... Now... As a former Dark One, I know you won't stop wreaking havoc till I pull that sword from that sword," Mr Gold said.
"Good. Well, now that we all understand each other," Alana said as she motioned to the sword.
"And I also know that you won't be able to resist making a deal... So, how about I pull Excalibur in exchange for Merida's heart?" Mr Gold said.
"And my brothers... I want to know what happened to them," Merida said.
Alana walked to Mr Gold, "You really think you're in a position to make deals?" Alana asked.
"That's exactly what I think," Mr Gold said.
Alana gave Merida back her heart, "I have finished with this anyway," Alana said as Belle untied Merida.
"And her brothers?" Mr Gold asked.
"They're fine. Safe and sound by her mother's side. Now get on with it!" Alana said.
"Wait. What happens if he can't pull it from the stone?" Belle asked.
"Then you will be sweeping his remains from the floor. You were his maid once," Alana said.
"Belle... Just in case this doesn't work, I want you to know that I am sorry for everything," Belle looked at him, "If I had to do it all again, I would make sure I was the man you deserved right from the very starter... And I would change everything for you," Mr Gold said.
"It's never too late, Rumpel," Belle said and Mr Gold removed Excalibur from the stone.
"Well, well. A deal's a deal," Mr Gold dropped the sword to the floor.
Alana picked up the sword and looked at him, "Now, you may have Excalibur, but you've made one mistake in all of this... One terrible mistake... You've turned me into a hero," Mr Gold said.
"There are heroes all over this town and none of them have been able to stop me yet," Alana said.
"Well, that's because none of them... Are me. Don't forget Miss Swan, my son already lost his father to the darkness once, I'm not letting you be taken from him too," Mr Gold said and he started to walk away with Belle.
"What if I'm already gone?" Alana asked.
Mr Gold stopped and looked at her, "You'd never be gone," Mr Gold said and left with Belle.
At Regina's vault, Regina was looking through the spellbook as Emma was watching her.
"You've checked over that spell a dozen times, Regina," Emma said.
"Well, I did everything right. Arthur should have been able to communicate with Merlin," Regina said.
"Unless he didn't want to," David said as he found the Crimson Crown.
"The Crimson Crown," Neal said.
"Arthur threw it in the fire. He sabotaged the spell... He lied to us," David said.
"Guess he didn't realise magical toadstools don't burn," Regina looked at Emma surprised, "I guessed," Emma said.
"You're getting good," Regina said.
"I've had a good teacher," Emma said with a smile.
"But why wouldn't he want us to contact Merlin?" David asked.
"We need to talk to Merlin now more than ever," Mary Margaret said.
"Unfortunately, we need someone he's chosen and the Apprentice is dead. We're out of options," Neal said.
"Perhaps not. There is one other person in Storybrooke who was chosen by Merlin... The Author," Regina said.
Henry walked into the vault and Neal looked at him, "Are you sure you're up for this, bud?" Neal asked.
"I'm fine, Dad," Henry said.
"It's just, I know you've been through a lot," Neal said.
"The person who ripped out Violet's heart isn't my mother. But Alana is still in there somewhere, and I'll do anything it takes to get her back... I saw her... You know, when I mentioned your song," Neal smiled a little, "She's still in there, Dad," Henry said.
"Then let's find out what happened to her so we can bring her back to us," Neal said as he handed Henry the Crismon Crown.
Henry put the Crimson Crown in the cauldron, suddenly Merlin appeared, "Merlin?" Henry said.
"If you're receiving this message, then things are worse than I feared," Merlin said.
"I don't believe this. We're getting Merlin's voicemail?" Regina said.
"There is only one person who can help you defeat the Dark One now. Her name is Nimue," Merlin said.
"Who's Nimue?" David asked.
"If you want to destroy the darkness, then you must..." Merlin said as he quickly looked behind as he someone come in.
"Back off, Dark One!" Morgana's voice came through.
Merlin looked forward, "No. The Dark One's found us alright," Merlin said.
"Merlin!" Morgana's voice yelled and the message was cut out.
Everyone stared in shock, "What the hell did Alana do to him....T...To them?" Neal said.