SOMEWHERE IN THE WOODS - PAST
Snow White was running from two of the Evil Queen's guards. They spotted her and began to chase her.
"Hurry!" the guards yelled. "After her! Stop!"
Snow White stopped running when she reached the edge of a cliff. "Uhh! Oh! Really?"
"You're a long way from home, Snow White," guard one told her. "Did you really think you could hide from the queen here?"
"Actually, yes."
As the first and the second guard unsheathed their swords, guard one said, "Well, don't worry. We're here to take you back. The queen is eager to see you again."
"Not gonna happen." She went to the edge of cliff.
"No, no, no! Wait!" He ran towards the edge of the cliff to get her, but she jumped off before they can catch her.
The guards watched as Snow White plummeted into the water below with a splash. She began drowning. A pair of arms grabbed her and bring her to the surface of the water. When she was pulled up to the surface, she gasped for air. She swam around to face her savior.
"Thank you," Snow White said.
"No problem," Ariel replied. "You might wanna try diving in calmer waters next time."
Snow White looked down at the water and noticed Ariel had a tail. "You're a... Ariel: Yeah. I'm a mermaid. Name's Ariel."
NEVERLAND - PRESENT - A CAMP
Emma was standing in front of an unlit campfire, concentrating.
"Focus. Concentrate," Regina told her.
"It's kind of hard when you're talking in my ear," Emma retorted.
"And when the wind blows or it's raining, or... someone's shooting arrows at you. Yes, concentration's hard. That's the point. Find your anger and use it to focus."
"No. There has to be a way without going dark."
"You're such a pathetic waste of ability."
"And you're a monster."
"...Smell that?"
"What?"
"Smoke." Emma looked at the campfire, which had no light.
Nevaeh smiled at her friend. "You can do this, Emma."
David let out a sigh. "This is a bad idea."
"She has it in her," Mary Margaret replied. "She should learn to use it. We just have to trust her."
"Yeah, it's not Emma I don't trust."
Hook entered and said to Mary Margaret and David, "We need to talk. Pan paid me a visit. He, uh... He told me that Neal is alive, that he's on this very island."
"Emma and Nevaeh saw him," Mary Margaret told him. "He was shot. He fell through a portal. No one could survive that."
"Well, he did, and now he's here. He said he took him from this very camp while we were off in his cave."
"According to Pan, if he's telling the truth."
"And, uh, why would he tell you?" David wondered. "What does he hope to gain?"
"Who knows why he does anything? He has his reasons, but it's a sure bet they're not good ones."
"He's telling the truth," Mary Margaret said. "Tracks... and a scuffle. Someone was here while we were gone. We have to tell them."
"No, no, no," David argued. "She already lost Neal once. And if this is a game, we can't put her through losing him again."
"He's right," Hook agreed. "Either way, telling her is what Pan wants, which is why we shouldn't do it."
"You want to find him without letting her know?" Mary Margaret asked.
"Why hurt her unnecessarily?"
"I've never lied to her before."
"You're not lying. You're just keeping a secret until confirmation."
"Secrets always seem to keep us from the people we really care about."
"And sometimes secrets protect the people we love," David added.
Jefferson, who'd overhead David's last statement, nodded sadly as he glanced at his wife.
PRINCE ERIC'S CASTLE - PAST
Snow and Ariel were by the shore.
"What on earth would possess you to jump like that?" Ariel wondered.
"You ever been chased by an evil queen?" Snow White replied.
"I can't say that I have."
"Makes you do crazy things."
"Well, that I know."
"Are you on the run from someone?"
"More like on the run to someone."
"What's his name? Come on. The one thing that makes everyone crazy is love."
"Eric. He's a prince in this kingdom."
"So wait. He... Lives on land? He's human?"
"Okay. Here's the thing. About a year ago, his ship wrecked, and I rescued him. I do that. He was unconscious. We never spoke, but... When I looked at his face, I just... I knew."
"Love at first sight."
"It sounds dumb. I know."
"No. It doesn't sound dumb at all." Ariel emptied her bag, which surprised Snow. "Interesting."
"I collect things... And I found this." She showed her a piece of paper. "There's a ball at his castle tonight... the annual under the sea celebration honoring the sea goddess Ursula... And I was hoping to meet him there."
"How are you planning on doing that? With a tail? How did you do that?"
"You really know nothing of your mermaid mythology, do you?"
"Uh, probably about as much as you know about people mythology, I think."
"Good point. Well, anyway, every year at the highest tide, the legend says that the sea goddess Ursula grants our kind with the ability to walk on dry land until the next high tide."
"Which is when?"
"Twelve hours. Enough time for dinner and dancing and..."
"Twelve hours? Why don't you ask this Ursula for a little more time?"
"Well, no one's seen her in a thousand years. She's a bit of a myth."
"Well, myth or no myth, you saved my life. The least I can do is help you find the love of yours."
"Thank you. But can you keep a secret?"
"Mm-hmm."
"I'm a mermaid."
"Yeah, I got that."
"But Eric doesn't know that. So... Can we just maybe... Keep that under the sea for now?"
"Isn't that something he eventually needs to find out?"
"Just let him fall for me first, okay?"
"Okay. Your secret's safe with me."
NEVERLAND - PRESENT
David, Mary Margaret, Jefferson and Hook were all getting ready to head out.
"If we're gonna hide this, we need a good cover story," Mary Margaret said.
"Done," David agreed.
"That's no problem," Hook stated.
"Where you guys going?" Emma and Nevaeh asked.
Hook, Jefferson and David replied at the same time, "Firewood. To get water."
"Guys, what's going on?" Emma questioned.
"Neal is alive," Mary Margaret told her daughter.
"Neal i... is... Alive?"
"Maybe." She turned to David and Hook. "Sorry, she deserved to know."
---
"You can't see the future here," Pan said. "It's impossible to see the future in a place where time stands still."
"I may not see the future here, but I can make one happen," Mr. Gold told him.
"Was that a threat?" He scoffed. "And here I made you your favorite breakfast... eggs in a basket. I thought you could use it. You looked a little down in the dumps."
"I'm fine."
"Sure you are, Rumple. You lost your son, Neal. Again. And Henry is unattainable because... Well, you'd have to go through me, and we both know you can't. You still like the yolk runny, don't you?"
"What do you want?"
"Well, if you won't eat, then I will." He took a bite of food. "I'm just trying to point out the silver lining in your cloudy life."
"That by killing you, all our troubles end?"
"We both know that's not going to happen, because the only way to do that is for you to die, too. You can go, leave the island."
"And abandon my son? And Henry? I don't think so."
"Look, even if you did save them... and Grace... which you won't... what would be the point? They'll never forgive you for all the horrible things you've done."
"You don't know that."
"Have you forgiven your father? ...You see my point? Back to that silver lining... you have a nice girl waiting for you back in Storybrooke. Belle, is it? Stop this foolishness and go back to her. Make a new start. She looks fertile. Maybe a new child? You and I both know that's the only future for you... Assuming you want to live. Enjoy the eggs."
---
"This is a waste of time," Regina muttered. "He's toying with us."
"I don't think so. Look," Mary Margaret noted. "More scuffling. Someone was definitely resisting."
"How do we know that means Neal?" Emma asked.
"Well, then someone was fighting for his life."
"Are you really going to fall for this?" Regina questioned. "Fine. You wanna follow the Evil Munchkin's dirt road? Be my guest."
"Wait. Where are you going?" Emma wondered.
"To save our son and the Hatters' daughter."
"We need to stick together."
She laughed. "No, we don't. You and Nevaeh may be prepared to risk Henry and Grace's lives over some heartbroken fool's errand, but I'm not. I'm tired of waiting around."
"What if she's right?" Emma asked. "Pan could be lying."
"Just because it seems too good to be true doesn't mean it is," Mary Margaret said. "Don't give up. You owe it to Henry to find out if his father's still alive, and you owe it to yourself."
MARITIME KINGDOM - INSIDE PRINCE ERIC'S CASTLE - PAST
Snow White and Ariel were both wearing ball gowns.
"Wow!" Ariel exclaimed. "It's even better than I imagined. Do I look okay? Is this how people dress?"
"You look fantastic," Snow White told her.
"Does it fit right? Because it just feels a little..."
"Tight? That's a corset. It's supposed to be."
"How do you know all these things?"
"In another life, I was a princess."
"Well, perhaps you'll be one again."
"I doubt it. But tonight, you can be." Ariel laughed softly. Snow White picked up a fork. "Remember what I taught you." She showed Ariel the fork. "What's this?"
"Mini-trident. ...Salad-trident?"
"Fork. Salad fork." Ariel pocketed the fork. "Oh. It's really not that valuable."
"There. Look."
"Is that him?"
She laughed. "Yes. That's him. He's just as I remembered. Less wet... But more handsome." They met eyes and smiled at each other.
"Go to him."
"Just... walk over there?"
"Love at first sight doesn't need much prompting." She pushed Ariel forward. Ariel walked over toward Prince Eric but tripped over her own feet.
"Oh! Uhh!" Eric approached her.
"Would you like to dance?" Eric asked as he held out a hand and helped Ariel get up. "Might be easier than walking."
She laughed nervously. "No one's dancing."
"Well, that's one of the perks of being the prince. If I want to dance," he held out his hand, "I can." He nodded to the musicians and music starts to play. "I'm Eric."
"Ariel."
"You look familiar." He bowed and she curtsied. "Have we met?"
"I don't think so."
A look of realization formed on his face. He took her hand and they began to dance. "I know where it's from."
"Where?"
"I was in a shipwreck. I nearly drowned. Someone saved me. I didn't see them, but... I've had a recurring dream since then, of a face. Your face."
"That can't be. I'm new in town, so... How could I have possibly saved you?"
"I know. Ursula's the one who saved me. And in doing so, she showed me a vision of my future. That's the face I saw. That's you."
"Ursula is just a myth."
"Is she? 'Cause you're right here in front of me. Now what brings you to our kingdom?"
"Well... I wanna see the world."
"Then you and I have something in common. I'm leaving in the morning... a grand expedition... to do just that."
"What?"
"I've been planning it for years. This shall be my final Ursula ball, for tomorrow, I'm exploring the unknown lands... the desert from this realm to Agrabah."
"You're actually doing it. I've always wanted to see the world."
"Then come. I see it in your eyes. You want to. Unless I've misread things."
"No. Um, I mean... Yes. I mean no."
"I'm pressuring you. That's unfair. How about this? Tomorrow morning, I'll wait for you. If you show up, I'll be filled with joy. If you don't, well... I may be heartbroken, but I'll understand. So nice to meet you, Ariel." He bowed and she curtsied, and the crowd applauded. Ariel walked towards Snow White and a full length mirror.
THE EVIL QUEEN'S PALACE
The Evil Queen and the two guards from earlier that were chasing Snow White were looking into the at Snow White speaking to Ariel.
"Uck," the Evil Queen said.
"That's the woman that rescued Snow White," guard one confirmed. "The red hair. It's unmistakable. I thought she had a tail, but yes, I'm sure."
"Next time you let someone fall to their death, make sure they're actually dead."
"She looked dead."
"No. Death looks more like this..." She flicked her wrist and the guard's neck snapped, and he dropped dead.
"Sh-shall I lead more knights after Snow White?" guard two asked.
"You boys have proved unequal to the task." She was about to kill him, but then her face changed and she smiled. "...No. I've got a new idea."
NEVERLAND - PRESENT
Peter Pan was looking through a telescope, and was standing next to him. Through the telescope Peter saw Mary Margaret, Emma, Nevaeh and the others heading through the woods.
"Look at them go," Pan said. "So determined to find their missing friend."
"Speaking of that friend... What should we do with Neal?" Felix asked.
"It's time to move him. Take him to the Echo Caves." Felix gestured to several Lost Boys, signaling for them to lower Neal's cage. "The game is about to get interesting."
---
"You don't know what to do, do you?" Belle questioned.
"No, I don't," Mr. Gold replied.
"Come home to Storybrooke."
"And just leave... Henry, my family behind?"
"Come with me, and we can start a new family. Our own family. That's what I want. Don't you?"
"No, you... you can't want anything. You're just a figment of my self-conscious."
"No. No. I'm really here. Take my hand. Believe in our love, and we can go back. Take it, Rumple. Please. Come home to me." Belle started choking, and Regina approached, her hand stretched out as she choked Belle with her magic.
"Enough of this," Regina said.
"Regina!" Mr. Gold cried.
"Are you really going to fall for this?"
"Rumple, st... stop her," Belle begged.
"Don't listen to him."
"What are you doing?" Mr. Gold demanded.
"Showing you the truth."
Belle collapsed and yelled, "Aah!"
"No!" Mr. Gold exclaimed as Belle was consumed by a cloud of smoke and it was actually the Shadow, which flew away.
"Look who you're really dealing with," Regina told him.
Mr. Gold was surprised. "Pan."
----
"I kissed him," Emma said.
"What? Who?" Mary Margaret asked.
"Hook. I kissed Hook."
"Oh! Well... Why?"
"I... I don't know. I just did it."
"Did it mean anything?"
"It... it was just a kiss."
"I'm sure Neal will understand."
"If he's still alive. There's nothing between me and Hook."
"No, there's something there. Emma, I get what you're doing, you know. You don't want to open yourself up to the hope that he's alive, but you should."
"Why?"
"Because you deserve a happy ending, Emma. And happy endings always start with hope."
MARITIME KINGDOM - PAST
Snow White and Ariel were sitting on a bench in the ballroom, talking to one another.
"This was a terrible, terrible mistake," Ariel said.
"You met him," Mary Margaret told her. "It's a start."
"More like an end. I can't ask him to give up his dream for someone he just met."
"Maybe you're the dream."
"Maybe. But I can't make him choose. It's not right."
"You can't make him choose? Or you don't want to make him choose? You're afraid."
"Of what?"
"Of his choice."
"There is nothing about any of this... that's easy."
"So take my advice. Do the hard thing. Be honest. No secrets. Open your heart to love. It is so worth the risk, even if you get hurt. Then you'll know... you'll know you tried."
"I just need some time to think."
"Well, you have three hours. So I'll be here if you need me." They smiled, took each other's hands, and Ariel walked away
OCEAN SHORE
Ariel, in her human form, was back in her regular clothes and standing by the water.
"What should I do?" Ariel wondered. "That's right, I'm talking to you, Ursula, mythical goddess of the sea. He thought you brought us together, but we both know that's lie, so... Tell me, between girlfriends, what do I do? Nothing, huh? Well, what should I expect from a long-dead myth? You gave me legs, but that's it, right? No answers? Thanks... for nothin'." The Evil Queen emerged from the water. She had tentacles like an octopus. "Ursula?"
"Hello... Ariel," the Evil Queen greeted.
NEVERLAND - PRESENT
Regina and Mr. Gold faced each other.
"What is this?" Regina questioned. "Amateur hour? Did you really believe that was Belle?
"Why are you here?" Mr. Gold demanded.
"Well, for starters, it appears I'm saving your ass. You were about to be Pan's lunch."
"Oh, what do you care?"
"I care because I've been camping with the Charmings for a week and getting nowhere. If we're gonna get Henry, I need you. I need Rumpelstiltskin."
"Well, the problem, dearie, is that Rumplestiltskin can only stop Pan by dying."
"You're not gonna die at anyone's hands but my own. We're the two most powerful practitioners of magic who have ever lived. The Evil Queen and the Dark One joining forces? I'd say we can find another way to handle one smug teenager."
"You've never faced him. I have. And I know what killing him requires. And that is –my life."
"Well, as much as I want to, maybe we don't have to kill him. If that's the case, then... Maybe we can find another way... something to contain him, some other fate."
"A fate worse than death."
"Now we're talkin'. There's my malevolent imp. Is there a spell you know? Something we can enact?"
"No. But back in my shop, I might have just the thing."
"Well, why didn't you bring it with you in the first place?"
"Because I came here to kill him and die in the process!"
She laughed. "Well, I could've told you that wasn't gonna happen. You forget, dear. I've known you a long time. I know all about your survival instincts."
"Yeah, well, they just kicked in."
"Good. So now we just need a change of plans. We need to get back to your shop, pick up this magical item, and then all of our problems are solved."
"Crossing realms? Is that all?"
"Yes. That's all."
MARITIME KINGDOM - PAST
Ariel was on the beach, staring at the Evil Queen, who was disguised as Ursula.
"You're... real," Ariel said.
The Evil Queen laughed. "As real as the legs you're standing on."
"I'm sorry if I was rude before. I..."
"My dear sweet child. Don't fret. I understand. But you're also in luck. I can help with your... dilemma."
"With Prince Eric? I have to tell him the truth, don't I?"
"Bah! Your friend was mistaken."
"'Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure. If you tell him the truth... that you're from two different worlds... he won't accept that. Or you."
"How is this helping again?"
"What if I told you that you could keep your... legs? That you can walk on land, be a part of his world... Forever, without ever telling him your secret, that you're a mermaid? Would you be interested?"
"Of course."
The Evil Queen laughed to herself.
DOCKS
Snow White was sitting at the edge of the docks, and Ariel ran up to her.
"What is it? What happened?" Snow White asked.
"Something amazing," Ariel replied. "And not just for me, but for the both of us."
"What are you talking about?"
"I received a gift... a gift that will allow me to spend the rest of my life with Eric, and a way for you to escape your evil queen."
"How is that possible?"
"Look." She pulled out a bracelet and put it on Snow White's wrist.
"What are you doing?"
"This is no ordinary bracelet." A dark green smoke formed around Snow White's legs. "Look."
"Ohh..."
She helped Snow White sit down. "Here."
"What's happening? Oh! Oh!" Her legs turned into a mermaid's tail. She started to fall, but Ariel helped her to stay upright.
"You're a mermaid."
"Ariel... What have you done?"
"The bracelet is magic. I got it from Ursula. By wearing it, you get my tail, and I can keep my legs. That's the price, but it's a good price. Don't you see? You can escape. You can travel to my land... a land where the evil queen cannot follow. And you can have a life, a wonderful life, under the sea."
"Ursula gave you the bracelet?"
"Yes."
"Ursula is a myth. She hasn't existed for thousands of years. She's not real."
"Yes, she is."
"Actually... It's not entirely true," the Evil Queen said.
"What's going on?"
"Well, well, well. Look at the catch of the day."
"Ursula?"
"No, this isn't Ursula," Snow White corrected. "This is Regina, the Evil Queen.
NEVERLAND - PRESENT - OUTSIDE ECHO CAVE
"The tracks lead directly into that cave," Mary Margaret said. "This must be where Pan is keeping Neal."
"If the cave is some sort of prison, why aren't there any guards posted to stop us?" David wondered.
"Because this prison doesn't require guards," Hook answered. "Echo cave."
"You know it?" Mary Margaret inquired.
"All too well. I lost half my crew inside those rock walls. The only way to rescue someone from inside is to reveal a secret."
"A secret? That's all?"
"Your darkest secret. Echo cave derives its name from an old saying... "the deeper the lie, the more truth in its echo." The cave demands that you reveal a truth about yourself. A secret you would never admit to anyone."
"This is ridiculous," Emma and Nevaeh muttered.
"Don't kill the messenger, luvs."
"Even if we spill our guts, how do we know Neal is still alive in there?" Jefferson wondered.
"Because this is what Pan wants. He wants us to rescue him."
"Why?" David asked.
"So that we reveal our secrets. He believes once we do, our secrets will destroy us."
MARITIME KINGDOM - PAST - DOCKS
"Having trouble with your fin?" the Evil Queen asked.
"I'll figure it out!" Snow White retorted.
"Snow, the bracelet," Ariel said as Snow White attempted to remove the bracelet)
"The wearer can't take it off," the Evil Queen told her. "Oh. Did I leave that detail out? For once, Snow, you won't be able to run away."
"You tricked me?"
"You went to a long-dead octopus for advice, and you're going to blame me for your problems?"
"This is wrong."
"Unh-unh-unh. Sorry, dear. You're not helping her."
"Ariel, get out of here," Snow White told the mermaid.
"For once we're in agreement. Get out of here, mermaid!"
"Not if you're gonna hurt my friend," Ariel argued.
"You have a choice. Your friend's going to be hurt either way. The real question is whether you're going to join her. Or are you going to run off and get your happy ending? Hmm? Go on. There are no second chances."
"It's okay, Ariel," Snow White reassured. "I can't keep running forever. You have a chance at happiness. That's something the queen will never have. Eric is going to leave any moment. Go to him."
"Listen to her, Ariel! Are you really going to give up the love of your life...? For a friend?"
"I'm sorry," Ariel apologized as she walked away.
"Now... Where were we? Oh, right. The catch of the day." She used her magic to start choking snow White, who gasped for air. Ariel ran up and stabbed the Evil Queen in the neck with a fork. Regina cried out in pain, and Ariel ran up to Snow White, took the bracelet off, and threw it into the ocean.
"What are you doing?" Snow White asked as her tail changed back into legs, and Ariel regained her tail.
"Hold your breath," Ari told her as she dove into the water with Snow White, and they swam away.
NEVERLAND - PRESENT - ECHO CAVE
Emma, Mary Margaret, David, Jefferson, Nevaeh and Hook entered. Moving forward, on the other end of the cave, locked in a cage and unreachable because of a gap in the cave floor, was Neal.
"Emma!" Neal called.
"Neal," Emma realized.
"It must be a hundred feet across," Mary Margaret noted.
"Even if we fashioned some sort of rope, there's nothing to attach it to," David said. "No way to swing over."
"So what do we do?" Emma and Nevaeh wondered.
"I told you what needs to be done," Hook replied. "Consider this the moment of truth, literally. Now... who wants to kick things off?"
"So, what?" Emma said. "Someone tells their secret and they sprout wings?"
"I don't know the particulars, only what I've been told."
"Well, how do you know it'll work?" David questioned.
Hook took a deep breath and turned to face Neal. "There's only one way to find out, I suppose." He turned back to face everyone. "I kissed Emma."
"You did what?"
"David, now is not the time," Mary Margaret told him.
"I already told Mary Margaret, so technically it's not a secret," Emma said. "But it was just a kiss. How's that your darkest secret?"
"It's what the kiss exposed," Hook answered. "My secret is, I never thought I'd be capable of letting go of my first love... of my Milah... to believe that I could find someone else that is, until I found you." The ground quaked and a large chunk of rock grew from the floor, forming a partial bridge to reach the part of the gave where Neal was.
Jefferson looked down sadly. "Veah, when we were fighting the Lost Boys, I was struck with dreamshade. I was cured by the water on this island, but I can't leave. I'll never see our twins again." The bridge extended as the ground shook.
Nevaeh pursed her lips and nodded slowly, cupping her husband's cheeks. "I wish you'd been honest with me as soon as that happened." She glanced down. "I'm terrified that we won't be able to rescue Grace and Henry, or that if we do, something will go horribly wrong." Once again, the ground shook and the bridge extended.
"Whatever happens, we'll face it together. Like we always do."
"Uh... Mary Margaret..." David began.
Mary Margaret cut him off. "No, no, no. Me next. Ever since the curse broke, since we found each other, since we found Emma... And all of that happiness, there is something I haven't wanted to admit. Our daughter is a beautiful, smart, amazing woman whom I love very much, and of whom I could not be more proud. But she's all grown up. And... As much as I wanna pretend I'm okay with that, I'm not. We missed it, David. What we have with her is unique, but it's not what I wanted. We were cheated out of everything... her first step, her first word, her first smile. We missed it all."
"What are you saying?"
"When we get off this island and get back to Storybrooke, I want another go at it. I wanna have another baby." The ground quaked and the bridge extended.
"Nothing in this world would make me happier, and I know with all my heart that you would make... An amazing mother. But it can never happen... At least not with me."
"What do you mean?"
"When Hook and I went to search for the sextant, he was really taking me to find a cure."
"A cure for what?"
"Dreamshade."
"The Lost Boys, the arrow... you pushed me out of the way like Jefferson did to Nevaeh–"
"–I wasn't fast enough. I was hit, like Jefferson was. Hook was able to find a cure, but it comes at a price. I can't leave Neverland. If I do, I'll die." The bridge finished forming.
Emma unsheathed her sword and carefully walked across. Halfway across, when she was sure it was sturdy, she ran the rest of the way and bent down to face Neal.
"You okay?" Emma asked.
"Yeah," Neal replied. "But Henry and Grace..."
"I... It's okay. We're gonna take care of them. Just need to get you out of there first." She took her sword and started hacking at the bamboo bars, though she did no damage.
"Wha... Emma, Emma, Emma, Emma!" Emma stopped. "You know that's not how this works. It's okay. You can tell me anything."
"When I heard you might be here, and that you might still be alive, I knew I should be happy, but I wasn't. I was terrified. I didn't understand why until now. From the moment I saw you in New York, in the instant you stepped back in my life, I knew. I knew I'd never stopped loving you. And before I even had a chance to take a breath, I... I lost you once more, and all that pain that I had pushed down for all those years, it just came... rushing back, and I... I didn't know if I could go through it again. I love you. I probably always will. But my secret... Is that I was hoping that this was a trick. I was hoping you were dead... Because it would be easier for me to put you behind me than to face all the pain that we went through all over again." The bars dissolved.
The bars of the cage dissolved, and Neal got out and hugged Emma.
OUTSIDE ECHO CAVE
Everyone emerged from the cave.
"Thank you," Neal said.
"Well, don't thank us yet. We still have to save Henry and Grace," David reminded him.
"We found your star map, so the real question is, do you know how to get off this island?" Hook asked.
"Well, if we can find Henry and Grace, I can get us home," Neal said.
"Let's go get it and... retrieve the boy and the girl." He, Mary Margaret, Jefferson, Nevaeh and David walked ahead, and Emma and Neal stayed behind.
"You all right?" Emma questioned
"Yeah, I'm fine," Neal replied.
"About what I said..."
"Hey. Hey, Emma, it's okay."
"No, it's not. I wish I could change how I feel more than anything, but... I can't. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. After everything I've put you through, you don't ever have to apologize to me about how you feel. Hey, I'm glad you told me. I have a secret, too, Emma. I'm never gonna stop fighting for you. Never." Neal walked away, and Hook was hiding behind the brush, having listened to the entire conversation.
David ran up to Mary Margaret and said, "Look, I know I should've told you..."
Mary Margaret cut him off. "Don't. Just... not now."
Nevaeh and Jefferson exchanged a look and she took her husband's hand with a small smile.
MARITIME KINGDOM - PAST - BEACH
Ariel was in the water and Snow White crawled onto the shore.
"I am so sorry, Snow," Ariel apologized. "Are you okay?"
Snow White took a deep breath. "Yeah. I'm fine! But you need to go."
"What?"
"Eric... tell him the truth. Go to him."
"The caravan is probably long gone by now, and we're miles from the docks."
"I saw how he looked at you at the ball. He'll wait as long as possible."
"You think he's still there?"
"There is only one way to find out. Go!"
"Thank you, Snow!"
"Go! Just go!" Ariel dove underwater.
CASTLE
Prince Eric was waiting on a balcony.
"Your Highness... It's time," a man said.
"Just a little longer," Eric told him.
Ariel moved her mouth to speak the following, but no noise came out. "Eric!" She touched her throat. "Eric! Eric? Eric?" Unable to hear her, Eric walked away. "No, please, no, Eric!" Eric left and Ariel shook her head.
"I told you there'd be no second chances," the Evil Queen reminded Ariel who looked up at the docks, where the Evil Queen was standing, looking down at her. The Evil Queen took a seat. "Hmm?" Ariel touched her throat. "Oh, that. Your voice. I took it. The only thing worse about telling your prince how you feel and rejecting you is... Never telling him at all. Never knowing. Never even having... a chance at true love. That's right, dear. He's gone. Time to swim back home... Little mermaid." Ariel dove back underwater.
DARK CASTLE
The Evil Queen was walking and stopped when she heard a voice coming from a full-length mirror.
"Hello, Regina," Ursula greeted.
"You. You're real?" the Evil Queen asked.
Her tentacles emerged from the mirror and she wrapped them tightly around the Evil Queen. "Next time you claim to be me, you'll find out just how real I am."
"As the tentacles tighten, the Evil Queen cried, "Oh!"
"Don't ever do that again." She withdrew her tentacles.
NEVERLAND - PRESENT - BEACH
Regina and Mr. Gold were walking along the shore and Regina stopped when she saw a conch, and picked it up.
"If you think summoning a giant squid is the answer, I've already tried that," Mr. Gold told her.
"Oh, you've had fun, haven't you?" Regina shot back. "I have no intention of ordering calamari." Regina whispered into the conch. Ariel surfaced from the water. "Hello, Ariel. Long time."
"It's true mermaids can travel across realms. But they can't be trusted."
"This one can. We have history together."
"Well, that would explain the distasteful look on her face."
"And now she's going to help us."
Ariel mouthed, "No."
"Oh, right, your voice." She waved her hand.
"Why would I help you?"
"Because I can give you what you want." She put out her hand, and the same bracelet from earlier appeared in Ariel's hand. "I can give you legs, Ariel, and this time, control over them. But more importantly, I can give you what you need most."
"What?"
"The place I'm sending you... among its residents... is your Prince Eric."
"What's the name of this place?"
"Storybrooke."