Henry, Regina, Emma, Dylan and Calla searched Wish Rumpelstiltskin's castle for Moana and Lucy.
"Maybe, this is the wrong place. If Wish Rumpel really had Moana and Lucy here, why isn't it guarded?" Henry said.
They soon found a cage with fresh meat inside it, "I think you may have spoken too soon, kid," Emma said.
"Never look the Dark One for an animal lover," Regina said.
"He was in another life..." Calla said.
Wish Cruella stepped towards them, "Let's not confuse who tugs the leash around here. Hello, darling," Wish Cruella said.
"Cruella De Vil. Well, I thought you were above being Rumpel's lapdog," Regina said.
"Or he was above hiring you as the help," Calla said.
"I'm not anyone's anything. I was just promised a couple of new furs for a fun evening of killing whoever came knocking at the door," Wish Cruella looked at Henry and smirked, "Oh, then again," She walked towards him, "Perhaps we can strike a bargain for you to be my chew toy. Fancy a little scratch behind the ear, darling?" Wish Cruella said with a smirk.
"Twisted's not really my type," Henry said.
Wish Cruella grunted, "Your loss," Wish Cruella said as she drew a sword.
Regina and Emma were about to step in but Henry stopped them, "I got this," Henry said and grabbed one of Wish Rumpelstiltskin's swords from his collection then began to fight.
Henry soon defeated her and knocked her sword away. Wish Cruella gasped, "I mean, surely, such a noble group wouldn't murder an unarmed woman, hmm?" Wish Cruella said.
"No, of course not, but, we would certainly tighten your lease," Calla used her magic to make Wish Cruella appear in the cage, she turned to her, "Now, be a good girl and tell us where Rumpel put Henry's wife and daughter," Calla said as her eyes glowed gold and the room darkened as the shadows grew closer to Wish Cruella.
"Your little mutts are in the dungeon," Calla stopped the shadows and her eyes turned back to blue, "But knowing where they are and freeing them is a completely different animal," Wish Cruella said.
"Ignore her, let's go," Emma said.
The five of them made their way to the dungeon, they heard muffled voices shouting.
"I hear their voices," Henry said and they go into a room where the muffled voices came from and they found Lucy shrunken down in a snow globe and Moana in a tank in her mermaid form.
"Daddy!" Lucy shouted.
"Moana! Lucy!" Henry shouted.
"Henry!" Moana said as she pressed her hand on her glass of the tank.
"Daddy! Daddy! Help us, please!" Lucy shouted.
Wish Rumpelstiltskin stepped out, "Yes, well, you wanted a happy ending. Now, you can stick yours on a shelf," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said and looked at Calla, "Hello dearie, how's life without your heart?" Wish Rumpelstiltskin said.
"Amazing, I can fight with no guilt, meaning I'll kill you and not regret a damn thing," Calla said.
"You magicked them in, Emma, Calla and I can magic them out," Regina said.
"Wrong, dearie. This bauble and tank are unbreakable. No one can set them free but, me and given that I don't want to, inside, they shall stay," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said.
"They don't deserve this," Henry said.
"You've only got yourself to blame. I told you you'd get your family back when you brought me the dagger but you tried to cheat the terms of our deal," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said.
"My grandfather needs the dagger to get back to Belle. I can't trade my happy ending for him, it's not right," Henry said.
"Blah, blah, blah. Blathering your misguided nonsense! And want to trade your happiness for his and people say I'm crazy," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said.
"We're not trading anything. We'll figure out another way to get them out," Regina said.
"Yeah, maybe you will, maybe you won't. But the real question, is will you do so in time?" Rumpelstiltskin said and he waved his hand the tank appeared in the snowglobe and the snowglobe and it began to fill up with snow.
"Mom!" Lucy shouted as she saw the tank and Moana was trying to break the glass of her tank as it was starting to freeze over.
"What? No!" Henry said in shock as he leaned down to see Moana.
"Daddy!" Lucy called out from the snowglobe.
"What have you done?" Henry asked Rumpelstiltskin.
"Added some incentive. The globe will be filled with snow by midnight and in this fairytale, your Moana won't lose a heart or a hook. She and your daughter will lose their lives," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said disappeared in red smoke.
"Ah!" Moana yelled as the tank broke and she fell onto the broken glass.
"Moana!" Henry shouted.
"Mom!" Lucy said and tried to carefully move her from the glass and hugged her.
Regina, Emma and Calla started to use their magic on the snowglobe to try and free Moana and Lucy, but they weren't helping much, just making it worse.
"Mom, Aunt Em, Calla, stop. You're making it worse," Henry said.
"Sorry!" Calla said.
"It's going to be fine, Henry," Regina said as they stopped using their magic.
"They're freezing in there," Henry said.
"I'll find a way to get them out," Regina said.
Wish Hook, Amy, Roland and Mr Gold walked into the room, "It may not be quite as simple as that. The magic that created this prison cannot be undone like that. The only way to free your family is by going after Rumpelstiltskin himself," Mr Gold said.
"No, no, he'll just make it worse for them," Henry said.
"You don't want to use your mother's, aunt's or cousin's magic or your grandfather's plan. What do you suggest, mate?" Wish Hook asked.
"I suggest that we consider the one sure way to save them," Henry said.
"No," Mr Gold said.
"Henry, please, think about this," Amy said.
"I have Aunt Phinia. We give up the dagger if it's the only way to save my family," Henry said.
"It's not an option," Mr Gold said.
"Why not?! Because I seem to remember that you were willing to cast a curse when it came to taking care of your own child!" Henry said angrily.
"Henry, you're better than that," Regina said in shock.
"Maybe, but maybe it's time that we all ask ourselves... Who really deserves their happy ending?" Henry said.
"Oh," Regina said as she looked down sadly.
"Henry... Mate, take a deep breath," Roland said.
"You're letting your emotions cloud your judgement. The Captain and I have already found a way to gain the upper hand," Mr Gold held up the shell with the squid ink, "So, you stay here and I'll deal with him," Mr Gold said and left the room.
"We're just letting him go? What if he's really going to cut his own deal with Rumpelstiltskin?" Henry said.
"I'll go with him and make sure he stays honest," Wish Hook said but Regina stopped him.
"You don't have any magic. Emma, Phinia, Calla and I will go, there's a library in this castle. Find a spell that'll work on that snowglobe before it's too late," Regina said.
Wish Hook, Roland, Dylan and Henry walked out, going to the library with Henry and they began looking through books.
Mr Gold went back to the Wish Realm version of the old cottage he lived in as a boy. He picked up the sledgehammer and walked into the home, he saw a loom spinning on its own and he walked over to it.
"We really do hate this place," Mr Gold said.
Wish Rumpelstiltskin appeared, "Bane of our existence, dearie, and yet, after everything we've been through to escape it, all you want to do is give up our power and drag us right back," Wish Rumpelstiltskin gestured to the sledgehammer, "Might as well hobble both our legs this time," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said.
"I didn't come here to revisit history or repeat it," Mr Gold said.
"Of course, I know that I know you, I am you. You're looking for a loophole to help your grandson and his family to escape their frosty predicament," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said.
"Well, perhaps you don't know me or yourself... Quite as well as you think. That's not the loophole I'm here to discuss," Mr Gold said.
"Really?" Wish Rumpelstiltskin said intrigued to know more.
"I've been trying to rid myself of my copy of the dagger for quite some time now and every time I try to do it the right way, by giving it to someone pure, it's always a burden. A corrupting force and foisting that onto an innocent? Well, that can never be right," Mr Gold said.
"Indeed, that is a sticky wicket," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said.
"But you, you want the darkness. Giving it to you, I'm not spreading it, I'm not burdening anyone. I think the real loophole I've been looking for all this time is you," Mr Gold said.
"So, you want to make a deal and give me the dagger now. What could possibly have changed?" Wish Rumpelstiltskin asked.
"Well, I've finally realised the one enemy I can never defeat is myself. So, you take the dagger and all the darkness that goes with it and I get to go free and get the happy ending I deserve," Mr Gold said and held out the dagger.
"Well, it's not exactly the way I expected this to play out, but I'll take it," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said and took the dagger, it paralysed him as Mr Gold had put the squid ink on the handle of the dagger.
Mr Gold laughed, "Squid ink. Now, who's weak?" Mr Gold asked.
"This can't hold me for long," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said.
"It doesn't have to," Mr Gold took the dagger and wiped away the squid ink, "You see, you made a miscalculation bringing me here. It did remind me of my weakness, but not because of that hammer, because of you. You see, without Belle, you are just a pathetic beast who needs to be put out of his misery and I'm the only one who can do it," Mr Gold said as he held up the dagger.
"You do that and you will never see your precious Belle again," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said.
"If that means ridding the realms of you, that's a risk I'm willing to take," Mr Gold said.
Mr Gold prepared to stab Wish Rumpelstiltskin with the dagger when Regina, Emma, Amy and Calla came in.
"Phinia! Calla! Regina!" Mr Gold said.
"What the hell are you doing?" Amy asked.
"Get out of here," Mr Gold said.
"I have never listened to you and I never will. You should know that by now," Amy said.
"Too late, impeccable timing, dearies," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said as he freed himself from the squid ink, he knocked Calla, Emma and Regina out with his magic then paralysed Rumpelstiltskin and Amy.
"That dagger was never why I was after Henry," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said.
"What?" Amy and Mr Gold said confused.
"Haven't you figured it out? Thought the hammer would have jogged your memory. The day we hobbled ourselves, we met a seer and she gave us a prophecy," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said.
"Beware, Rumpelstiltskin," The Seer said.
"The boy will be my undoing," Mr Gold said.
"No! What about Bae? He's his son!" Amy said.
"Yes. The boy may be my son's son, but I win all the time and today's the day that prophecy finally comes to pass," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said he disappeared in smoke.
"Papa!" Amy said.
"Phinia, calm down," Mr Gold said.
"Calm down? How the bloody hell do you expect me to do that when my nephew is being hunted by your deranged self?" Amy asked.
"Phinia..." Mr Gold said.
"Fine," Amy said.
Back at Wish Rumpelstiltskin's castle, Henry, Wish Hook, Roland and Dylan were searching the library and Henry found a quill and he got an idea, "I think I just figured out a way to save my family without handing over the dagger," Henry said.
"Well, that's great news," Wish Hook looked at him as did the others, "What do we need to do?" Wish Hook asked him.
"There's no time, I have to go," Henry said and made his way to the door.
"Yeah, of course. We're coming with you," Roland said.
"No, I can do this on my own," Henry said.
"But you don't have to, you're not doing this alone, we're coming with you," Dylan said.
"I was afraid you'd say that," Henry picked up a candlestick then whacked them over the back of their heads, knocking them out cold, "I'm sorry, but if you guys knew where I was going, none of you would help. You'd try to stop me and no one is stopping me," Henry said before leaving.
At night, Henry was travelling through the forest as he walked up to the blind Wish Apprentice drew his sword on him.
"Turn around, brigand. Do not be fooled. I am blind, but my sword is still sharp," Wish Apprentice said.
"I can see that. And you can put it down. I'm not here to fight. I'm here for the Author's pen," Henry said.
"You should be warned, lad... That pen is a dangerous thing," Wish Apprentice said.
"Apprentice?" Wish Morgana stepped out of the hut and walked over to them, "Who's the kid?" Wish Morgana asked.
"Morgana, go inside, I've got this," Wish Apprentice said.
"I do not doubt you my boy, but I heard word of the Author's pen... Lad," Wish Morgana looked at Henry, "That pen is one of the most dangerous things in the world. Meant to record history but... In the wrong hands, it can mean the end of the world as we know it," Wish Morgana said.
"I know all about it. And I can't care," Henry said.
"We care. We have fought many a battle protecting it, some of which have cost us a great deal. But we will not relinquish it to anyone other than a True Author. And there hasn't been one of those in this realm for a very long time," Wish Morgana said.
"I'm not from this realm. Look, it's a long and complicated story but basically, in another land, I am the True Arthur. Now, I need my pen, so whatever test you two have to put me through to figure that out, do it," Henry said.
"As you wish," Wish Apprentice said.
Wish Apprentice held out his sword, Henry grasped it and Wish Apprentice and Wish Morgana both saw Henry's entire life when Wish Apprentice put his hand on Henry's heart.
"That is indeed a complicated story. The timelines alone, they make one's head spin. Only a True Author would weave such a tale," Wish Apprentice said.
"I agree," Wish Morgana said.
"So, what? So, that's the test?" Henry asked.
"It is. You see, every story an Author had ever written lives in his heart. You have done good work. Could use a little more romance, perhaps, but maybe in your next book," Wish Apprentice said.
"I think this one is more the adventure type of Author," Wish Morgana said with a smile.
"So then I passed?" Henry asked.
"It is an honour to meet you," Wish Apprentice said.
"Our True Author," Wish Morgana said.
"Likewise. So, where's the pen?" Henry asked.
"In its rightful place. Look to your hand," Wish Apprentice said.
Henry looked at his hand and the Author's pen had appeared there, "Thank you," Henry said.
"Henry," Wish Morgana stepped up to him and he looked at her, "I noticed you haven't written in quite some time. So, I must remind you... I have already said, but the Author's true job is to record the stories, not create them. So, no matter how many stories you have written, you must choose each time how you will use the pen. Choose wisely, Henry," Wish Morgana said and she watched Henry quickly turned and left.
Henry made his way back to Wish Rumpelstiltskin's castle and approached Wish Cruella who was still imprisoned in a cage.
"Ugh! Finally. It's filthy in here, and Dalmatian is a bitch to clean," Wish Cruella said.
"Try a dry-cleaner. I'm not gonna let you out, but you do have something I need. This pen requires a special kind of ink that's pretty hard to find. But I happen to know the one place it still exists," Henry said as he held up a jar and wind started blowing around Wish Cruella.
"No. No! No, no, no, no, no!" Wish Cruella shouted as Henry drained the dark essence of the ink from her hair and quickly left, Wish Cruella groaned.
"Ohh! I will skin you alive for this!" Wish Cruella said.
Henry made his way to the library, he looked at the snowglobe, saw Lucy pulling Moana from the glass, towards a cabin, "Luce! Can she turn back?" Henry asked.
"No, daddy!" Lucy said in the snowglobe.
"Get your mom somewhere warm, I'll get you both out, I promise," Henry said and Lucy nodded, pulled her mother as Moana helped her daughter.
Henry picked up the storybook and he went to write when Wish Rumpelstiltskin appeared and took the pen, "I'll take that. And that," Wish Rumpelstiltskin made the snowglobe disappear, "You see? Press the right buttons and anyone will do what you want. Eve the Truest Believer," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said.
"You were after the pen," Henry said.
"Plot twist," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said.
"Well, whatever you have planned, it won't work. Only the Author can use it. And I don't care what you do to me. I'll never write a word for you," Henry said.
Wish Rumpelstiltskin playfully gasped as he gesture behind him, Henry turned to see Young Wish Henry walking into the room, "But I will. Hello, Henry," Wish Henry said.
"You're Wish Realm me," Henry said in surprise.
"Surprised? There's versions of other characters. Why shouldn't there be two of us?" Wish Henry said.
"If you're any version of me, you should know that that is wrong," Henry said.
"I am you. Except for one difference. None of my wishes ever came true," Wish Henry said.
"You made a deal with him," Henry said.
"Well, it's what I do," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said.
Henry looked at Wish Rumpelstiltskin, "When you said I wouldn't get my happy ending without your help, you weren't talking about me," Henry looked at his younger self, "You were talking about him," Henry said.
"Po-tay-toh. Pa-tat-toh," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said.
"How could you do this?" Henry asked his younger self.
"I tried finding my happiness the right way, but I got desperate. Looks like you did, too," Wish Henry said.
"And now that we've gotten to know each other, what do you say, Henries? I think it's time we started a new story... Mine," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said as he handed Wish Henry the Author's pen.
Amy, Mr Gold, Calla, Regina, Emma, Roland, Dylan and Wish Hook soon arrived in the library, "Oh, God. Henry," Regina said.
Wish Henry looked at her in anger, "Your Majesty, it's been a while since you killed my grandparents and father with your bare hands. Back to try and finish off the family?" Wish Henry said.
"Oh, no, no, no, no, that wasn't..." Regina said.
"Henry..." Emma said.
"Aunt Em... Not mine, but you seem so similar... Where's his mother?" Wish Henry asked.
"Healing," Amy said.
"Did the Queen try and kill her?" Wish Henry asked.
"Uh, no... A... A rogue shadow... From my realm," Amy said.
"So, you did... In a sense," Wish Henry said.
"Such pain, such anger. I'm riveted. Aren't you riveted?" Wish Rumpelstiltskin said as he held up the pen.
"No, the Author's pen, how?" Mr Gold said.
"I screwed up, big time. Hook, Roland, Dylan, I'm sorry I hit you. Mom, Auntie's, I'm just... I'm sorry," Henry said.
"What's he gonna write?" Calla asked.
"Look," Mr Gold looked at Wish Henry, "Whatever deal you made with him, you don't have to honour it. Trust me, there's always a loophole and I'll help you find it," Mr Gold said.
"Why would I break a deal that's gonna give me what I want?" Wish Henry asked.
"Smart boy and now we must attend to my humble needs," Wish Rumpelstiltskin handed Wish Henry the quill as he looked at his other self, "We have immortality and power, you and I, and you want to throw it all away for the both of us just to get to Belle. Well, I'm afraid, in the stoke of a pen, dearie, I'm gonna make sure you never see her again," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said.
Henry walked over to his other self, "Don't do this, we can help you. This isn't the right path for you, you know that," Henry said.
Emma walked over to Wish Henry, "I'm not your aunt, but I am a version of her... Please, whatever caused you to go to him don't do it... Don't hurt others because of him, he will never truly pick you," Emma said.
"You and mom left... I was alone, blame yourself for coming to my home and taking my mom and aunt from me," Wish Henry said.
"Henry..." Emma said as Henry pulled her away from his younger self.
Wish Rumpelstiltskin appeared in front of Wish Henry, "Take a letter, boy. It goes something like this, The powers of the Guardian..." Wish Rumpelstiltskin said and Wish Henry began to right in the blank storybook.
"No, no, no, no," Mr Gold said.
"No, Henry, don't do this," Calla said.
"...Are no more," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said.
Wish Henry wrote what Wish Rumpelstiltskin wanted, "Done," Wish Henry said as the words become true.
"Well written. My eternity feels eternal again. Oh, oh, oh! And now enjoy a taste of winter in your tiny prison," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said and made Wish Hook, Henry, Mr Gold, Dylan, Calla and Amy appear the snowglobe.
"Henry! Calla! Where'd they go?" Regina asked.
"I reunited Henry and the others with his family, bound to be quite the reunion," Wish Rumpelstiltskin said.
"Then why are we still here?" Emma asked.
"Because we're finally back to what I'm getting out of this," Wish Henry walked to Regina and Emma, "I watched you crush my grandparents' hearts, break my father's neck and take away my mom and aunt that story still needs its ending," Wish Henry looked at Emma, "You're not my aunt but you can be her... Finally, be a family," Wish Henry said and Regina and Emma glanced at each other.
Hyperion Heights...
Back in Hyperion Heights in the bar, Robin was looking for apartments for her and Alice.
"Oh, look, there's a one-bedroom right here in the Heights. Oh, it looks pretty good in the pictures, see?" Robin said as she showed Alice her phone.
"I don't need to see it, I love it. If it comes with a built-in Margot, that's all I need," Alice said.
"Aww," Robin said and she kissed her shoulder.
"Oh, you two are so sickly sweet," Simon walked to Alice, "Alice, I need your help," Simon said.
"What do you need?" Alice asked.
"A small amount of blood, and love," Simon placed the box with Calla's heart on the counter, "It's for Calla, so I can return her heart at last... Love, as a villain removed the love and blood of a sister is the strongest, no matter the realm difference... Please?" Simon said.
"Of course, which first?" Alice asked.
"The blood," Simon handed her a knife, "Pour some blood over the heart, not too much but enough till it shimmers a little," Simon explain and Alice nodded, doing as he said and Robin and Simon watched her.
"What now?" Alice asked.
"Hold the heart in your hands," Alice picked it up, "Think of your love for Calla, when you know you loved her as a sister, think about your memories with her and let your magic do the rest," Simon explained.
Alice nodded and closed her eyes thinking when Calla helped Alice to save her troll friend, when she arrived and stopped Mr Gold from giving Alice the darkness, when Calla gave her cabin and always visited her, she remembered them smiling and laughing together. The heart glowed brightly and the three watched as purple smoke left the heart and Simon quickly captured it in a vial.
"What's that?" Alice asked.
"Rumpelstiltskin's magic... Not our Rumpelstiltskin, another one, from your father's realm," Simon said and Alice nodded.
Suddenly, Alice clutched her heart as Simon grunted holding his head, "Tilly! Simon! Are you okay? What's wrong?" Robin asked.
"I don't know, something's changed," Alice said.
"What?" Robin asked.
"My father and the others, they're in danger," Alice said.
"Something's wrong in the Wish Realm, Princess Calla, Lord Dylan and the High Enchantress are in trouble," Simon said holding onto the bar counter.
"Are you guys sure?" Robin asked.
"Yeah, we have to go they need our help," Simon said, putting Calla's heart back in the box.
"You can't take us in your portals though," Alice said.
"Damn it... Uh, do you two know anyone who could help us? Get a bean or open a portal that will take all of us?" Simon asked and Robin and Alice looked at each other.
Simon, Alice and Robin stood opposite Tiana and Ella they asked them for help to find a way to open a portal.
"I'm sorry, there's not enough beignet magic in the world to open a portal," Tiana said.
"I don't have a bean or a looking glass, I'm sorry," Ella said.
"No, you both must have something," Alice said.
"Tiana, please, as a queen you can help us find some magic... Please, help me help my Queen and Princess," Simon said.
"Right, Queen," Tiana said as she took a deep breath.
"Tiana... May I speak out of turn?" Tiana nodded as looked at Simon, "I saw the same hesitance in my Queen when she first came to our realm, it's normal to be unsure, but a Queen is who you are... It's not just a title, it's personality and strength... You are strong, you can help your people, not because it's your job but because it's who you are deep down," Simon said and Tiana smiled at him softly.
Tiana arranged for everyone to meet at the troll statue, the people ignored her when she tried to speak.
"Hey! Everyone, listen up!" Naveen said and everyone shuts up and turned to Tiana.
"These two young women are known to many of you, they need to get to the Wish Realm to help others, perhaps even save lives. You may not feel that you can help, but I think you can. You may have a pair of silver slippers or a magic hat or a bean, something you haven't thought of in years. Find it, your realm needs you, your queen needs you," Tiana said and she stepped down.
Remy stepped forward, "Your Majesty?" Remy said.
Tiana looked at him, "Remy? Do you have something?" Tiana asked.
"Years ago, before the curse, I was preparing a cassoulet, and I found this," He pulled out a magic bean from his pocket, "A magic bean, I...I hid it in case I ever needed them, but after what you just said, I want you to have it," Remy said as he gave the bean to her.
Tiana smiled, "Thank you," Remy walked away and Tiana gave the bean to Simon, Alice and Robin as well as the food truck.
"Do you want to come with us?" Alice asked.
"Ah, no, thank you. I should stay here and watch over my people. These are some strange times and they need their Queen right now," Tiana said.
"Ella?" Alice asked.
"I trust you guys to bring our friends back safely," Ella said with a smile.
"Good luck," Simon, Alice and Robin bow to Tiana, "No, no curtsies or bows," They chuckle, "Come on," Tiana said and they all hug.
Simon, Alice and Robin got into the truck, Robin got into the driver's seat, "Thanks for the loan of the truck," Alice said.
"Good luck in the other realm," Tiana said.
"You three have got this," Ella said.
"Thanks, we may need it, but we're gonna make a quick stop first," Robin said.
"Where? Where are you going?" Tiana asked.
"To get help from some friends," Robin said, Alice handed Simon a bean.
Simon threw a bean, opening a portal and Robin drove the truck through the portal, arriving in Storybrooke.