Back in Storybrooke, Archie was in his office until he was suddenly given a certain visitor who startled him at first due to the surprise and sudden visit as he opened his office door to see who it was. "Regina. Are you here to see me?" he then greeted and asked.
"I've been trying to keep my promise to Henry and Evie, but it's been difficult." Regina informed.
"To not use magic." Archie said knowingly.
"It's been two days." Regina said, sounding a bit weary.
"That's an excellent start," Archie then nodded. "Come on in."
"It's just that... Magic is the way I've always gotten everything." Regina explained as she walked inside after she was invited inside.
"It sounds like it's also the way you've lost everything," Archie remarked as he shut the door so that the two of them could have some privacy. "Regina, this is your chance to start over, to earn Henry and Evie."
But then suddenly, the door was open and in came a certain doctor in Storybrooke.
"Dr. Whale, this is highly inappropriate." Archie stated sternly.
"Send me back." Dr. Whale demanded to the woman in the room.
"Excuse me?" Regina asked quizzically.
"To my land. Send me back to my brother." Dr. Whale clarified rather quickly.
"Why don't you check the 'Missing Board' like everyone else?" Regina suggested cynically.
"Your curse only brought the living." Dr. Whale defended.
"Well, then I'm sorry for your loss, but I'm afraid I can't send anyone anywhere." Regina retorted.
"Can't or won't?" Dr. Whale then challenged.
"Dr. Whale, I have to insis," Archie spoke up then. "Please. Go."
Dr. Whale glared impatiently before he then suddenly left and Archie began to close the door behind him. He then stormed off before he gasped and yelped, running into a rather sweet looking woman with strawberry blonde hair with light brown hair was right there.
"Oh! Uh... P-Pardon me..." The woman replied bashfully and nervously. "I was just looking around... Is this The Mayor's office?"
"No, it isn't," Dr. Whale shrugged at her in response before he glanced at her before grinning rather hopefully. "But... If you need someone big and strong to help protect you while you explore Storybrooke, I could probably be of assistance."
"Hmm... I don't know..." The woman rolled her eyes with a small smirk. "I was just trying to look for a proper job around town. Perhaps in dentistry."
"...Dentistry?" Dr. Whale then asked.
"Well, let's just say I have a way when it comes to teeth." The woman hinted as she grinned, showing a very pearly white smile underneath her red lips.
"...Oh, Mama~" Dr. Whale whispered rather hopefully.
"Pardon me?" The woman asked, raising eyebrow.
"Uh... Well... Maybe I could help you out... You seem to be lost in the world of Storybrooke..." Dr. Whale chuckled before grinning. "...You were back in the old world, weren't you?" he then asked curiously.
"I was, but I was in a job I wasn't particularly fond of... Being one of the nuns since I used to be a fairy." The woman said.
"...Oh, yeah, I can see why that would be a bother," Dr. Whale replied before grinning. "Please, why don't you let me help you to see if you can get the job you desire? You can trust me... I'm a doctor~"
The woman glanced around before rolling her eyes. "Well, I guess I could for now," she then shrugged. "You just better keep your hands to yourself, sir, because I am a lot more than just a pretty face. I WILL go after you if you try anything~" she then warned, sounding suddenly dark and scary.
"Uh... R-Right... We wouldn't want that..." Dr. Whale said, suddenly nervous before nodding as he walked with the woman. "Uh... Let's go then... Miss...?"
"White. Perla White," The woman decided to give her name. "Hopefully someday, Dr. Perla White."
"Perla White... I always liked that name." Dr. Whale replied as they walked away together.
"I'm sure you have, Buster..." Perla rolled her eyes in response.
"Uh... Actually, it's Dr. Whale," The man corrected then. "Victor Whale."
"Victor, huh?" Perla replied until she realized something. "Wait... Weren't you-"
"Shh! Let's not worry about that right now," Dr. Whale shushed her as they walked off together. "Let's worry about you trying to get your dream job."
"...All right, but remember what I said," Perla replied. "I may have been a fairy in a former life, but I'm not afraid to stand up for myself."
"Right. Right. I'll keep that in mind." Dr. Whale said as they walked off together and he tried to resist putting his arm around her or holding her hand because then he would probably suffer from very frightening consequences.
Perla nodded firmly while going after him while Archie and Regina were talking in private.
"Sorry. What you said isn't entirely true, is it?" Archie soon asked Regina.
"I'm sorry?" Regina replied out of confusion.
"About the curse only taking the living. The grave of your father's here, right?" Archie explained and reminded.
"I don't care about Whale or his brother," Regina scoffed in response. "I brought who I wanted."
"Anyone else? If you want help, you have to try and trust me," Archie prompted and suggested. "Stopping magic is a lot harder than starting."
Regina soon looked soft in response and a bit thoughful. Archie, being a respecrful psychiatrist and living embodiment of his patients' conscience, decided not to pry and waited for Regina to answer his question whenever she was ready.
Eventually, Regina found the strength and courage to explain to the former cricket. "His name was Daniel... He was Evie's father," she then explained softly. "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," Archie theorized before he tried to give her some advice. "If you can't let go of the past, Regina, it's doomed to haunt you."
Regina looked stiff in response. "You know what? I think this has been quite enough." she then retorted as she decided to get up and go.
"Regina, wait. I-I can help you." Archie soon said, trying to stop her.
"I doubt it." Regina huffed before she then left the office.
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 thought she saw a certain someone staring at her from across the street. "Daniel...?" she asked wearily before she briefly looked away and when she looked back, said person was suddenly gone before she continued to head back home. She decided that the next day as soon as possible, she would go visit a certain place in town that she kept hidden from the others.
The next day soon came as Regina went to check on her father's mausoleum at the graveyard. Underground, she entered a room with a glass coffin similar to Snow White's. However, the coffin was empty and Daniel's body was gone much to her concern and horror.
Meanwhile, Dee Dee was fast asleep in a room that was there for her that Mother Superior made up for her. That was, until Jane yawned as she stepped over to Dee Dee's door and shut the door, rubbing her eye.
Dee Dee blinked as she suddenly woke up before crawling out of bed and soon walked over to the door. "Jane? What're you doing here?" she asked in a softer voice than usual before yawning. "It's early."
"I know, but Mr. Nolan is here to take you to the horse stables," Jane reminded and informed. "He said that you and Henry would like to come see them."
"Oh, yeah..." Dee Dee then said, suddenly remembering. "Thank you, Jane. Tell him to give me five minutes."
Jane nodded before smirking, even if she was very sleepy right now. "Just remember to brush her teeth," she then said. "You're due for a dentist appointment very soon and I've been told that you have a sweet tooth."
Dee Dee blushed in response before she shut the door. "I don't like the dentist..." she then pouted before she walked off further into her room to get dressed and ready for the day to be with David and Henry.
Jane soon yawned as she began to head back to her room before she looked over and heard something else. She followed the sound and looked into the church's supply room and saw that Carlos was there and appeared to be working on something. "Carlos?" she then asked.
Carlos looked over his shoulder before nodding and smiling. "Mornin'." he said to her softly.
"Morning," Jane greeted with a nod. "...You're up pretty early this morning, aren't you?"
"I could say the same thing about you." Carlos replied.
"Yeah... Mother Superior said that Mr. Nolan was at the door and was looking for Dee Dee, so I had to go and wake her up," Jane explained. "What about you? What are you doing up so early?" she then asked.
"Oh, uh, working on my battery," Carlos said before showing her. "This has been a big project of mine for a while now and I'm hoping to get it done while I don't have school."
"Oh... Okay..." Jane said softly and a bit intrigued.
"Well, you're probably really tired right now and I'll just probably bug you with my science babble... So, uh, I'll leave you to go back to bed." Carlos then said shyly.
Jane nodded, about to turn around to go back to her room to get some sleep, then she suddenly stopped, and looked back over. "Actually, Carlos... Maybe you'd like some company?" she then offered, blushing a little bit. "I-I-I mean... I could be like your assistant or something."
"Well... I don't need too much help... But I would like some company," Carlos said before he found himself blushing as well. "If you aren't too tired that is."
"...I think I could make an acception," Jane smiled shyly before pulling up a stool to join him at the work desk. "Ya know... Unless Mother Superior needs me for anything."
"Of course..." Carlos smiled back, allowing her to sit down with him.
"So what's this battery supposed to be for anyway?" Jane asked. "I think you were talking to Evie about it before she disappeared with Ms. Blanchard and Miss Swan."
"I was..." Carlos nodded as he began to explain it to her as they sat together.
Dee Dee was soon dressed and ready to go, taking her backpack and nutcracker with her as David and Henry waited for her. "Good morning, Henry. Good morning, Mr. Nolan."
"Good morning, Dee Dee," David nodded. "Nice to see your bright and shining face."
Dee Dee giggled bashfully in response.
"Hey, Dee Dee," Henry replied. "I've been looking forward to this for a very long time."
Dee Dee smiled as she followed David and Henry over to the truck so that they could check out the horse's stables. After a while of driving, they soon made it over there and David stepped out of the truck so that he could bring the kids over to explore up close.
"Alright!" David said once they made it over before the kids soon started to yawn as they also got out of the truck, so he noticed their sleepy reactions. "Come on. What's with the yawn? This isn't school. It should be fun." he then added on their way to the stables.
"So early... Even for a ballerina-in-training..." Dee Dee said wearily.
"I couldn't sleep." Henry added, though he sighed a little.
"...You're thinking about your sister, aren't you?" Dee Dee asked softly.
"Yeah... But not just her..." Henry said with a pout.
David looked soft before facing the boy gently. "Hey. I know. I miss 'em, too. Now, just think how happy Emma, Evie, and Snow will be when they come home to find that you've become a proper knight and possibly even your future princess." he then coaxed both of the kids.
"Future princess?" Henry asked out of confusion.
"I think you know what I mean," David winked with a bit of a playful and a bit sincere smile. "You two make quite a pair and it would probably be nice if you two got betrothed."
"Be-what?" Henry then asked, tilting his head at his maternal grandfather.
"Betrothed. Intended. Affianced." David explained to the two kids.
Henry and Dee Dee just exchanged confused looks as that didn't help them at all about what David was talking about.
"...Meaning?" Dee Dee asked before leaning forward.
"One day, you two should go on a date together." David then explained, finding that to be a bit cute.
"Yuck!" Henry stuck his tongue out.
"Ewww!" Dee Dee added.
"I can't date her. She's my friend." Henry then told his grandfather.
"Yeah, it'd be so weird." Dee Dee added, sounding a little repulsed.
"Well, maybe when you two get older," David suggested. "I think you two would be pretty happy together in the future."
Dee Dee and Henry glanced at each other and just grimaced about the idea.
"Besides... My heart already belongs to another." Dee Dee soon said a bit poetically before putting her hand over her chest.
"Oh?" David asked. "And who's that?"
"Uh... It's a secret..." Dee Dee blushed a little in response.
David glanced curiously before shrugging. "Well, come on. Let's head inside." he then said.
"That sounds like a good idea." Henry added.
And soon, they came to a row of stalls, housing the horses who were standing around and waiting for their arrival.
"Say hello to your steed." David soon said, approaching one horse.
Henry looked over to one horse, trying to get its attention. "Is he mine?" he then asked, approaching the horse with Dee Dee.
"This one's yours." David clarified, going to a different horse that was a muscular buckskin colored horse with a black mane, a dark brown nose, dark black hooves, a black tail, and brown eyes.
"He's beautiful." Dee Dee said softly.
"He's a little stubborn, but he's a good one." David nodded.
"Really? That one's mine?" Henry soon asked. "So... How do I get on him?"
"Oh, you're not riding today." David then said.
"I'm not?" Henry asked.
"No. There's much to learn before you hop in the saddle." David replied.
"Like what?" Henry then asked.
"Well, every morning and Dee Dee too if she wants to come too, you'll have to muck out his stall," David began to explain to his grandson. "Then, you'll brush him and feed him. After school, you'll do it again. Every day, twice a day. Dee Dee, I'll get you a horse too if you're willing. This one has a special friend he likes to see everyday."
Dee Dee nodded, looking a bit interested and intrigued.
"That's not riding, that's babysitting." Henry complained.
"Ah. Horsesitting," David remarked. "It builds an essential bond. The trust between knight and steed."
"Okay... But, when will I ride him?" Henry shrugged.
"When the horse tells you," David replied, then took Dee Dee over to a different horse that was female and she was white with chestnut brown splotches on fur, light blonde mane and tail, and her eyes were crystal blue with a feather in her mane. "Dee Dee, this is Rain. She's a very lovable and sweet horse and Spirit's very special horse friend."
"Rain... How lovely..." Dee Dee whispered softly before tilting her head curiously. "Spirit?"
"That would be Henry's horse," David then explained. "Rain and Spirit shouldn't be separated, so I think since you two are best friends, you would do a good job looking after them together."
"Wow..." Dee Dee whispered out of intrigue.
David smiled before he took a look at the time. "I'm gonna go check in on the dwarves; see how the mining's coming. I'll pick you up later."
"You're just gonna leave us here?" Dee Dee asked.
"You'll both be fine," David soothed. "Besides, you seem like a horse lover based on what I'm seeing so far."
"Well... Okay..." Dee Dee replied. "Thank you, Mr. Nolan."
"You're welcome, Dee Dee." David smiled before he soon left the kids alone in the stables.
The kids watched him go while they waited with the horses until they would leave later, hoping to form a bond with the animals.
"So... Anything you want to tell me?" Henry soon asked Spirit as they waited together.
Spirit just gave Henry a bit of a look, seeming aggressive, but luckily not too bad.
"Clara and The Nutcracker Prince had a horse." Dee Dee said as she reached out and gently pet Rain against her muzzle.
"Yeah?" Henry replied out of curiosity.
"Uh-huh," Dee Dee nodded. "She was in The Gingerbread Village after The Mouse King's army invaded and destroyed it, separating The Gingerbread Boy and The Peppermint Girl from their families. Clara and The Nutcracker Prince rode in Marzipan's carriage with the children to travel. Later, Marzipan helped to transport Clara, The Nutcracker Prince, Captain Candy, and Major Mint across the Sea of Storms to Sugar Plum Island." she then explained.
"Wow... I had no idea horses were so important in The Nutcracker Prince," Henry whispered but then looked thoughtful. "...Say, Dee Dee, you seem to know a lot about The Nutcracker Prince. Not just any other ballet, but that one especially." he then noted.
"Well, yes... It's one of my favorite ballets," Dee Dee nodded before facing Henry. "It's such a beautiful story... Ballets are like fairy tales in their own way, ya know."
"Yeah..." Henry said before he looked thoughtful. "Dee Dee, I've been trying to look for your story in my book, but I haven't been able to find it, so it probably comes from a different land of untold stories. Maybe that's where ballets came from like The Nutcracker Prince, Swan Lake, or Romeo & Juliet."
"Henry... What're you saying?" Dee Dee asked softly with wide eyes.
"Dee Dee, I think that your story could be The Nutcracker Prince," Henry said as he approached her and took her hands. "I think maybe your mother was Clara. She was a dancer and you're a dancer, you love The Nutcracker Prince, maybe he was your father. Plus you love sugarplum candy."
Dee Dee looked thoughtful. "...I think you might be right," she then said. "But wait, if I came from a different land with different stories, how did I end up in Storybrooke?"
"Hmm..." Henry paused thoughtfully before scratching his chin. "That, I don't know how to answer, but we might find that answer hopefully sooner than later, but I think that The Nutcracker Prince could be your story. Plus you did just say that ballets are like fairy tales themselves."
"Yeah..." Dee Dee nodded before smiling. "Thanks, Henry."
"What're friends for?" Henry smiled back warmly.
Rain seemed to smile at the bond between Dee Dee and Henry while Spirit simply looked a bit indifferent, though he wasn't fully annoyed around the "two-legger children" that accompanied them.
Meanwhile, Regina stumbled into the hospital and was on her way to the basement of the hospital which held the psych ward which was also where Belle used to stay and be locked up for 28 years. She then realized that the area was completely deserted which proved to be concerning. "Dr. Whale? Where are you?" she then called, coming to examine the abandoned room, but it seemed to be just her around so far. "Dr. Whale?"
There was muffling and struggling heard. Regina looked around and followed the noise, coming into the source of the sound. It appeared that she was in the autopsy room and it appeared to be trashed. The lights were flickering on and off, there was a trolley with a bloody sheet over it. Regina lifted up the sheet to discover a severed arm, putting her in quite a bit of shock as the muffling and struggling grew louder before she looked over and found Perla tied up and gagged in a chair. The dark-haired woman soon rushed over and removed the gag from the endangered woman's mouth.
"Thank you, Madam Mayor. That was a bit tricky." Perla gasped and breathed in relief once she was free.
"Do I know you?" Regina asked.
"Yes, I'm Perla White," The woman stated. "I used to be a nun in the church until I decided to pursue other career opportunities."
"Oh... Well, I guess we'll talk about it later..." Regina said before she looked around. "Have you seen Dr. Whale around?"
"It isn't a pretty picture, Madam Mayor," Perla said with a bit of a frown. "We were both attacked, but he probably faced the worst of it."
"The worst?" Regina asked, pushing the trolley aside and soon finding the answer to her own question.
Dr. Whale sprawled on the ground and was missing an arm.
"Whale? Whale?" Regina called before speaking to the doctor. "I know you took Daniel's body and you took one of my hearts. Why? Why?! Did you bring him back?" she then demanded.
"I did it." Dr. Whale replied weakly.
Regina looked surprised. "He's alive?" she then asked.
"Yes. I brought him back but... He's not Daniel." Dr. Whale explained.
"What?" Regina asked as her excitement quickly faded.
"He's... He's a monster." Dr. Whale warned her, shaking in horror.
"He didn't hurt you too, did he?" Regina asked Perla then.
"I tried to go and get help, but he tried to get rid of me too," Perla explained. "I think Dr. Whale needs his own doctor... Are there any other doctors in Storybrooke?"
Regina paused thoughtfully before she then nodded. "Yes, there's Dr. David Q. Dawson," she informed. "He should be able to help you two out, though you don't look as badly hurt as Whale."
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Perla soon asked.
"Yes, you can help me get Whale some help," Regina replied. "Come along then... I don't think I've seen you in The Enchanted Forest."
"I was often more active at night actually back in The Enchanted Forest," Perla said before she began to help Regina pick up Dr. Whale to send him to someone else to look after him due to his rather unfortunate dilemma. "The other fairies had a curfew with Reul Ghorm, but due to my job down there she made an exception for me."
Regina thought about it for a few moments before she realized who Perla was now. "You were The Tooth Fairy, weren't you?" she then asked.
"Yes. Yes, I was." Perla nodded then.
"Interesting..." Regina commented as they soon went to do what they could to help Dr. Whale.
Eventually, the girls had brought Dr. Whale into the hospital to get properly looked at by Dr. Dawson. Soon after that, Regina was given a certain visitor who was previously in the Storybrooke mine.
"What's going on?" David asked as he saw the woman. "I just got a call that Dr. Whale was attacked."
"You'll have to ask Dr. Dawson." Regina replied.
"No. I am asking you." David argued.
Regina narrowed her eyes in response. "I came here to speak with him and discovered he was hurt. It's the truth!" she then defended.
"What else? What did you come here to speak with him about?" David glared.
"Someone from my past. I believe he's come back," Regina said a bit softly. "...Daniel. His name is Daniel."
"The man you were supposed to marry." David realized.
"Yes... And he's also Evie's father." Regina added.
David looked a little soft. "Snow told me what happened and... How it was her fault that he died." he then said to her.
"Yes, he did." Regina nodded.
"Well, then how could he be back?" David then asked.
"Whale. He believed he could bring him back from the grave and... I don't know how... But he has." Regina explained as best as she could.
"You don't know how? Guess." David retorted.
"He practices something more powerful than magic," Regina explained wearily. "Or, so I was told. All he needed was a heart, and he took one of mine."
"You have hearts here?" David asked.
"In my vault. From our land." Regina nodded.
"Whose heart did he take?" David then asked.
"I have no idea. I took so many, it was impossible to keep track," Regina replied before she then decided to leave. "I need to go. I have to help him."
"No. Where is he?" David demanded as he then suddenly stopped Regina. "Look what he did; he's dangerous."
"Not to me," Regina defended. "He won't hurt anyone else, David, I promise."
"You know I can't take that chance," David retorted. "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," Regina replied. "The stables."
David suddenly looked horrified and worried. "No. Henry and Dee Dee. Henry and Dee Dee are at the stables." he then said.
Meanwhile, back at the stables, Henry was brushing Spirit's mane in the stalls while Dee Dee sat and watched while trying to form a bond with Rain.
"Do you know Marzipan? She knew Clara and The Nutcracker Prince," Dee Dee spoke to Rain with a small smile. "No? Well, how about Lila? She was a unicorn in Swan Lake who knew Odette during her curse from Rothbart and Odile."
Rain just smiled and knickered, a bit amused by Dee Dee so far.
"I don't know if this is working, Henry... But at least she's a good listener." Dee Dee soon said to her best friend.
"I don't know if it's working either, Dee Dee, but I guess we just gotta keep trying," Henry replied as he continued to tend to the horse who was destined to be his. "Gramps says that you'll tell me when I'm ready to ride you. So... Anytime. Like, soon?" he then asked his horse hopefully.
Spirit just glanced at Henry before suddenly, something had spooked the horses. Dee Dee gasped and cupped her mouth in worry. Spirit then suddenly pushed Henry to the ground and took off suddenly before Rain soon began to join him, but just narrowly missing Dee Dee.
"Oh, no! Henry!" Dee Dee gasped. "I'll be right back! I'll go get help!" she then said before she suddenly ran out of the stables after the horses.
However, just as Dee Dee left, someone new suddenly entered the stall who was not there before.
Henry soon sat up and saw a man there he had not seen before and tried to settle him down in case he was dangerous. "You... You gotta stop. You're... You're scaring the horses." he then told the mysterious stranger.
The man stared at Henry blankly since he didn't know him.
"A-Are... Are you hurt? Can I help you?" Henry then asked before he extended his hand toward the man. "Let me help you."
The man soon looked very scared and soon instinctively grabbed Henry by his neck and lifted him right off of the ground.
"Dee Dee, what's going on in there?" David asked as he soon arrived with Regina.
"The horses got scared and ran away!" Dee Dee cried out and informed. "I think Henry could be hurt! I-I'm sorry, I tried to help, but I couldn't!"
"It's all right, Dee Dee. You did just fine." David reassured, gently patting her on the head.
"You wait out here. This sounds pretty serious." Regina added.
Dee Dee nodded as she stepped out of the way, but still looked worried as David and Regina came in to help out Henry, just as he was being choked.
"Daniel! Let him go!" Regina soon cried out to the man since she knew who he was. It was Evie's long-lost and deceased father all along.
Daniel soon saw Regina and suddenly dropped Henry to the ground, and David quickly pulled the boy out of the stall.
"Are you okay?" David asked as he helped out Henry.
"Yeah." Henry groaned and rasped a bit.
"Go. Both of you and Dee Dee. Go!" David soon told the boy.
Henry nodded before he left, then took Dee Dee by her hand, and ran with her.
"Henry! Where are we going?" Dee Dee suddenly asked.
"No time to explain! We gotta go now!" Henry told Dee Dee.
As the two kids left, Regina was still staring at Daniel. "It's true. You're really here." she said to her lost love.
Daniel soon looked over and lunged out for Regina, but David pushed her out of the way. David then shut the door of the stall and locked it. Not surprisingly, Daniel furiously beat on the door.
"It won't hold for long," David warned Regina. "Can you cast a spell to subdue him?" he then asked.
"No, I won't use magic on him." Regina declined.
David then drew out his gun.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Regina then cried out.
"He's a monster, Regina!" David defended. "If you won't put him down, I will!"
"David, please!" Regina soon cried out, trying to physically restrain the man. "Just let me talk to him."
"It's too big of a risk," David replied. "There's no telling what he'll do."
"You have to at least give me a chance!" Regina told him.
"Out of the way, Regina! Now!" David glared before pushing Regina aside so that he could kill the monster who invaded Storybrooke.
"No! I won't let you hurt him! He'll listen to me!" Regina cried out, becoming relentless and tried to physically stop David again. "Please! Let me talk to my fiancé. He's the father of my daughter."
David suddenly looked a bit soft at that last detail and soon decided to get out of Regina's way that time.
Regina nodded at that and soon went to do what she wanted to do for her lost love. She then unlocked the door to the stall. Inside, Daniel had seemingly calmed down. 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. It's me. I love you..." Regina grunted and groaned weakly.
Something inside suddenly Daniel changed, and he let go of her neck. "Regina..." he then spoke suddenly.
"Daniel..." Regina replied emotionally.
The two then suddenly shared a warm hug and embrace.
"I can't believe it's really you." Regina said softly.
"...Evie?" Daniel soon asked.
"Evie?" Regina asked before it hit her then. "Oh. Evie... She's not home right now I'm afraid... She really misses you a lot and wishes to know more about you..." she then took out her phone and unlocked it to go into her photo gallery before showing a First Day of School picture of their now teenage daughter in uniform. "Our Evie... Our little princess..."
"Evie... Princess..." Daniel smiled softly once he saw his daughter for the first time in 16 years before he then suddenly grimaced in pain.
"Daniel?" Regina asked in concern as she then put her phone away.
"Stop. Just stop the pain." Daniel grunted and groaned.
"How?" Regina asked.
"Let me go." Daniel said.
"No. No, I won't lose you again," Regina frowned suddenly sadly. "Without you, I'm lost."
Daniel, again, grimaced in pain.
"Daniel. Daniel, come back to me." Regina begged sadly, not wanting to let him go just as she got him back.
"Can't..." Daniel shook his head.
"But I love you." Regina said, trying very hard not to cry.
"Then love again... Take good care... Of... Our Princess Evie..." Daniel told her. "Let her grow up... Happy... Healthy... Smart... Beautiful... Just like her mother..."
"Daniel~..." Regina sniffled and pouted.
Something inside Daniel then changed again, and he turned back to his 'monster' state. He started to go for Regina, but she stopped him with magic. Hesitating, she then magically turned him to dust.
"...Goodbye, Daniel." Regina then said softly before leaving the stable, letting go of her long-lost love, losing him all over again.
"Regina... Are you...?" David asked in concern.
"I need to go..." Regina said softly before looking over. "By the way, whenever Evie comes back into town? This moment never happened."
"You're not gonna tell your daughter about what happened?" David asked in concern.
"I can't..." Regina shook her head. "Maybe someday, but not very soon. She's only a teenager after all. She's going through a lot of emotions enough as it is."
David looked soft before he then nodded at the woman.
"I also have to go fill in a position for a new dentist in Storybrooke," Regina then said on her way to her car as she left with a teardrop rolling down her cheek. "...Oh, Daniel... I just wish you could see our daughter all grown up and our new family... You would've liked it. I always thought Evie would be better suited as a Daddy's Girl like I was than a Mommy's Girl anyway."
David watched Regina get in her car and soon leave, heading right over to Dr. Hopper's office as this was a very hard time for her right now.
Archie soon had a knock at his door and he answered it before seeing Regina standing there. "You're back." he then noted.
"I used magic." Regina soon said.
"Why don't you come in and tell me what happened?" Archie offered.
Regina nodded and soon stepped inside, deciding to get a little help with her conscience and who better to ask for help than Jiminy Cricket himself?
Meanwhile, night had fallen in The Enchanted Forest as Hook suddenly came down from the beanstalk while Harry was waiting for his father.
"Dad..." Harry said in relief.
"Thank you for waiting, my boy," Hook told his son, ruffling up his hair. "You were always quite a loyal crew member."
"Well, I am going to be the next Captain Hook after all." Harry grinned proudly.
"Aye. That you are." Hook grinned back, nodding at his son.
"My dear Captain, it seems you've been on quite an adventure," Cora soon said as she approached the adult pirate. "The compass, please."
"Yes, that... Well, matters grew complicated," Hook replied as he turned around to face the older woman then. "It's eluded me for a moment. The details of the affair are a bit of a bore."
"Really? Stealing my protection spell and climbing the beanstalk without me might seem like a bore to you, but to me, it's a betrayal." Cora remarked.
"I was going to bring it to you. Our agreement remains," Hook said. "We are going to Storybrooke together along with Harry of course. We'll get it back."
Harry grinned and nodded until what Cora said next made him suddenly frown.
"I don't have time for your games," Cora scoffed. "I've crossed through too many worlds to be brought short at the brink of success. Who was it who bested you?" she then asked.
"The Swan girl." Harry narrowed his eyes.
"Emma," Hook added with a nod. "Be assured, it won't happen again." he then promised.
"No, it won't," Cora chuckled in response. "You chose her, and the consequences of that decision."
"Oh, you gonna kill me now?" Hook scoffed and challenged. "Go ahead. Try."
"So brave. No, I'm not going to kill you," Cora smirked before she then explained herself. "I have something far more satisfying in mind. I'm gonna leave you and your urchin here with your thirst for revenge unquenched. While I complete our journey without you."
"There's no need to be rash. We can discuss this." Hook retorted before he stepped closer, putting on a charming face.
Cora smirked in response. "Your pretty face buys you a lot, but not my time. It's too valuable." she then replied.
"I can do this. I can get it back. You need me," Hook said before looking at Harry and then back at Cora. "You need us."
"No, I don't. You've had your chance," Cora chuckled. "Now it's my turn to do this. The right way." she then suddenly disappeared in a dark-blue whirl of smoke.
Hook then leaped forward to reach her and fell down since she was suddenly gone.
"Dad... You okay?" Harry asked, helping his father up.
"Aye, Harry. I'm fine," Hook said before he stood up next to his son with a deathly glare. "Let this be a lesson to you. Never let anyone cross or betray you. No army of demonic young boys, no crocodiles hungry for your valuable hands, and especially no no-good queens."
"I'll honor your memory and words forever, Father." Harry promised as he bowed his head.
"That's a good lad," Hook nodded. "We'll get our happy ending soon. I promise you."
"And I look forward to it." Harry replied before saluting his father.
Hook nodded and smirked, looking very proud of his son.
Soon, Cora appeared with a lamp in hand and approached a cupboard, opening it and taking a box. Taking a heart out of the box, she breathed on it, bringing the enchanted heart back to life inside. Other hearts began to glow as well.
Cora then stepped out of the tent, facing dead bodies on the field. "Rise." she soon commanded.
The dead bodies in the field soon reawoke and were now zombies who were preparing for an attack.
"You can't do this... You might be very important to the family, but you can't do this." A young voice snapped at the elderly woman from a dark part inside of the tent.
"I beg your pardon?" Cora replied to the voice. "I could've done a whole lot worse. Besides, you have to keep true to your path and destiny that was laid out for you for generations to come. First was me, then Regina, and soon, it will be you."
The voice then stepped into the light underneath the pale moon revealing to be... Evie?!
"You may be my grandmother, but I can't condone this... Surely someone will figure something out and realize what's really happening," The teenage girl spoke to the older woman. "Even if I have to-"
"What? Tell on me?" Cora smirked a little at her granddaughter. "Oh, sweet Princess Evelyn. You're a lot more like your mother than you realize... You've also been spending too much time with Snow White if you think you found a way out of here."
Evie firmly pouted and narrowed her chocolate brown eyes a bit.
"Besides... Your precious Snow White was the reason you have no father to grow up with," Cora continued a bit haughtily. "And how can you honestly still trust her for letting that happen to your poor mother to raise you all by herself until she created Storybrooke?"
"That was an accident that you set up for her." Evie retorted.
"You know I like you, my dear Evelyn," Cora then said as she gently reached out and stroked her granddaughter's hair behind her ear a bit which caused her to suddenly flinch and step back. "I don't want that to change. I want to be able to show you a better world you can have with me instead of with your mother."
"No... Not like this, Grandmother..." Evie shook her head.
"Oh, if I were you, I'd change your tone," Cora replied. "Besides, no one's even missing you right now. I have a special way so that don't have to worry about you while you're spending time with your favorite grandmother."
"...What did you do?" Evie demanded sternly.
"You watch your tone and maybe I'll tell you..." Cora narrowed her eyes, startling and worrying Evie a bit in response. "We will find out who's more powerful soon enough."
Evie looked a bit nervous, but she tried to stay as strong and brave as she possibly could while under the custody of her grandmother.