STORYBROOKE - PRESENT
Mr. Gold's car came to a stop in front of the town boundary. He got out and popped the truck, where Smee was bound and gagged inside.
Mr. Gold removed the gag and led Smee over the town line before saying, "This will only take a moment."
"Don't... push me over," Smee begged. "If I cross this line, I'll lose my memory. It's a cruel fate."
"A fate you were more than willing to bestow upon Belle." He kicked Smee to the ground and took his hat. "You've had this rag since the day we met. Why is it so important to you?"
"My grandmother made it for me when I was a boy. It's always brought me good fortune. What difference does it make?"
Mr. Gold poured a potion over the hat, causing it to glow. "Oh... All the difference in the world. It's your only chance." He threw the hat back to Smee, who quickly put it on.
"What do you mean, my only-"
Mr. Gold pushed Smee over the town boundary. A surge of blue magic pulsed through his body and stopped.
"What's your name?" Mr. Gold asked.
"William Smee," Smee replied.
"And who am I?"
"Rumpelstiltskin. The Dark One. I remember everything! How can this be?"
"Well, it seems our little experiment was a success. Now go." Smee fled the scene. "I have a trip to plan."
---
Several Storybrooke residents were gathered around a casket and a tombstone. It read 'Archibald Hopper - Friend and Conscience'.
Mary Margaret gave the eulogy. "Some of us knew him as Archie. Others, as Jiminy. But we all knew him as a true friend. And though, he may now be gone, he will always live on inside of us. Reminding us to be our best selves, to do the right thing, to always fight for what we believe. So, we shouldn't think of today as goodbye, just as a way of saying... Archie, we'll be listening."
Marco walked up to the tombstone and laid Archie's umbrella against it before saying, "I miss you so much, my friend. Well, at least... You are in a better place."
---
In the hold of Hook's ship, Hook was interrogating Archie, who was still tied up.
"Wait!" Archie cried. "No, please, don't! Wait! Please! Please!"
"Shh... As your patient, the Dark One must've told you all manner of secrets," Hook said. "Where is his dagger?"
"I don't know anything about a dagger."
"No, you don't, do you? It's his weakness. Now, tell me, does he have any others?" Archie didn't respond. "Very well. I've always wanted to dissect a cricket." He dug his hook into Archie's forehead.
"No! Wait. Wait. Please."
"Ah... That's more like it. Now tell me, Cricket, what is his weakness?"
---
Belle entered Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop. "Hey. What, uh... What's wrong that you couldn't tell me on the phone?"
"I did it," Mr. Gold replied. "I can leave."
"You can cross the town line?"
"Indeed I can. When I pour this potion onto the object I hold most dear, that object becomes a talisman, and allows me to cross the town line and still remember who I am."
"And who you're looking for?"
"My boy."
"What, um... What will you enchant?"
"Well..." he revealed a hidden safe behind a painting. He unlocked the safe and pulled out a well-worn shawl. "This shawl... is all I have left of my Baelfire."
"I don't suppose I could come with you?"
"No, I... I... I truly wish you could, but... I only have enough of this potion for one object." He put the shawl back into the safe. "This is my journey, Belle. This is my journey. I'm afraid it's something I have to do alone."
The two hugged before Belle said, "I know."
FAIRY TALE LAND - PAST
Belle was reading at a table in a pub. She watched a crowd gather around a man on the other side of the room and the man said, "There's a fearsome beast ravaging a faraway kingdom. Its eyes burn with fire. They call it the yaoguai. No man has been able to kill it, but we will. There's room on our wagon. Now, who's going to join us?"
Grumpy approached Belle's table and sat. "Looking for an adventure?"
"Dreamy, right?" Belle questioned.
"Yes. I came to thank you. That advice you gave me last night? It worked. Nova and I are running away together."
"That... That's wonderful."
"Why don't you sign up?"
"I, um... I've always dreamt of heroics, but... I think it's safer I stick to my books. They're the only adventures I know that have happy endings."
"Well, maybe this one'll have one, too."
"Well, yeah, I doubt it. Last time I faced a beast, it... It didn't end well."
"What are you talking about?"
"Men, follow me," the man said. "Yaoguai awaits." The men began filing out of the tavern.
"Get on that wagon. Go. Take a chance."
"Thank you," Belle replied as she packed up her book and went to leave, but Grumpy stopped her.
"Wait! Belle, wait. It's fairy dust. Might come in handy." He handed Belle a small satchel.
"Oh, no... Thank you, I... I've seen what magic does to people."
"You've seen what dark magic does. Fairies use this for good. Now go be a hero."
"Okay." She ran off to catch up to the group.
STORYBROOKE - PRESENT
Belle made her way to the library and entered. She grabbed a handful of books to put away. She ran into Hook, who was reading a book in one of the aisles.
"Uh, sorry," Belle apologized. "The... The library's not open yet."
"Oh. I'm not here for the books, love," Hook told her."
"You. You're one of the ones who broke into my cell at the Queen's palace." She ran into the main part of the library and Hook followed her. "You wanted to kill Rumpelstiltskin."
"Oh, I still do. But, right now, I'll settle for you."
She pushed a cart of books on top of Hook and ran into the elevator. Hook freed himself from the pule and dashed towards the elevator, but the door shut in his face. He banged on the door.
Belle called Mr. Gold from inside. "Hey, Belle."
"Rumpel, I'm... I'm in the elevator," Belle said. "There's a man here. He broke in. He wants to kill me."
"Belle? You're... You're breaking up. Who's in the library?"
"...Pirate-"
"Belle?"
"...A hand. Missing a hand-"
"Belle?"
"Hello?" The line cut out and Belle hung up the phone.
"Belle?"
FAIRY TALE LAND - PAST
Belle had managed to catch up with the group of travelers. She sat on the back of the wagon, reading her book.
"What's that?" a man asked.
"Uh, a book?" Belle answered. "I trust you've seen them before."
"You expect to defeat the fiercest creature in the land with a book?"
"Maybe she means to bore it to death," man two guessed.
"It will tell us how to find the yaoguai," Belle told them.
The man looked at the book with a frown. "These are just scribbles."
"It's called another language. And one that I know how to translate."
"What?"
"Oh, I thought it was just scribbles?"
"We're here to protect the land, girl. If that book tells us where to go, you shall share it with us."
"It says we'll find the yaoguai by the lake."
"The lake, you say?"
"Yes."
"You heard her, Claude! We're going to the lake!" The man pushed Belle off the wagon while it was still in motion and yelled to the driver.
"To the lake!" man two shouted.
"Wait!" Belle cried.
"Don't forget your book!" the man said, tossing the book towards Belle.
Belle picked it up, and then, looking smug, she yelled to the distant wagon, "Enjoy the lake!" She read a passage of the book aloud. "The yaoguai prefers mountain habitats to all others. The yaoguai hibernates by day, hunts by night." Belle tracks down the yaoguai, until she arrived in front of a cave in the forest. "Please be asleep." She drew a dagger and began slowly approaching the cave. However, she stepped on a branch, alerting the yaoguai to her presence. The yaoguai charged out of the cave towards Belle. She ran, but tripped and fell to the ground. Mulan, who had been waiting in secret, shot the yaoguai with an arrow, scaring it off. "How ever can I thank you? Y-you saved my life."
"And you ruined my hunt," Mulan retorted. "It took me weeks to track the yaoguai here."
"Yeah. I found it in a day."
"You had luck on your side."
"No, not luck. It was this." She held up her book. "I could, uh... I can help you find it again."
"You've done enough damage already. If you really want to help? Stay out of my way."
STORYBROOKE - PRESENT
Belle was still trapped in the elevator. There was someone banging on the door, trying to get in. When the door opened, it turned out to be Mr. Gold, not Hook. She ran into his arms.
"Belle," Mr. Gold said. "It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. Here." He placed his jacket over her shoulders.
"Where... Where is he?" Belle asked.
"I don't know. But you've got nothing to fear. I'm here now."
---
At Mary Margaret's apartment, Henry was brooding on his bed.
Emma entered the room with a Pop Tart on a plate. "Hey, kid. You hungry? I managed to wrangle up a Pop Tart."
Jackie smirked lightly. "I've still no idea what makes them so addictive."
"No, thanks," Henry replied.
Emma and Jackie headed back to the living room, where Mary Margaret and the rest of the funeral attendees were gathered.
"Well, that went well," Emma muttered.
"Emma, you're doing all you can do," Mary Margaret told her.
"That's what makes me feel awful."
"Ladies?" Leroy called. "The dwarves have been thinking. We have to ask - when do we go back?"
"Back?" Emma repeated. "Where?"
"The Enchanted Forest. Our home."
Mary Margaret frowned. "You want to go back?"
"We fought really hard to get here," Emma said.
"But with what Regina did to Archie, Storybrooke ain't as safe as we thought," Leroy reminded her.
"We're going to find her. There's only so many places she can hide."
"We've dealt with her before, we'll do it again," Mary Margaret said.
"But it's not just her," Leroy noted. "The curse is broken. There's a whole world full of people beyond the town line that don't know who or what we are. Ever think of what might happen if one of them here to come pay us a visit?"
"He's right," Ruby agreed. "What if they see, you know, magic? Like a girl turning into a wolf, for example? Folks weren't exactly understanding back in our world."
"Okay, let's not worry about 'what ifs'," Emma told them. "No one is here."
"Yet," Leroy stated. "Maybe they come, maybe they don't. But that doesn't change the fact that while we might enjoy things like penicillin, we're a bit homesick."
Jackie looked between them. As much as she wanted to go back, she did enjoy her life in Storybrooke. Silently, she left and began walking to her ship. Every so often she tended to it and since she wasn't in the mood to be social, she thought it the perfect opportunity.
---
Mr. Gold and Belle were walking along the main street back to Mr. Gold's shop.
"Where are you going?" Belle questioned.
"The shop," Mr. Gold replied.
"Why?"
"Well, let's just say, there are many wonderful things in there, that I could use to make sure that pirate never comes near you ever again."
"Rumpel, no. We... We need to report this to the Sheriff. They'll take care of him. You're so close to finding your son. Please. Please, don't let your hatred for this man get in the way of that."
"But he tried to harm you."
"But why? What... What happened between you two?"
"Belle... This is not really your concern."
"He attacked me. It most definitely is my concern."
"Many years ago, I was married to a woman named Milah... Until Hook and Jackie crossed our paths."
"She was Baelfire's mother?"
"Yeah. And because of that marauding cur, he grew up without her. He took my wife - he took Bae's mother - so I took his hand. Jackie thankfully doesn't seem to have a grudge against me. But something happened between her and Hook and no one knows for certain."
"That's why he came after me. But, uh, what... What about her? What... What did he do? Rumpel, you can... You can tell me anything."
"She died. That's all that matters."
They arrived at the shop and entered. Inside, they discovered that the entire shop had been ransacked.
"What happened here?" Belle wondered.
"Hook," Mr. Gold said. "This is why he attacked you."
"To get you out of the store. What did he want?"
Mr. Gold checked the safe and found it empty.
From a nearby rooftop, Hook spied on the pair through a telescope. Smee, holding the stolen shawl, joined Hook.
"You have it, Mr. Smee?" Hook questioned.
"What is it, Captain?" Smee asked.
"It's the end of the crocodile's hope. Now he's trapped here."
---
Mr. Gold began smashing things with his cane until Belle stopped him.
"Rumpel!" Belle called. "Rumpel! Stop it! Stop, please."
"No, you're right," Mr. Gold agreed.
"Hey..."
"I'll have to retrieve what's mine." He stalked towards the exit.
"Let me... Let me help you."
"This is my fight."
"And this is my fault! If Hook had never attacked me, you never would have left the shop."
"How do you propose that we get the shawl back? Have you dueled with a pirate before? How exactly are you going to help me?"
"Well, I'm not going to sit here and do nothing!"
"No. You're going back to the library, lock the door, and wait for me to dispense with this problem!"
"And, if I don't? You'll... You'll cast some spell that gives me no choice?"
"No. I trust you'll do as I wish, as you trust me to be a better man. Belle, please. Hook has maybe cost me the chance of finding my son. I don't want to lose you, too. Here, look. I want you to take this." He pulled a gun from one of the drawers and handed it to Belle. "Just in case Hook is stupid to come after you again. Point this, pull this trigger, and the gun'll do the rest for you. All right? All right?!"
"Yes, yes." He tried to leave again, but Belle stopped him. "W-wait. Promise me that you going after Hook is just about getting the shawl back."
Mr. Gold didn't respond and abruptly left.
FAIRY TALE LAND - PAST
In a village center, Belle was pulling up a bucket of water from a well, when two of the men from the wagon ambush her. One grabbed her and held her over the well, while the other interrogated her.
"The yaoguai wasn't at the lake," a man said.
"I'm, uh... I'm sorry," Belle apologized."I... I m... I must've misread that one."
"See, you know what I think happened? I think you sent us in the wrong direction on purpose."
Suddenly, one of the men was hit and was thrown onto the ground. Mulan emerged from the crowd of villagers and ordered, "Let her go."
"This isn't your fight, solider."
The second man drew his sword and begins to swipe at Mulan. Unarmed, she twisted him onto the ground, losing her helmet in the process.
"Wait. You're a-" man two was cut off when Mulan punched him in the face.
"Yeah, I know," Mulan said as she noticed that a crowd has gathered at the scene. She directed her attention towards the men. "Go." The two of them leave." She approached Belle.
"I didn't expect to see you again," Belle said. "Thank you."
"I had to put up with brutes like them when I served in the Emperor's army. Fools who think we have no business holding a sword. I only wish there was someone there to stand up for me." Mulan grimaced in pain and grabbed her knee. It was clearly wounded.
"You're, uh... You're bleeding."
"I'll survive. The sun should be setting soon. We need to move out."
"What... What... What do you mean, 'we'?"
"You tracked the yaoguai in a matter of hours. It took me weeks. You track the beast, and I'll kill it."
"I'd be honored to help you."
STORYBROOKE - PRESENT
Belle cleaned up the mess of books at the library. Amongst the pile, she found a knotted piece of rope. Curious, she found a book titled 'A Nautical Guide' and looked through. She found a page on ship knots and discovered that the piece of knotted rope was called 'the Monkey's Fist'.
"Hook came here on his ship," Belle realized.
---
Carrying a bag, Smee headed down the main street of Storybrooke. When he reached a parking lot, he was confronted by Mr. Gold.
"Leaving town, Mr. Smee?" Mr. Gold asked, pinning Smee to the wall using magic. He struggled to breathe. "I spared your life. And this is how you repay me? That object you stole from me -- I want it back."
"I gave it to Hook," Smee told him.
"And where is he?"
"I don't know. W-we met on a rooftop. He didn't tell me anything."
"And why would he? Hook knows exactly what you are, Mr. Smee - a sniveling rat." A puff of black smoke from Mr. Gold turned Smee into a rat. "Now, scurry off."
---
Belle made her way to the docks in search of Hook's ship, but found it deserted apart from The Black Pearl. "Where is it?"
Jackie emerged from her ship, which was next to Hook's unbeknownst to her, and tilted a brow as she asked Belle, "Are you on a quest, lass?"
Belle nodded. "Hook came here on his ship, but I can't seem to find it."
Jackie looked around, then up and pointed. "Birds don't float in the air. They're clearly sitting upon something."
Above them, they noticed several seagulls perched on a seemingly invisible object. Belle grabbed a handful of feed from a nearby container and threw it at the base of the ship. The feed revealed the stairway leading onto the boat.
"Found you," Belle said, walking carefully up the stairs, followed by Jackie, until they crossed an invisible barrier, which allowed them to see the ship for themselves.
Jackie ran a hand along the hull of the ship. "Hello, old girl. It's been a long time."
"Jackie!" Belle called.
Jackie and Belle went below deck and heard Archie yell out.
"Hello?" Archie called.
"Uh... H-Hello?" Belle asked.
"Down here!" Belle opened the grate and found Archie tied up inside. "Belle! Jackie! Oh, thank God!"
"Archie! You're... You... You're okay!"
"Yes, I... I... I am. I... I... Can... Can you, uh..."
Belle grabbed a nearby sword and cut Archie's ropes. He untied his legs and climbed out before Belle said, "Go. Find Mr. Gold. Tell him I'm here with Jackie. Bring him back to the ship."
"Wait. You two aren't coming with me?"
A creaking noise sounded from above and Belle cried, "Go. Go! Go, go! There's no time to argue."
Archie exited, leaving Belle and Jackie behind.
Jackie glanced up and pursed her lips as she drew her sword. "Oh, revenge will be as sweet as honey."
Belle frowned. "Revenge? On who?"
"Captain Hook."
"What did he do?"
"He's the reason my brother is dead."
---
David and Mary Margaret were washing dishes at the apartment. They saw Henry sitting on his bed calling someone.
"Who's he calling?" David wondered.
The recording on Archie's office phone faintly sounded. "You've reached the office of Archibald Hopper. I'm sorry I can't take your call right now. I'm either with a patient-"
"Or dead," Henry muttered.
Henry hung up and David sat next to him on the bed and said, "It's okay, buddy. Things will get better, I promise. You just... got to hang in there."
"Doesn't feel that way."
"I know. I know."
Pongo suddenly entered through the front door and rushed to where Henry was sitting.
"Pongo!" Henry called.
"How did he get in here?" Mary Margaret wondered.
Emma entered. "I brought him. Marco and I had a chat. Archie knew how much Henry loves this dog. We decided he should have him. That is, if you're up for taking care of him, Henry."
Henry said, "Yeah, I am!"
They saw the trail of mud brought in by Pongo and Emma offered a suggestion. "Henry, why don't you take Pongo and clean him up?"
"Okay. Come on. Come on, boy! Come on! Let's go! Come on, boy." Henry left.
Emma spoke again. "All right, look. I know that there's a lot to work out logistically, but-"
Mary Margaret cut her off. "No, no, no. I think giving Pongo to Henry is a great idea. It's just, four people and a Dalmatian in this loft. Things might get a little-"
"Cramped. I know. We'll get creative."
"Or... We could get our own place."
"You want to do what?"
"You want to move out?" David questioned.
"Whoa!" Mary Margaret exclaimed. "I... It's just a suggestion."
Emma looked between them. "After twenty-eight years, isn't this what we've all been waiting for? To be together under the same roof?"
"Yes! I just... Imagined a bigger roof. ... With turrets. Being here in Storybrooke, we have a chance at a fresh start. Let's take it."
---
Belle placed the gun on the counter and she and Jackie began searching the room for the shawl. They found a locked box on a shelf, but no key. They eventually found the key on one of the shelves and Belle opened the box. Inside, there were only a few pieces of gold. Jackie studied the gold, resisting the urge to take it. Holding the shawl, Hook entered behind them.
"Looking for this?" Hook asked.
"Uh, that doesn't belong to you," Belle told him.
"Oh, it does now." They each glanced at the gun and Belle attempted to grab it, but Hook was faster. "Oh... My dear Belle, you should've stayed with your books. Real life can get so... Messy." He pointed the gun at her head. "Jacqueline, rest assured, you'll walk away from this unscathed."
Jackie moved behind Hook and put her sword to his neck. "Belle and I will, but you, Captain, won't."
FAIRY TALE LAND - PAST
Mulan and Belle were traveling through the woods, when they came to a ridge.
"It's just ahead," Belle informed.
"You found it," Mulan said. "Your books serve you well." Below, they saw a burning village. Mulan cringed in pain due to her injured knee.
"Mulan, your leg's getting worse."
"No. I have to protect my village." She attempted to walk, but collapsed in Belle's arms.
"You can't even walk. How... How are you going to kill the yaoguai?"
"I'm not. You are."
"Me? I... I'm... I'm... I'm not a soldier."
"You have good instincts. You tracked down that beast faster than I ever could."
"Uh, tracking it and killing it are not the same thing."
"There was once a time when people didn't think that I had what it took, either, but I proved them wrong."
"How? Mulan: By showing them that I had the warrior spirit. Once I found something worth fighting for, I fought for it with everything that I had. I never gave up. Belle... The fate of my village depends on you." Mulan unbuckled her sword and handed it to Belle. "Don't be afraid."
STORYBROOKE - PRESENT
Hook still had his gun pointed at Belle's head, Jackie's sword against his throat, as the brunette said, "I'm not afraid of you, and I'm not leaving without that. And neither is my friend."
He placed the shawl on the counter. "Well, I admire your loyalty. But helping Rumeplstilskin? I'm afraid you're fighting a lost cause."
"He needs that shawl to find his son."
"And what makes you think his son wants to be found? Mm? I'm doing that boy a favor."
"Have you not hurt Rumpel enough? Haven't you hurt Jackie enough?"
"Oh, I've hurt him and her?"
"You stole his wife and killed her brother."
"Tell me something, love. If a woman comes to you and begs you to take her away, is that theft?" He pushed Jackie's sword down and said, "I didn't take your brother's life, love."
Jackie narrowed her eyes and scoffed. "To plead innocent you would say that."
"Why would she leave him?" Belle asked, pulling a near fuming Jackie back.
"Because he was a coward," Hook replied. "And because she loved me. Though I may have loved another and not realized it at the time. I should have burned this the moment I acquired it."
"Why didn't you?"
"Because she made it."
"I'm sorry she died, but... Vengeance? Vengeance won't bring her back."
"Died? Like it was some kind of accident? Is that what he told you?"
"He... Well, he... He didn't say."
"No, of course not. Of course he'd leave out the most important detail of her passing."
"And, uh... What would that be?"
"He killed her. He ripped out her heart, and he crushed it right in front of me and Jacqueline."
"No..."
"Oh, yes."
"No!"
Jackie nodded. "I'm afraid it's true, Belle."
"Yes," Hook said. "He will do anything - anything - anything to hold on to his power. Why do you think anyone who's ever gotten close to him, has either run away, or been killed? Now, what makes you think you're any different? Tell me something, darling. Why would you want to fight for a man like that?"
"Because I still see good in him," Belle answered. "Because I believe he's changed. Because his heart? Is true. And yours? Yours is rotten. Jackie's thankfully isn't. It may be full of anger, but she has a good heart."
Belle slammed the oar that was hanging from the ceiling into Hook's head. He stumbled back and fell into the storage area where Archie was held. Belle grabbed the shawl from the counter and ran upstairs, followed by Jackie.
"You have no idea..." Hook trailed as Belle and Jackie made their way above deck where Hook cut them off.
"How the hell did you..." Belle began.
"Oh, I know this ship like the back of my... Well, you know. I'd suggest you give that back to me now."
Mr. Gold arrived on deck. "Or what?"
"Ah. You look different in this world, crocodile. Like the coward I met so long ago - limp and all."
"And yet, you still can't kill me."
"Let's have it, Dark One. What magic are you going to hide behind today?"
"Oh, no. Not magic." He began hitting Hook upside the head with his cane, causing him to fall back. Mr. Gold furiously began beating Hook with his cane.
Jackie once again drew her sword and lunged at Mr. Gold, only to be knocked back. She hit her head and let out a pained groan.
"Don't hurt her!" Hook cried.
FAIRY TALE LAND - PAST
Belle saw the yaoguai in a field, leaving behind a fiery trail. She yelled to it in order to coax it towards her. "Over here! Over here!"
Belle ran into the nearby village, which appeared to be abandoned, with the yaoguai trailing close behind. Belle waited by the above ground water system and drew her sword. When the yaoguai approached, she slashes the pipes, releasing a blast of water. The water extinguished the yaoguai's flames and it flailed helplessly on the ground. Belle approached the creature, and saw that it was writing symbols in the dirt.
"You... You're writing something. Jiu wo. Save me. You need help." She sheathed her sword and instead took out the satchel of fairy dust. "Let's, uh... Let's give this a try, shall we?" She sprinkled the fairy dust over the yaoguai, and in a puff of purple smoke, transformed the beast into a human – Phillip.
"The curse... You broke it," Prince Phillip said.
"Someone... Someone did this to you?"
"Maleficent – an evil sorceress from my kingdom determined to do everything in her power to keep me apart from Aurora, my true love. So she exiled me to this land, and turned me into a monster. I tried to warn the villagers, but... No one understood what I really was. Except you."
"Well, you're not the first beast I've faced."
"I am forever in your debt. Please, tell me how I might repay you."
"My friend's hurt. She... She needs a doctor. As do you. Help me bring her back to the village."
"It would be my honor."
STORYBROOKE - PRESENT
"Rumpel!" Belle called. "Hey, let's go. Let's go. Let's go."
"No, not yet, Belle." He hit him again.
Belle held up the shawl. "This - this is what you came for. This is what's going to get you back to Bae."
"Ah, you're wasting your breath, love," Hook said. "He can't resist. He has to prove that he's not a coward."
"You may want to turn away, Belle," Mr. Gold warned. "This isn't going to be pretty." He began beating Hook with his cane.
"Do it! Do it! Kill me! He has to show you how powerful he is."
"No, Rumpel," Belle protested. "This... This is what he wants. To destroy every bit of good in you."
"Rip my heart out. Kill me like you did Milah, and then I'll finally be reunited with her."
"He has to die, Belle," Mr. Gold told her, dropping his cane and lunged for Hook's throat.
"No!" Belle cried. "No, he doesn't! There's still good in you. I see it. I've always seen it. Please. Please show me I'm not wrong."
"You take your little ship, and sail until you fall off the edge of the world. I never want to see you again. Let's go."
They left and Jackie crossed her arms. "So. You still live."
Hook nodded as he stood. "That I do. I'm a survivor. My revenge is still very much at play. Jacqueline, I meant what I said. I didn't kill your brother."
Jackie narrowed her eyes. "You set sail with my brother and returned with his corpse. How do you expect that to look?"
"He fell victim to a deadly poison."
"Convenient. You'll come up with any lie to prove your innocence."
"Jacqueline, I promise you. It's true. I wish you'd gone with us on that voyage to see for yourself."
Jackie pursed her lips. "So I wish too. That way I could see the lies you now project. I'd say good day, but we both know that means nothing."
She walked away and Hook stared after her sadly before saying quietly, "I will prove the truth to you, Jackie."
---
At Granny's Diner, Mary Margaret and David were looking through the real estate available in Storybrooke.
"I really liked this one," Mary Margaret said.
"I don't know," David stated. "The yard looks kind of small."
"You going to say that about every house we look at?"
"I grew up on a farm."
"This isn't about the houses, is it?"
"We buried a friend this morning, Mary Margaret, and it made me realize... I don't want to die here."
"But our home, David? It doesn't exist anymore. The ogres are back. Cora's in power."
"Which is exactly why we need to return. To make things right - to fight."
"I'm tired of fighting! That's all we've ever done. We have a chance here - a chance to be together."
"But what if we don't belong here? Isn't it worth it to fight for what we really want?"
"Unless we don't want the same thing."
INT. MARY MARGARET'S APARTMENT
Henry was drawing while Pongo laid at his feet.
Emma entered and asked, "You plotting your escape from Shawshank, kid?"
"No, they're blueprints," Henry replied. "I had some ideas for what if David and Mary Margaret move out. Look."
"You want to make Mary Margaret's room an armory?"
"Yeah. You know, for weapons and stuff. To protect us - from Regina. She hurt Archie. What if she wants to take me back?"
"That's not going to happen."
There was a knock on the door, and Pongo started getting agitated.
"Pongo?" Emma called. "What is it?" She answered the door.
Henry frowned and went to the door.
"Archie?" Henry called.
"Henry," Archie said. "Oh!" Henry hugged him tightly. "Oh, it's all right. I'm fine. I'm fine."
"Henry. We were wrong," Emma told us. "Regina didn't do it."
Henry grinned. "I knew it. Maybe we should let her know."
"Yeah. But something tells me, either way, we're going to pay the price."
EXT. STREET
Mr. Gold's car pulled up in front of the town boundary. He and Belle sat inside and talked. He held up the shawl.
"This would have been lost if it wasn't for you, Belle," Mr. Gold said. "I would have been lost. After everything you've learned about me, after everything I've done, why haven't you given up on me?"
"I learned a long time ago, that when you find something that's worth fighting for, you never give up," Belle replied.
FAIRY TALE LAND - PAST
Belle and Phillip arrived to where Mulan has set up camp and the former said, "My... My friend's over that ridge. There she is."
"Belle. You're alive," Mulan stated.
"I, uh... I did it. I defeated the yaoguai. ...With a little help."
Mulan stared at Prince Phillip. "Who are you?"
"I was the yaoguai," Prince Phillip informed.
"He was cursed," Belle explained. "So, I helped him. Now he's going to help you."
"Wait. You're not coming?" Mulan asked.
"I have another beast to face. Goodbye." Belle handss Mulan her sword, and Mulan handed Belle her book.
"Goodbye, Belle."
Belle headed into the forest.
"We haven't been properly introduced. My name's Phillip," Prince Phillip introduced.
"Mulan," Mulan said.
---
Belle walked a bit through the woods until she reached a road and said, "I'm coming back, Rumpel."
Behind her, the Evil Queen, several of her guards, and the two men from the wagon had tracked her down.
"Isn't that sweet?" the Evil Queen commented. "Still fighting for true love, even to the bitter end."
"How did you find me?"
"You really should be nicer to your traveling companions. Right, Claude? Take her to the tower."
Two of the guards grabbed her and dragged her towards a wooden cell.
"What? No. What are you... What are you doing? I... I can save him! Just let me go to him. I... I can break his curse!" Belle cried.
"You already tried and failed," the Evil Queen told her. "That monster's beyond saving. I'm sparing you a lifetime of pain and misery." They locked her inside.
"You... You can't keep us apart forever! I'll fight for him. I'll never stop fighting for him!"
STORYBROOKE - PRESENT
The two approached the town line. Mr. Gold poured the potion over the shawl, causing it to glow with magic.
"Okay..." Belle began.
"Here we go," Mr. Gold told her, crossing the spray-painted boundary, causing a surge of magic to pulse through his body. "Belle..."
Belle edged closer to the town line and grabbed Mr. Gold's hand. "It... It worked."
"Now you can find your son."
"Oh, Belle, I so wish you were coming with me."
"As do I, but... It doesn't matter."
"And why not?"
"Because you'll find me. And, when you do, I'll be here waiting for you when you get back."
They went to hug, when a shot rang out. Belle fell forward across the town line, causing the magic to surge through her. Behind them, Hook was pointing the gun in their direction. Jackie was running up behind, but too far back to stop him.
"I wouldn't count on it," Hook said.
"Belle?!" Mr. Gold called. "Belle? Belle!" He lowered Belle to the ground.
She looked up at him with a confused expression. "W-Who's Belle?"
"Oh, no. No, no, no, no..."
"Oh, fear not," Hook told him. "She'll live. She'll just have no idea who you are."
"What you've done cannot be undone."
"Well, now you finally know how it feels! Well, go ahead, crocodile. Do your worst!"
"Oh, I intend to."
Mr. Gold magically produced a fireball in his hand. He went to throw it, but a car suddenly barreled down the road towards them. Mr. Gold grabbed Belle and rolled them both out of the way, but the car ended up hitting Hook. Hook fell unconscious on the side of the road, while the car swerved and crashed into a large boulder. The car came to a stop and the license plate was from Pennsylvania.
Jackie ran to Hook's side and said in a slightly panicked tone, "I may despise your very existence, but you are not allowed to die on me, Hook. You hear me? You can't die on me!"