ENCHANTED FOREST - PRESENT
Emma, Mary Margaret, Mulan, Scarlet and Aurora were walking back to the haven.
"I don't know if I can do this," Aurora said. "I'm not a very good liar."
"Oh, it's not really a lie, Aurora," Mary Margaret told her. "Lancelot did die an honorable death, and Cora did escape. All true. Just leave the particulars to us. There's no reason to cause unnecessary panic amongst your people."
"I'm not so sure it's unnecessary-"
Mulan noticed that the guard tower was empty. "Wait. The tower - we always have sentries guarding the entrance. Stay close."
The five entered the area below the guard tower, where they found piles of corpses strewn across the field.
"Oh my God..." Emma began.
"This can't be... Our land... We were protected here - hidden. How did the ogres find us."
Mary Margaret and Scarlet noticed that the bodies had bloody chests. "Ogres didn't do this"
"What?"
"Cora did. Their hearts... They were ripped out. This is her magic, twisted and evil. We have to stop her."
"Too late," Mary Margaret said. "She killed them. She killed them all."
"Well, we have to stop her before she hurts anyone else!"
"Hey!" Emma called. "Hey! Look!"
Emma rushed towards a stack of bodies and debris, under which she saw someone waving their hand.
"There's someone under there," Aurora realized, helping Emma free the person who turned out to be Hook. "He's alive."
"Please," Hook begged.
"It's okay," Mary Margaret reassured.
"Please, help me."
"It's okay. You're safe now. We won't hurt you."
"Thank you. Thank you..."
Scarlet smiled. "No way."
STORYBROOKE - PRESENT
Outside Granny's Diner, Dr. Whale approached David and said, "You - we need to talk."
David punched him in the face.
"Ow!" Dr. Whale cried. "What the hell was that for?"
"Sleeping with my wife," David replied.
"Kathryn?"
"Snow."
"Look, I didn't know, all right? I was cursed."
"Yeah, I got it. What do you want?"
"So... Is it true? People are saying that you're trying to find a way to build a portal back to your land, because that's where Emma, Scarlet and Mary Margaret are - they they're alive."
"Well, the whispers can stop. I have no secrets from this town. That's exactly what I'm doing."
"But the land, it's... It's gone. Destroyed the curse."
"Apparently not."
"Well, you having any luck?"
"Not yet. We're working on it."
"Does that mean that all the lands still exist?"
"Possibly."
"So, the Queen lied to us. Again. Are you sure?"
"Remember who we're talking about."
INT. ARCHIE'S OFFICE
Archie answered the door to his office to find Regina standing there.
"Regina," Archie greeted. "Are you here to see me?"
"I've been trying to keep my promise to Henry, but it's been difficult..." Regina admitted.
"To not use magic."
"It's been two days."
"That's an excellent start. Come on it."
Regina entered the office and sat on the couch across from Archie. "It's just that, magic is the way I've always gotten everything."
"It sounds like it's also the way you've lost everything. Regina, this is your chance to start over - to earn Henry."
Dr. Whale barged into the room and Archie said, "Dr. Whale, this is highly inappropriate."
"Send me back," Dr. Whale demanded.
"Excuse me?" Regina asked.
"To my land. Send me back to my brother."
"Why don't you check the 'missing' board like everyone else?"
"Your curse only brought the living."
"Well then, I'm sorry for your loss. But I'm afraid I can't send anyone anywhere."
"Can't or won't?"
"Dr. Whale, I have to insist, please," Archie said. "Go!" Dr. Whale exited and Archie shut the door behind him. "Sorry. What you said isn't entirely true, is it?"
"I'm sorry?" Regina questioned.
"About the curse only taking the living. The grave of your father's here, right?"
"I don't care about Whale or his brother. I brought who I wanted."
"Anyone else? If you want help, you have to try and trust me. Stopping magic is a lot harder than starting."
ENCHANTED FOREST - PAST
The Evil Queen and Rumpelstiltskin were having a magic lesson in the forest. They were practicing on a black unicorn.
"Now, show me what you've learned," Rumpelstiltskin said. "Immobilize it."
The Evil Queen magically froze the unicorn. "There. I did it."
"Excellent work, my apprentice. Now there's just one last tiny, tiny, teeny little detail. Take its heart."
"Like what my mother did to-"
"Oh, your true love. Indeed. Then, you already know how it's done." The Evil Queen slowly inched her hand towards the unicorn's chest. "Gentle. If you do it right, no harm will befall it. Unless, of course, you will it."
She withdrew her hand. "I can't. It's innocent."
"Nothing is innocent." Rumpelstiltskin magically removed the unicorn's heart, which removed the immobilization spell. "Now, it belongs to me. You see, when you take a heart, it becomes enchanted. Stronger than a normal heart. You're not hurting the beast – you're controlling it. Now, show me you know what to do with that power." He tossed the heart to the Evil Queen. "Kill it."
"What?"
"You've seen it done, now do it yourself. Show me, you can take the next step in your training. Crush it." She slowly began to squeeze the heart, but stopped when she saw the unicorn wither on the ground in pain. "Dearie, dearie, dearie. And I had such high hopes."
"And I didn't sign up to kill unicorns."
"Magic is power. Until you can take power, you're not learning anything. Do you want me to teach you or not?"
"Yes."
"Then there's one simple question for you to ponder."
"I'll tell you anything."
"I don't need the answer – you do. What's holding you back?"
STORYBROOKE - PRESENT
Regina flashed back to when she put the enchantment spell on Daniel's body in the Enchanted Forest. "His name was Daniel. I preserved his body with an enchantment spell. He's dead, but frozen. And I've kept him in my family mausoleum."
"Because you couldn't let go of him. If you can't let go of the past, Regina, it's doomed to haunt you." Regina got up and headed for the door and Archie tried to stop her. "Regina, wait. I... I can help you."
"I doubt it." She left.
That evening, Regina was driving home during a thunderstorm. As she was driving, a car cut her off and she stopped abruptly. When she looked up, she saw Daniel staring at her from across the street.
"Daniel?" Regina called, looking away briefly but when she looked back, Daniel was gone.
---
"Papa, Mama, can I go riding?" Grace asked.
Jefferson and Nevaeh exchanged a look and nodded.
"Sure," Nevaeh replied. "I'll take you."
---
David and Henry reached the stables in David's truck and the former got out. Nevaeh and Grace pulled up a short while later.
"All right!" David said. "Hi, Nevaeh. Hi, Grace."
Henry got out of the truck, yawning.
David looked at him. "Come on. What's with the yawn? This isn't school. This should be fine."
"I couldn't sleep," Henry replied.
"Hey. I know. I miss 'em, too. Now, just think how happy Emma, Scarlet and Snow will be when they come home to find that you've become a proper knight. Say hello to your steed."
They came to a row of stalls housing the horses.
"Is he mine?" Henry asked.
"This one's yours."
"Really? So... How do I get on it?"
"Oh, you aren't riding today."
"I'm not?"
"No. There's much to learn before you hop in the saddles."
"Like what?"
"Well, every morning, you'll have to muck out their stalls. Then, you'll both brush them and feed them. after school, you'll do it again. Every day, twice a day."
Henry frowned. "That's not riding, that's babysitting."
"Ah. Horse-sitting. It builds an essential bond. The trust between knight and steed."
"Okay. But, when will I ride it?"
"When the horses tell you. I'm going to check in on the dwarves - see how the mining's coming. I'll pick you up later."
Nevaeh smiled at her stepdaughter. "Your father needs my help with something. Can I trust you and Henry alone?"
Grace nodded. "Yes, Mama."
She kissed the top of Grace's head. "All right. See you soon, dear."
Henry stared at his horse. "So... Anything you want to tell me?"
Grace laughed. "The horse won't answer you. Come on. Caring for a horse can be a lot of fun." She picked a horse to groom. "Follow my lead."
INT. GRAVEYARD
Regina entered her father's mausoleum at the graveyard. Underground, she entered a room with a glass coffin similar to Snow White's. The coffin was empty and Daniel's body was gone.
ENCHANTED FOREST - PAST
Rumpelstiltskin was spinning straw at the wheel, while the Evil Queen prepared potions.
"Are you ready to begin?" the Evil Queen asked.
"Oh, I've been ready," Rumpelstiltskin replied. "The question is, are you?"
"Yes, I am."
"Tell me why you're really here."
"For power-"
"Stop wasting my time! What is it you want? Come on. You've done all your soul searching. Now tell me."
"Can you teach me how to use magic to bring back the dead?"
"That's what this is about? The stable boy?"
"I want true happiness."
"Then find it elsewhere, dearie. Magic can do much, but not that. Dead is dead."
"Then I am lost."
"And I've had my time wasted. I'm sorry but, uh, transcending death is beyond even my reach."
Jefferson and Nevaeh entered and the former said, "I thought nothing was beyond your reach? ...Busy. Should we..."
"No, no. Nothing important going on here."
"Rumpelstiltskin..." the Evil Queen began.
"Ignore her."
"Veah and I got what you wanted," Jefferson said, handing Rumpelstiltskin a crystal ball.
"What about the slippers?"
"Oh. Couldn't find 'em," Nevaeh replied. "Heard talk they've already been moved to another land."
"That's what I needed to get to that other land."
"Well, come with me in my hat," Jefferson suggested. "I'm sure we can work something out."
"No, no. Your hat only transports between magical realms. I need to get to a land without magic."
Nevaeh let out a small chuckle. "Why would anyone want that?"
"My business."
"You want the ball or not?" Jefferson asked, taking the crystal ball.
"Mm... Yes. Help yourself to as much gold as you deem appropriate. Oh, and you. You can let yourself out. Our work is done."
"Wait, so that's it?" the Evil Queen said. "You're not going to teach me anymore?
"So long as you harbor foolish notions of bringing back the dead, so long as you live in the past, you'll never find your future. Teaching you is a waste of time."
"Pardon me...for eavesdropping, but I think you need to look elsewhere for assistance," Jefferson said.
"What do you know about it?" the Evil Queen asked.
"I hear things. Jefferson's the name, this here is my friend Nevaeh, and we're a man and woman who travel and see much. And we know the man who can do what you want – bring back the dead. He's, um, you might say, a wizard. We can bring him to you."
"At what price?"
"Always a price, indeed," Nevaeh said. "So, here's ours. Like he said, we're a man and woman of travels, and we've made many enemies along the way and we'd like a royal passport so we can have free reign to traverse your kingdom."
"How would I do that?"
"Well, you're the Queen, aren't you?"
"That's right, I am. And this wizard... Can he really bring someone back from the dead?"
"Well, if he can't, no one can," Jefferson replied.
ENCHANTED FOREST - PRESENT
Mulan and Emma were watching Hook from a distance.
"Have you seen him before?" Emma asked.
"Yes, I've seen him around," Mulan replied. "He's a blacksmith. Came to our camp a couple months ago. Said he lost his hand in an ogre attack. Why would Cora leave a survivor?"
"It's messy. Doesn't make sense."
"You think he's lying?"
"I think Cora's tricked us before. I don't want that to happen again. Here you go." Emma handed him a cup as Mary Margaret, Scarlet and Aurora joined them.
"I can't thank you enough for your kindness," Hook said. "Fortune, it seems, has seen fit to show me favour."
"An island full of corpses. You're the only one to escape. How exactly did that happen?"
"She attacked at night - slaughtered everyone in one fell swoop. When she started ripping out people's hearts, I hid under the bodies of those who had already been killed. Pretended to be dead myself. Mercifully, the ruse worked."
"So much for fortune favoring the brave."
"It was all I could do to survive." He looked at Scarlet. "Hello, Adeline."
Scarlet waved. "I've been going by Scarlet under a curse and it sort of stuck."
"It suits you."
Emma leaned close to Hook. "I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I'm pretty good at knowing when someone is lying to me."
"I'm telling you the truth."
"We should leave here in case Cora decides to come back," Mulan told them.
"We should start searching for a new portal back to Storybrooke," Mary Margaret suggested. "I only got about five minutes with my husband, not to mention by grandson."
Hook glanced at her. "You have a grandson?"
"Long story."
"Well, I know this land well. I can guide you."
Emma drew her dagger and held it to Hook's throat. "You're not going to guide us anywhere, until you tell us who you really are."
STORYBROOKE - PRESENT
Regina entered the psych ward in the basement of the hospital and realized it was completely deserted. "Dr. Whale? Where are you?"
ENCHANTED FOREST - PAST
At the Evil Queen's castle, Jefferson, Nevaeh and the Evil Queen walked through the halls.
"Where is he, this wizard?" the Evil Queen asked. "You two promised to bring him to me."
"Indeed," Jefferson said. "And off we shall go to see him. But I warn you – be cautious."
"Why? Is he dangerous?"
Nevaeh shook her head. "Not to us. But, bear in mind, he's never been to a world like this before. He's unfamiliar with our ways – with our magic."
"All I care about are his ways and if they will do what I require."
"Well, there's only one way to find out," Jefferson stated. "May Veah and I present to you... Your salvation." Jefferson and Neveah led her outside, where a man was waiting.
"You're the wizard?"
"I prefer doctor," Frankenstein corrected. "But you're welcome to call me whatever makes you comfortable."
"Very well... Doctor. You understand why you've been brought here?"
"Of course. Now... Show me the patient."
---
The Evil Queen, Nevaeh and Jefferson brought Frankenstein to the room where Daniel's body was magically preserved.
"It's remarkable," Frankenstein commented. "It's as if his last breath was drawn just moments ago."
"A preservation spell," the Evil Queen asked. "Can you bring him back?"
"Perhaps. Let's take a look." He made an incision along Daniel's hand and squeezed out a bit of blood. He rubbed the sample between his fingers. "It's wonderful. His condition is ideal. Apart from being dead, that is."
"Just how many times have you done this, doctor?"
"You didn't tell her?"
"Tell... Tell me? Tell me what?"
"The procedure is experimental. Success is yet to occur. But if certain conditions are met, I'm optimistic."
"Optimistic?"
"Just hear him out," Jefferson and Nevaeh said.
"What kind of charlatan are you?"
"I am no such thing," Frankenstein argued in an offended tone. "I was told the last crucial piece of the puzzle exists in this land."
"What else do you need?"
"A heart. It's a fragile organ, and I need a strong one. I've searched the far reaches of my realm for one with the fortitude to stand the shock of my procedure. None have survived. But they say in your land, there are hearts transformed by magic. Hearts made so powerful, they glow."
"That's why you've come here?"
"I need this for my work. So, tell me – how do you change these hearts? How do you enchant them?"
"Those who practice the dark arts do it by ripping the organ out of the living while it still beats," Jefferson explained.
"Mmhmm. And you can do this?"
"No," the Evil Queen replied.
"You assured me that this Queen was some powerful sorceress."
"I will not use magic for evil."
Nevaeh crossed her arms with a small frown. "Well, if you want your fiancé back, then you're going to have to find someone who will."
"Have I wasted my time here?" Frankenstein asked.
"No," the Evil Queen said. "I know exactly who can help us. I know where to get a heart."
STORYBROOKE - PRESENT
She continued looking through the psych ward. "Dr. Whale?"
Regina came to an autopsy room that seemed to have been trashed. The lights were flickering on and off, and there was a trolley with a bloody sheet over it. She lifted the sheet and discovered a severed arm. After recovering from the shock, she pushed the trolley aside to find Dr. Whale sprawled on the ground and missing his arm.
"Whale?" Regina called. "Whale? I know you took Daniel's body and you took one of my hearts. Why? Why?! Did you bring him back?"
"I did it," Dr. Whale replied.
"He's alive?"
"Yes. I brought him back but... He's not Daniel."
"What?"
"He's... He's a monster."
ENCHANTED FOREST - PAST
At the castle, the Evil Queen, Jefferson, Nevaeh and Frankenstein were standing in front of a large fireplace.
"This... Was my mother's," the Evil Queen said.
"How sweet," Frankenstein stated. "But I'm not interested in heirlooms."
"Oh, I believe you will be. Listen."
"To a fireplace?"
"Just listen." Gradually, the faint sound of beating hearts could be heard.
"Where is that coming from?" Jefferson and Nevaeh wondered.
"Her vault." The Evil Queen magically transformed the fireplace into an entrance, and the four of them entered the vault. Inside, she led them to a room, where the walls were lined with boxes containing hearts. "Take your pick."
"These are all hearts?" Frankenstein questioned.
"My mother was a collector."
"Whose hearts are these?" Jefferson and Nevaeh asked.
"I have no idea. She took so many, caused so much pain. It was impossible to keep track. She was a monster."
Frankenstein pulled out one of the boxes from the wall. He opened the lid and peered down at the heart before saying, "Finally. After all this time. It's perfect."
STORYBROOKE - PRESENT - INT. HOSPITAL
Regina stood outside of Dr. Whale's room at the hospital.
David arrived and asked, "What's going on? I just got a call that Dr. Whale was attacked."
"You'll have to ask his doctors," Regina answered.
"No. I am asking you."
"I came here to speak with him and discovered he was hurt. It's the truth!"
"What else? What did you come here to speak with him about?"
"Someone from my past. I believe he's come back. Daniel - his name is Daniel."
"The man you were supposed to marry. Snow told me what happened and... How it was her fault that he died."
"Yes, he did."
"Well, then how could he be back?"
"Whale. He believed he could bring him back from the grave and... I don't know how... But he has."
"You don't know how? Guess."
"He practices something more powerful than magic. Or, so I was told. All he needed was a heart, and he took one of mine."
"You have hearts here?"
"In my vault. From our land."
"Whose heart did he take?"
"I have no idea. I took so many, it was impossible to keep track. I need to go. I have to help him."
"No. Where is he? Look what he did - he's dangerous."
"Not to me. He won't hurt anyone else, David, I promise."
"You know I can't take that chance. You have two choices Regina - tell me where he is, or jail."
"I think it's like when you awoke from your coma. He's following his final thoughts to where he last met me - the stables."
"No. Henry. Henry is at the stables."
INT. STABLES
Henry and Grace, since she had decided to help Henry, were brushing his horse in a stall.
"Gramps says you'll tell me when I'm ready to ride you. So... Anytime," Henry said. "Like, soon?"
Grace smiled lightly. "You have to build trust."
Suddenly, the horses started freaking out. Henry's horse knocked him and Grace to the ground and ran off. A man entered the stall.
ENCHANTED FOREST - PRESENT
Mulan tied Hook to a tree in the woods while Emma, Mary Margaret, Scarlet, who crossed her arms, and Aurora stood by.
"I already told you," Hook said. "I'm just a blacksmith."
"Sure you are," Emma retorted, whistling. "You don't want to talk to us? Maybe, you'll talk to the ogres while they rip you limb from limb." The ogres approached. "Come on."
The three went to leave, while Scarlet remained, but Hook called out to them saying, "You... You can't just leave me here like this!"
"What if he's telling the truth?" Aurora asked.
"He's not," Emma said.
"Good for you!" Hook cried. "You bested me. I can count the amount of people who've done that on one hand."
Emma turned back. "That supposed to be funny? Who are you?" She held the dagger to him again.
"Killian Jones, but most people have taken to call me by my more colorful moniker - Hook."
"Hook..." Mary Margaret began.
"Check my satchel."
"As in, Captain Hook?" Emma questioned.
Hook grinned. "Ah, so you've heard of me. You've clearly met at least one of my sisters. Adopted from infancy."
"You better hurry up. They're getting closer. So, unless you want to be dinner, you better start talking."
"Cora wanted me to gain your trust, so I could learn everything there is to know about your Storybrooke. She didn't want any surprises when she finally got there."
"She can't get there. We destroyed the wardrobe."
"Ah, but the enchantment remains. Cora gathered the ashes. She's going to use them to open up a portal. Now, if you'll kindly cut me loose."
"No. We should leave him here to die," Mulan told the others. "To pay for all the lives that he took."
"That was Cora, not me."
"Let's go," Emma said.
Once again, the three turned to leave, but Hook stopped them.
"Wait. Wait!" Hook called. "You need me alive?"
"Why?"
"Because we both want the same thing - to get back to your land."
"You would say anything to save yourself. Why are we supposed to believe you now?"
"I arranged for transport with Cora. But, seeing how resourceful you are, I'll offer you the same deal. I'll help you, if you promise to take me along."
"How are you going to help us get home?"
"The ashes will open a portal, but, to find your land, she needs more. There's an enchanted compass. Cora seeks it. I'll help you obtain it before she does."
"So, Cora won't make it to Storybrooke, and we'll be one step closer to getting home."
Mary Margaret frowned. "Sounds too good to be true."
"There's only one way to find out," Hook replied.
"You tell me one thing, and whatever you say, I better believe it - why does Captain Hook want to go to Storybrooke?" Emma asked.
"To exact revenge on the man who took my hand... Rumpelstiltskin."
STORYBROOKE - PRESENT - INT. STABLES
"You... You got to stop," Henry told the man, keeping Grace behind him. "You're... You're scaring the horses. A-Are... Are you hurt? Can we help you?" Henry extended his hand towards the man. "Let us help you."
He grabbed Henry by his neck and lifted him off the ground.
"Henry!" Grace cried. "Hey! Leave him alone!"
Regina and David arrived.
"Daniel!" Regina called. "Let him go!"
Daniel dropped Henry and David quickly pulled him out of the stall.
"Are you two okay?" David asked.
"Yeah," Henry and Grace replied.
"Go. Go!"
Henry and Grace ran off.
Regina was still staring at Daniel.
"It's true," Regina said. "You're really here."
Daniel lunged for Regina, but David pushed her out of the way. David shut the door of the stall and locked it. Daniel furiously beat on the door.
"It won't hold for long," David warned. "Can you cast a spell to subdue him?"
"No, I won't use magic on him." David drew his gun. "What do you think you're doing?!"
"He's a monster, Regina! If you won't put him down, I will!"
"David, please! Just let me talk to him." She tried to physically restrain David.
"It's too big of a risk. There's no telling what he'll do."
"You have to at least give me a chance!"
"Out of the way, Regina! Now!"
He pushed Regina aside, but she was relentless and, again, tried to physically stop David.
"No!" Regina cried. "I won't let you hurt him! He'll listen to me! Please! Let me talk to my fiancé."
ENCHANTED FOREST - PAST
During a thunderstorm, Frankenstein had set up a tent in the middle of a field in order to do his experiment. Daniel's body laid inside. Jefferson, Nevaeh and the Evil Queen waited outside, until Frankenstein came to fetch the heart.
"The heart, Your Majesty," Frankenstein said and she handed him the box containing the heart. "Thank you. Now please – wait here. The procedure is one I must perform alone." Frankenstein went back into the tent to begin the procedure. The Evil Queen, Nevaeh and Jefferson watched the shadows through the tent.
"What's he doing back there?" the Evil Queen wondered. "Magic?"
"He says he wields power greater than magic," Nevaeh said.
"Really? Why won't he let us see?"
"In his land, there's much we don't understand," Jefferson told her. "Or can't. If he can't achieve what you seek, Rumpelstiltskin was right. It can't be done."
Lightning crashed, and Frankenstein appeared to plunge the heart into Daniel's body. He exited the tent.
"Well?" the Evil Queen demanded.
"I'm sorry," Frankenstein said. "I failed. The heart wasn't strong enough. It couldn't withstand the procedure."
STORYBROOKE - PRESENT
Regina unlocked the door to the stall. Inside, Daniel had seemed to calm. He slowly approached Regina and brought his hand up to cup her face, but, instead, he grabbed her by the neck. He slammed her against the wall just outside the stall.
"Daniel... Stop," Regina said. "It's me. I love you..."
Something inside Daniel changed and he let go of her neck before saying, "Regina..."
"Daniel..." They hugged. "I can't believe it's really you." Suddenly, he grimaced in pain. "Daniel?"
"Stop. Just stop the pain."
"How?"
"Let me go."
"No. No, I won't lose you again. Without you, I'm lost." Daniel, again, grimaced in pain. "Daniel. Daniel, come back to me."
"Can't..."
"But I love you."
"Then love again."
Something inside Daniel changed again and he turned back to his 'monster' state. He started to go for Regina, but she stopped him with magic. Hesitating, the magically turned him to dust.
"Goodbye, Daniel," Regina said sadly.
ENCHANTED FOREST - PRESENT
Emma and company traveled through the forest with Hook in tow.
"Up ahead," Hook informed. "We'll find the compass just over the ridge."
"Do you get the feeling he's leading us exactly where Cora wants us?" Mary Margaret questioned. "That this whole thing's a trap?"
"It's definitely a trap," Emma said. "As long as we know they're trying to play us, we can-"
"Stay one step ahead of them."
"Exactly." They came to the edge of the forest and saw a beanstalk in the distance. "Let me guess - the compass is up there?"
"Oh, yeah," Hook replied.
"So, how do we get to it?"
"It's not the climb you need to worry about. It's the giant at the top."
STORYBROOKE - PRESENT
Still upset, Regina parked her car outside Archie's office.
ENCHANTED FOREST - PAST
The Evil Queen came across Rumpelstiltskin and his new apprentice practicing in the forest.
"Who's this?" the Evil Queen asked.
"Ah, your replacement, of course," Rumpelstiltskin replied. "I needed someone more dedicated."
"Dedicated?" The Evil Queen magically ripped out the new apprentice's heart and crushed it to dust in her hand.
"Now... Where were we?"
STORYBROOKE - PRESENT
She knocked on the door to Archie's office and he answered.
"You're back," Archie said.
"I used magic," Regina told him.
"Why don't you come in and tell me what happened?"
ENCHANTED FOREST - PAST
Jefferson and Nevaeh were leading Frankenstein through the woods, until they reached their destination.
"Enough," Frankenstein ordered. "I need to be taken home. Now, I have work to do, and I believe our deal is done."
"The deal isn't done until he says it's done," Jefferson told him.
Rumpelstiltskin arrived and said, "Now, now. Patience, please. Our transaction is, uh, nearly complete."
"And are you satisfied with the results?" Frankenstein questioned.
"She did seem rather... Heartbroken."
"She is. She bought my failure."
"You should've seen her tears," Jefferson and Nevaeh commented, sharing a look.
"I've seen the aftermath," Rumpelstiltskin said. "Impressive."
"Now... My property," Frankenstein told the thieves.
"Yeah, here it is," Jefferson stated, handing him a box containing a heart.
"You'll excuse me if I check." Frankenstein opened the lid to find the heart beating inside. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you."
"Oh, the pleasure was mine," Rumpelstiltskin replied. "Thanks to your efforts, I've made my monster. Now, I do hope you'll be able to make yours."
"I'm not making a monster."
"Sure you're not. Good luck."
"If these hearts are as strong as you say, I won't need luck."
"Oh, just magic."
"No. What I'm going to accomplish goes far beyond magic."
"And yet, you need a magical heart to do it."
"So small minded. I need my powers to transcend the limitations of your magic."
"This must be quite a land you hail from if you think your abilities are more powerful."
"They are."
"Care to wager? I suspect, someday, you'll see it my way."
"I doubt it. Now, may we go?"
"Careful, dearie. Just remember – whatever it is you traffic in, it comes with a price."
Jefferson threw his hat on the ground, forming a purple vortex.
"We'll see."
Jefferson turned to Neveah. "The rules of the hat-"
Nevaeh nodded. "I know. Come back soon, okay? Can't have my friend ditching me."
He smiled with a slightly sarcastic tone. "Never, darling."
Jefferson and Frankenstein jumped into the portal.
STORYBROOKE - PRESENT - INT. GOLD'S PAWN SHOP
Dr. Whale entered with a cooler containing his severed arm.
"When they say I charge an arm and a let, that's meant as a figure of speech," Mr. Gold said.
"Put it back," Dr. Whale demanded.
"You want me to reattach your arm?"
"Can you do it?"
"Of course. But first, tell me why."
"Obviously. I meant, why bring that stable boy back from the dead? Why now?"
"I thought... I thought that if I helped her, she would return me to my world. I want to see my brother - to try to bring him back again."
"Again?"
"The first time ended badly. I need to return and try it once more."
"Well, it seems that's rather beyond her abilities. My condolences."
"Now, my arm. You said you can do it."
"Oh, yes. But there's a difference between can, and will."
"Name your price."
"Say it."
"You know what. You came here, not the hospital. So say it."
"I need magic."
"That's all I needed to hear." He waved his hand and Dr. Whale's arm magically reappeared. "Always a pleasure doing business with you, uh, Victor."
ANOTHER REALM - PAST
Frankenstein had returned to his realm with the heart. He entered his castle as a thunderstorm raged outside. Inside, he found his assistant waiting for him in the lab. A body covered by a blanket sat in the middle.
"Doctor," Igor called. "You've returned. Did you find what you were looking for?"
"Yes," Frankenstein said, taking the heart out of the box and held it up. "Look at it. It's remarkable, isn't it?"
"The final piece to the puzzle."
"I believe so. Let's begin." Frankenstein started the experiment. He harnessed the electricity from the lighting and channeled it towards the body on the table. Slowly, the body began to raise its hand. "It's alive."
"You did it. Victor, you did it."
Frankenstein clasped the extended hand. "Yes. I believe I have. Welcome back, brother."
"It's magic, Dr. Frankenstein."
"No, not magic. Science."