Inside Alana's house, Alana was still frozen from the squid ink as Emma and Zelena stood opposite her.
"Get on with it, Swan. That squid ink's going to wear off soon," Zelena said.
"Emma, please," Emma walked to her sister, "What are you doing?" Alana asked.
"You took my memories, Ana. You tried to stop me from knowing the truth and now I'm going to return the favour," Emma said.
Zelena laughed and looked at Alana, "By the look on your face, it would appear someone needs restraining," Zelena put the magic blocking cuff on Alana's wrist, "There. No more magic for you," Zelena turned to Emma, "Now, I assume, given my helpfulness, you'll allow me to go about my business undeterred," Zelena said.
"As long as you don't get in my way, I won't get in yours," Emma said.
"Ah. I think this new you. Tell me, how does it feel to be a Dark One?" Zelena asked.
"It feels like I've been reborn," Emma said.
Flashback: Camelot - Three Weeks Ago...
Emma found herself in a dark room when suddenly she was engulfed by the darkness and she screamed as the darkness made her relive their worst memories.
Emma remembered being left alone with her sister in the land, Pinnochio leaving them alone in the foster home, never finding a home, being sent back to the cost system. After returned from the Enchanted Forest, seeing Alana almost dead by the wishing well. Nearly being sucked into the magic hat. Alana turning dark.
Emma emerged from the vault dress in her black cloak as the newest Dark One.
Someone was waiting for her when she got out, her vision was blurry and when her vision focused she saw the Darkness, representing Rumpelstiltskin.
The Darkness waved at her, "Hi," The Darkness said.
"Gold?" Emma questioned.
"Not exactly, but I understand the confusion," The Darkness said.
Emma lunged at him but he disappeared, "That's not gonna work. I'm not out here," The Darkness appeared in front of her, "I'm in there," He tapped Emma's head, "I'm your guide... The voice in your head," The Darkness said.
"Save your speech. I know who you are. All the Dark Ones in our heads. But it doesn't matter I won't listen to you," Emma said.
"What if I told you, I could get you the one thing you've wanted for months?" Emma looked at him the Darkness giggled, "That's right. I saw what you saw, dearie. I saw your pain and I can ease it. Stick with me and you will finally do what your bestie never could before," The Darkness said.
"And what's that?" Emma asked.
"Why, kill me, of course," The Darkness said.
"I don't want to kill Gold," Emma said.
"Yes, you do dearie... He tried to kill you and your sister, he tried to kill the pirate for his own gain, he tried to take your nephew away, he tried to leave you and Alana with Ingrid forever, tried to have your family killed countless times. Tried to turn you and your sister dark and look at you both know, he succeeded, both Saviours are Dark Ones, but with anger towards him," Emma glared, "That sort of thing never goes away overnight, dearie," The Darkness said.
End of Flashback
Everyone walked into Alana's house and couldn't see her, "Alana!" Amy called out.
"I'll check the basement," David said.
"I'll get upstairs," Regina said.
"Alana! Alana!" Mary Margaret called out.
Amy saw Alana lying down on the couch, "Emma," Amy said as she and Mary Margaret walked over to her to see her with the magic blocking cuff on.
"Hey, what happened?" Mary Margaret asked her as she sat her up.
"Look who I found," Regina said as she walked down with Killian and Neal.
"Killian," Amy said and ran to him, hugging him.
"I'm okay, love," Killian said and hugged back.
"I think..." Neal walked to Alana, "It's time for some answers, Lana where's Emma?" Neal said as he sat beside her.
Alana looked at Neal, "I messed up... I messed up big time," Alana said as a tear fell.
"It's time for answers, Miss Swan," Regina said.
"I know," Alana looked at her, "And you're gonna get them," Alana said.
A few minutes later, everyone but David and Killian was in the living room, listening to Alana.
"You turned Emma into a Dark One?" Amy asked.
"It was the only way to save her," Alana said.
"And you didn't think of the consequences to everyone else?" Regina asked.
"I couldn't just let her die. Just because you're not close with your big sister doesn't mean I'm not! She is literally half of me! I don't think you'd want me to let her die," Alana said.
"Alana, I get that no everyone is like me and Zelena and you and Emma, you're close, I get that. And I wouldn't want Emma to die..." Regina said.
"Come on. We have a bigger problem now," Amy said.
"I know. I didn't think any of this would happen. I was trying to get rid of the darkness for good," Alana looked at Regina, "You can't tell me, after all, Zelena's done to you, your life wouldn't be easier if she were gone. I was doing you and Emma a favour. Emma isn't safe as long as Zelena blames you for apparently taking everything from her," Alana said.
"Come on. This is premeditated murder, Alana. There had to be another way. You should have come to us," Mary Margaret said.
"What?" Alana looked at her, "Tell you the truth? How long did you lie about what you did to Lily?" Mary Margaret looked down, "Exactly, don't expect me to do something you won't... Apple doesn't fall far from the tree," Alana said.
"Lana, breathe..." Neal said.
"That's the darkness talking, what's Alana saying?" Amy said.
Alana took a deep breath and looked at Amy, "I didn't want to risk losing anyone else. I thought it was the best way to control the darkness was to isolate myself. But when I did that, there was no one around to give me hope or tell me when I was being stupid!" Alana said.
"Fine. You're being stupid. So stop it. Right now, we have to clean up this mess," Regina said.
"No. We don't. Give us back our memories. Your dreamcatchers... Regina and Amy can access them, can't they? We can piece together Emma's plan and stop her," Mary Margaret said.
David and Killian walked into the living room, "We're afraid not, love," Killian said.
"The dreamcatchers you said were in the shed... They're gone," David said.
"What?" Alana said.
"What the hell is Dark Emma up to?" Regina asked.
Killian walked to Alana and crouched in front of her, "Alana, do you know anything else? Where's Emma gone?" Killian asked and Alana looked at him.
At the pawnshop, Emma was inside and she stood in front of Mr Gold and Belle.
"Alana turned you into a Dark One?" Belle asked.
"And now you've come here because of everything I had done to you and your sister since you came here," Mr Gold said.
"The thought had crossed my mind," Emma smirked, "For turning Regina dark, I think I'll take your hand. For the Dark Curse, your heart. For trying to fill my little sister's heart with darkness... Hmm, I think your head will do quite nicely," Emma said.
"So what are you waiting for? Get on with it," Mr Gold said.
"Oh, no, no, no, no, no. You never allowed me to decide when you tried to kill me. So you don't get to decide as I really want to... Savour it," Emma smirked and she took a sword off a shelf and slid it across the floor to Mr Gold, "What was it you said to Hook..." Emma thought for a moment as Mr Gold picked up the sword, "Ah, yes. Get your affairs in order, dearie, for we duel at noon on the docks..." Emma laughed, "You really had bad style back then, old man," Emma said.
"How poetic. But we both know this weapon cannot kill you," Mr Gold said.
"Ah, true. That sword can't kill me. But this one..." Emma made Excalibur appear in her hand, "Can," Emma said.
"Excalibur," Mr Gold said.
"You have it," Belle said.
"Yes. Well, not that it's whole, it can no longer control me. But it can..." She pointed it at Mr Gold who moved back instantly and she chuckled, "Kill me. All you have to do is take it from me. So, what say you, coward? Shall we see if you can actually kill me?" Emma said with a smirk.
"Indeed," Mr Gold said.
At Regina's house, everyone was inside and Mr Gold and Belle came over to tell them about the encounter with Emma.
"Once an angry big sister, always an angry big sister," Amy said.
"As a woman, Emma spent months hating me for what I did... Both of them did," Mr Gold glanced at Alana who was looking at him, "It makes sense that ending me would be on her mind," Mr Gold said.
"Why wipe my memory if she was going to announce her plan anyway? There must be more to it," Alana walked to the window and Neal tried to stop her, "Oh, calm down! It's not like I can actually do anything," Alana said.
"Yeah, well, even if there is, we only have until noon to stop her and to save you," Belle said as she took hold of Mr Gold's hand.
"What about Merlin's message?" David asked.
Alana sighed, "What did he say?" Alana asked as she turned to her parents.
"He said this 'Nimue' is the key to stopping the Dark One," Mary Margaret said.
"Nimue was Merlin's true love," Alana said.
"And she was also the first Dark One," Mr Gold said.
"I know. How do we find out more about her?" Alana asked as she looked at him.
"Start your search with the Dark One chronicles. There are many texts that can help us," Mr Gold said.
"As much as I appreciate devotion to scholarship, there is an easier way, I am still a Dark One. I can protect you," Alana walked to Mr Gold and held up her wrist, "You just have to take off the cuff," Mr Gold chuckled, "You don't trust me," Alana said as she glanced at the other who looked down.
"Well, if the situations were reversed, would you trust me?" Mr Gold said.
"No, but let me remind you of something, Gold. You have no power right now, neither do I, so right now I wouldn't need it to knock you to the floor, but I haven't... Which was one of us is more trustworthy? Which was one of us has actually accepted the darkness but not picked the power?" Alana said.
Neal and Amy looked at each other, "So it's true. You're here," Henry said as he walked in.
"Henry. I need you to tell them it's okay to take off this cuff It's the only way to figure it all out," Alana said.
"No," Henry said.
"What?" Alana said.
"You lied to us... About Aunt Em, about everything. Why should we trust you now?" Henry asked.
"Henry, I'm your mother," Alana said.
"Are you? Because the mom I knew wouldn't keep things from me," Henry said.
"I thought you were the one person who would understand," Alana said.
"I thought you were the one person I could trust," Henry said.
"So you can forgive, Regina, Gold, Killian and Amy for everything they've done, but not me?" Alana questioned.
"They've changed. They showed me they changed," Henry said.
"I changed too," Alana said.
"When we first met, yeah. But the minute things got tough, you didn't come to anybody. You decided that you would figure it out on your own. We were a team," Henry said.
"Operation Cobra. I remember," Alana said.
"But now you just want your magic back so you can do it alone. And I've seen what you do with dark magic," Henry said and ran upstairs.
"Henry..." Alana said.
Neal walked to her and placed his hands on her arms, "He needs time, Alana," Neal said and she nodded.
"We should really get to the library. We've got a lot to do," Belle said.
"I have a stop to make first. I'll meet you there," Regina said and they all started to walk past Alana.
"Let me guess... I'm not invited," Alana said.
"Alana. We love you," Mary Margaret said.
"You don't trust me," Alana said.
"We don't trust the darkness. Stay here and let us save you. It's for the best," David said.
"Wow... The best... Everything is for the best, isn't it?" Alana looked at her parents, "This is my sister we're talking about dealing with! All our lives it's just been us! What do you all bloody expect me to do when it's her?" Alana said.
"Alana, it's gonna be okay, just stay here," Killian said.
"UGH!!" Alana said and walked off into the living room, slamming the door.
"I've never seen her like this..." David said.
"It's the darkness," Amy said.
"It's not... It's Lana," Neal said and sighed, before walking out of the house.
Flashback: Camelot - Three Weeks Ago...
It was night time at the Dark One's vault, the others had made their way over to it.
"There's nothing we can do. It's too late. The vault has already forged Emma as its new Dark One," Merlin said.
"She went this way. This way!" Mary Margaret followed the tracks until they stopped, "And then the tracks disappear," Mary Margaret said.
"We should split up, search the woods," David said.
"She's a Dark One. She can transport herself anywhere. So can Alana... Both Saviours are now Dark Ones..." Regina sighed, "It's exactly what Gold wanted, them both dark..." Regina said.
"Don't think like that. We've got to start looking somewhere," Neal said.
"There's no time. Of all the paths I foresaw for Alana, I'm afraid that this was the darkest. We should return to Granny's. Even without my magic, I still have enough ingredients to make preparations," Merlin said.
"We need to go back to Granny's," Morgana said.
"I don't care how bad things got... Alana and Emma wouldn't hurt us," David said.
"Maybe. But this new Dark One, we need as many allies as we can get," Morgana said.
"Lancelot, your mother's the Lady of the Lake. Could she help us?" Mary Margaret said.
"Perhaps," Lancelot said.
"Perhaps?" Neal said.
"Lancelot, you should go. She does have great power. The lake is but a two-day journey from here. It's worth a try," Merlin said.
"And if I don't make it in time?" Lancelot asked.
"Well, then you get to spend your last moments with your mother," Morgana said and Lancelot nodded before walking away.
Morgana, Merlin, Neal, Killian, Amy and Regina started to walk back to Granny's.
"We were so close, Mary Margaret. Alana was seconds away from destroying the darkness and ending this," David said.
"And Emma would have been dead. She chose to save her big sister, David. Something we'd both regret not being able to do. They are just like us, they share one heart, I have never seen sisters or siblings as close as they are. Alana took the same risk that I took when I gave you half of my heart. We save each other. That is what our family does. That is what Alana has done, she's saved her big sister. Alana's still good, so have some faith in her," Mary Margaret said.
"I do. But I just hope Emma will be okay and not go after who we both know she's still angry at," David said and followed the others back to Granny's.
Elsewhere in the woods, Emma was walking through the woods and she stumbled over her cloak.
"Ugh... I hate this. How did Alana walk in this crap?" Emma said as she waved her hand and was engulfed in red smoke and she wore her black leather outfit.
"Yes, much better. I went with leather as well," The Darkness said.
"Get out of here," Emma said to the Darkness and she continued walking.
"Try to ignore me, bet you can't," The Darkness said.
"Talk all you want, spirit. I know you're lying. There's no way that I can get my revenge when Gold's in Storybrooke and I'm trapped here in Camelot," Emma said.
"Well, that's where we come in, dearies. Might I suggest a Dark Curse?" The Darkness suggested.
"And crush the heart of the one we love most to enact it? No, no, no, I won't kill Alana," Emma said.
"Yeah, but there's always a loophole," The Darkness said.
Alana came running up to her, "Emma! It worked! You're alive!" Alana said.
"Yes, it did. You threw me right into that darkness! Job well-done, Alana!" Emma yelled.
"Binding you to Excalibur was the only way to save you both," Alana said.
"Right, Excalibur. And where is this new tether?" Emma asked.
"I don't know... It disappeared right after you did," Alana said.
"Ah, isn't that convenient?" The Darkness said.
"How long has he been with you?" Alana asked as she glared at the darkness.
"You can still see him?" Emma asked.
"Sadly, yes. I mean, she's still a Dark One. No matter how ineffectual she may be," The Darkness said.
Alana rolled her eyes, "Don't listen to him. He's not real. But I am. I'm right here. Look at me," Alana made Emma look at her, "You can still have a future with Regina. In Storybrooke, I know you want that," Alana said.
"Yes, I do, more than anything," Emma said.
"Then take a look behind you," Alana said.
Emma looked around and saw the darkness was gone, "He's gone," Emma said.
"We can do this," Alana took hold of her hands, "We can get the darkness out of both of us for good," Alana said.
"How?" Emma asked.
"By doing what I just did with you. By going to those we love," Alana said and they hugged each other.
End of Flashback
Outside Regina's house and Belle looked at Mr Gold who had stopped walking.
"Rumpel? What's wrong? Aren't you coming?" Belle asked.
"I'm afraid my preparations for this battle can't be found in a book," Mr Gold said.
"But this was your idea," Belle said.
"For you and the others, there might be some way to protect yourself. For me... I've spent an entire life running away from battles. Time to stop," Mr Gold said.
"You don't have anything to prove anymore. You saved me from Merida. You're a hero now," Belle said.
"But that doesn't erase a lifetime of cowardice... Nothing can. Belle... I know that I've hurt you in unforgivable ways. But I also know that not wanting me to die isn't the same as wanting to be with me. So if I survive this, I want to do better by you. I want to love you in a way I never could before. With honesty and courage. Let me be the man you deserve," Mr Gold said and Neal and Amy looked at him.
"I... I don't know what to say," Belle said.
"Don't say anything. If I win... if I win, I go to the well where we were married. And if you meet me there, I'll know how you feel," Mr Gold said.
"Dad," Neal walked to him, "You don't have to do this," Neal said.
"I do son... I darkened the twins, I need to atone for that," Mr Gold said.
"Papa..." Neal said and they hugged.
Amy started to walk away, "Del," She stopped and looked at him, "No matter what... I love you, Delphinia, you're my daughter and I'm so sorry what happened between us... I couldn't be more proud of the woman you become, I'm so sorry for everything I've done... To the both of you," Mr Gold said as he looked at Neal.
Amy walked back to him and hugged him, "I love you too, Papa," Amy said and Mr Gold hugged back.
"Be careful, dad," Neal said.
"This is something I have to do," Mr Gold said.
"Oi, Crocodile," Mr Gold looked at Killian, "Don't get killed, that's my job," Killian said.
Inside Regina's house, Alana was laying on the sofa with her eyes closed as Merida walked in pointing an arrow at her.
"You know, when Regina asked me to guard you, the last thing I wanted to do was be in the same room as you. Now that we're here, this isn't so bad," Merida said.
"You know that won't kill me," Alana opened her eyes, "Put it does, Merida. We both know you're gonna shoot me," Alana said.
"Oh. Won't I? After everything you've done to me," Alana looked at her, "Fine. I'd say an arrow to the knee would do you right good. Maybe me too," Merida said.
"Don't worry, sis," Merida turned and fired an arrow at Emma, who caught it and threw it away then flicked her wrist, knocking Merida out as Alana sat up, "A broken knee is nothing on a broken heart or bond. Isn't that right, sister?" Alana stood up and looked at her, "What is it? I expected to find you and the heroes huddled over a mountain of books, trying to figure out my terrible plan," Emma said.
"That's not why you're here. You're here because you were worried about me because you still care for me," Alana said.
"Oh, Alana. Of course, I still care for you, I care about you getting in my way and I don't want that," Emma said.
"In your way? Killing Gold?" Alana said.
"Don't pretend you haven't thought of it," Emma said.
"I'm not gonna lie, I have... Every day, but I haven't acted on it," Alana said.
"Kudos for you. Always the good girl, always playing the good cop, doing the right thing," Emma said.
"You're not gonna get a rise out of me," Alana said.
"When you tethered me to Excalibur, you opened my eyes. And I now see you for what you really are... An anchor. Ha! And I see clearly now that you are nothing but an annoyingly little girl. But guess what, Alana? I can be free of you and you will never hold me back from getting what I want again," Emma said.
"Em... Emma... Whatever deal you made to get your revenge on Gold, it's not worth it. The darkness is using you. It doesn't care what you want. It only cares what it wants.," Alana said.
"Well, you're only a pawn if you don't know you're being used. As long as I get what I want, I don't give a damn about the rest. And you of all people should understand that," Emma said.
"Everything I did, I did for you," Alana said.
"Well, you see, that's your problem, Alana. You're so afraid of losing the people that you love that you push them away, I do it too. And that's why we'll always be orphans. You don't need some villain swooping in to destroy your happiness. You do that quite well all on your own," Emma said.
"W...Why are you doing this?" Alana said.
"Because... I want to hurt you... Like you hurt me," Emma said as she glared at her and walked off.