As Prince Charming rode through the Enchanted Forest, past trees and ditches and many woodland creatures he finally saw the Seven dwarves standing by a large fallen tree. He rode up to them dismounting his horse and walking up to where they stood. He looked down at what they were gathered around to see Snow White in a large glass coffin, lying peacefully, still, surrounded by the Seven Dwarves
"You're too late." Doc told him regretfully.
"No. No! Open it." Charming demanded. "I'm sorry, she's gone." Grumpy replied.
"At least let me say goodbye." Prince Charming begged as the dwarves removed the coffin lid. Prince Charming leant down, kneeling on the side of the coffin and kisses Snow White, a burst of magic erupted from them, before Snow White sat up gasping for air.
"You... you found me." She sputtered. "Did you ever doubt I would?" Charming asked her.
"Truthfully? The glass coffin gave me pause." She laughed.
"Well, you never have to worry, I will always find you." He promised her as he once again leant down and kissed her.
"Do you promise?" She asked him.
"I do." Prince Charming told the priest as he looked down at Snow, dresses in a beautiful white gown adorned with numerous flowers in her hair.
"And do you, Snow White, promise to take this man to be your husband, and love him for all eternity?" The priest asked as he turned to look at Snow White.
" I do." She answered as she looked deeply into Charming's eyes, their faces showing the true love they had for one another.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife." The Priest told them as the crowd in the large ornate hall cheered and as the newlyweds kissed. While Snow and Charming were still kissing The Evil Queen entered the hall, her black cloak billowing out behind her as she walked down the bare isle left by the wedding guests as the stepped away from her. The cheering stoped as she walked closer to Snow and Charming, her malicious smile killing any happiness the guest had in its wake.
"Sorry I'm late." She told the hall as she crossed the room. The guards charged at her only to be thrown to the other side of the hall with her magic
"It's the Queen! Run!" Doc said to the other six dwarves.
"She's not a queen anymore! She's nothing more than an evil witch!" Snow called as she drew Charming's sword and pointed it in The Queen's direction.
"No no no, don't stoop to her level, there's no need." Charming told Snow as he took the sword from her, lowering it. "You're wasting your time, you've already lost. And I will not let you ruin this wedding." Charming told the Queen as he placed his arm around Snow's waist.
"Oh, I haven't come here to ruin anything. On the contrary, dear, I've come to give you a gift." The Queen told him as she waved her hand dismissingly.
"We want nothing from you." Snow told her as she stepped closer to the Queen.
"But you shall have it. My gift to you is this happy, happy day. For tomorrow, my real work begins. You've made your vows, now I make mine. Soon, everything you love, everything all of you love, will be taken from you. Forever. And out of your suffering will rise my victory. I shall destroy your happiness, if it is the last thing I do." The Queen shouted before turning around and walking towards the door.
"Hey!" Prince Charming called after The Queen, she turned to look as Prince Charming threw his sword at her. Before it could hit her she disappeared in a cloud of smoke, taking the sword with her. When the were certain she wasn't coming back Snow White turned to Prince Charming and they embraced each other.
As Henry Mills sat on the bus he read once again the story of Snow White and Prince Charming going over the details of it again and again.
"That a good book?" A women asked him interrupting his thinking and reading
"This... it's more than just a book." Henry explained to her.
"Oh." The woman chuckled looking down at the little boy.
"Boston sub-station. Thank you for riding Greyhound." The driver said over the speaker system. Henry walked down the long isle of the bus, getting off before walking over and knocking on the window of a taxi. The driver rolled down the window and looked at the little boy.
"Uh, do you take credit cards?" Henry asked as he held up a credit card.
"Where to, chief?" The taxi driver asked as Henry got in the back of the cab.
As Emma arrives and walks through the restaurant she walked up a small staircase towards Ryan's table, he stood as she got closer to him and extended his hand to her.
"Emma." He said happily.
"Ryan? You look relieved." She joked.
"Well, it is the Internet. Pictures can be..." He began.
"Fake. Out-dated. Stolen from the Victoria's Secret catalogue. So..." Emma finished laughing.
"So... tell me something about yourself, Emma." Ryan said to her.
"Oh... Uh, well, today's my birthday." Emma told him.
"And you're spending it with me? What about your friends?" Ryan asked her.
"Kind of a loner." She answered.
"And... you don't like your family?" He questioned.
"I love my sister, but she's travelling, and other than that, there's no family to like." She replied.
"Aw. Come on, everyone has family." Ryan argued.
"Technically, yeah, but not everyone knows who they are. Ready to run yet?" Emma laughed.
"Oh, not a chance. You, Emma, are, by far, the sexiest friendless orphan that I have ever met." Ryan told her flirtatiously.
"Okay! Your turn. No, wait, let me guess. Um... you are handsome, charming..." She began.
"Go on." He prompted
"The kind of guy who... and now, stop me if I get this wrong, embezzled from your employer, got arrested, and skipped town before they were able to throw your ass in jail."
"What?"
"And the worst part of all this is your wife. Your wife loves you so much that she bailed you out, and how do you repay that loyalty? You're on a date."
" Who are you?"
"The chick who put up the rest of the money."
"The bails bondsman." Ryan realised.
"Bail bondsperson." Emma corrected as Ryan flipped the table and ran out of the restaurant, into the street and to his car. Emma walked calmly after him. Ryan got into his car and started it, revving the engine but the car stayed still. He opened the door to see a large yellow clamp on his front wheel just as Emma walked up to him.
"You don't have to do this, okay? I can pay you, I've got money." Ryan promised.
"No you don't. And if you did you should give it to you wife and take care of your family." Emma told him simply.
"The hell do you know about family, huh?" He mocked before she slammed his head against the steering wheel.
"Nothing." She answered.
As Emma walked into her apartment she walked into the kitchen and placed her purse on the side. She then noticed a small bag on the counter as well. She reached over to it opening it up to see a gourmet cupcake inside. She placed the bag back down before walking down to the spare bedroom. She pushed open the door to see her sister lying on the bed, her laptop on her lap and headphones in. She walked over to the girl, her long brown curly hair perfectly arranged over her shoulders and thick black eye liner making her sister remarkably similar to when she had seen her last, before she pulled out her headphones and sat down on the bed next to her.
"Jesus, Em. You scared the crap out of me." She told her as she pulled the other headphone out and sat her laptop down next to her on the bed. "You missed me?" She asked her sister before throwing open her arms and hugging her tightly.
" I didn't think you would be back in Boston for a while." Emma told her.
" Well I wasn't going to miss your birthday now was I. Traveling the globe can wait to give a sister her birthday present." She told Emma as she pulled out a beautiful wrapped present from a bag next to her bed. "All the way from Ireland." She told her.
Emma unwrapped the present to pull out a large Guinness Hat and pint glass.
"Thanks I love it." She said sounding unsure.
"Oh, what crap do you think I buy you. That's not you real present." She laughed as she handed Emma another box, this one smaller and rectangular. Emma unwrapped this one to find a beautiful necklace inside. A short silver chain with two circles, on silver and one gold, linked sat in the velvet box.
"Thanks Lux. I really do love it."
"Yeah yeah. Now cake time." Lux laughed as she got up and dragged Emma with her. When she got ro the kitchen she reached into the bag and pulled out the small luxury cupcake and placed it on the counter before reaching back into the bag,pulling out a star candle and put it on top of the cake. She pulled out a match and lit the candle before pushing the cake over to Emma.
"Make a wish" Lux told her.
"Another banner year..."Emma noted before she closed her eyes and blew out the candle. When she opened her eyes the doorbell rang. Lux looked up before looking back over to Emma.
"They only had one red velvet so half that, and if it's all gone by the time I'm back you won't reach your twenty-ninth." Lux said laughing as she walked to the door. Lux opened the door to see a small boy standing in the hallway.
"Uh... Hi,can I help you?" Lux asked him.
"Are you Emma Swan?" Henry asked her.
"No, sorry. I'm her sister. She's inside. Who are you?" Lux asked him.
"My name's Henry. I'm her son." He told her before he slipped under Lux's arm and walked into her apartment
"Whoa, hey, kid! Kid!" Lux shouted as Henry walked further into the apartment befor reaching the kitchen.
"Are you Emma Swan?" He asked Emma as she sat on a stool in the kitchen.
"Yeah, who are you?" Emma replied.
"I'm Henry. Your son." Henry answered simply.
"What? I don't have a son! Where are your parents?" Emma asked.
"Ten years ago, did you give up a baby for adoption? That was me." Henry answered her.
"Give me a minute." Emma told him as she walked out of the kitchen and into the bathroom.
"Hey, do you have any juice? Never mind, found some." Henry asked Lux as he ratched around the kitchen.
"Glasses are there."Lux said as she pointed to a cupboard next to Henry.
"So who are you?" Henry asked turning to her as he drank some of his juice. "Cause according to this, Emma doesn't have a sister." Henry told her as he pointed to a large story book he was carrying.
"I'm Lux. Emma and I were in the same foster families together. We aren't biologically related but we're sisters." Lux explained to him as Emma exited the bathroom.
"You know, we should probably get going." Henry told her.
"Going where?" Emma asked him.
"I want you to come home with me." Henry told her simply.
"Okay, kid, I'm calling the cops." She told him as she crossed the room to the phone.
"And I'll tell them you kidnapped me." Henry argued.
"And they'll believe you because I'm your birth mother." Emma realised as she put the phone down.
"Yep." Henry agreed.
"You're not gonna do that." Emma told him.
"Try me." Henry replied.
"You're pretty good, but here's the thing. There's not a lot I'm great at in life, but I have one skill. It's called a "superpower." I can tell when anyone is lying, and you, kid, are." Emma explained to him.
"Wait. Please don't call the cops. Please come home with me." Henry begged.
"Where's home?" Lux asked receiving a sharp look from Emma.
"Storybrooke, Maine." Henry answered.
"Storybrooke? Seriously?" Emma laughed.
"Mm-hmm." Henry nodded.
"Alrighty, then. Let's get you back to Storybrooke." Emma said as she walked over and grabbed her leather jacket.
"Road trip!" Lux laughed as she ran into her room getting changed out of her short pyjama bottoms and pulling on some skinny blue jeans and a plain white shirt before ratching around in her bag and pulling out a hunter green blazer with large gold buttons.
"Are you coming?" Emma asked from her door way.
"Yes." Lux answered pulling on some heeled ankle boots and walking out of her room followed by Emma. She grabbed her bag from the living room before following Emma and Henry outside to Emma's beaten um old yellow VW beetle.
As Snow White stood in the balcony doorway, her large pregnant belly clearly seen in the long white dress she wore, Prince Charming walked in, placing his arms around her waist.
"What's wrong?" He asked her concerned.
"Nothing." Snow replied quickly.
"You're thinking about what the Queen said again, aren't you? Snow, please... I can't keep having this conversation, you have to let it go. We're about to have a baby!" Charming reminded her.
"I haven't had a restful night since our wedding." Snow told him.
"That's what she wants, to get in your head! But they're only words. She can't hurt us." Charming promised.
"She poisoned an apple because she thought I was prettier than her. You have no idea of what she's capable." Snow argues.
"What can I do to ease your mind?" Charming asked.
"Let me talk... to him." Snow replied.
"Him. You don't mean--" Charming began "I do." Snow answered before he could finish.
"No. No, no. It's too dangerous." Charming stated.
"He sees the future." Snow reminded him.
"There's a reason he's locked up."
" Can you promise me that our child will be safe? Can you guarantee it? Because he can."
"All right. For our child."
As Emma drove down the highway, driving Henry home in her car, Lux in the passenger seat and Henry in the back. Lux turned around to Henry to see him sitting with the large fairy tales book on his lap. Lux eyed it suspiciously.
"I'm hungry. Can we stop somewhere?" Henry asked.
"This is not a road trip; we're not stopping for snacks." Emma told him.
"Why not?" Henry questioned.
"Quit complaining, kid. Remember, I could've put your butt on a bus; I still could." Emma replied.
"You would never do that." Lux scoffed.
"You know, I have a name? It's Henry." "What's that?" Emma asked looking at Henry's book in the rear view mirror.
"I'm not sure you're ready." Henry answered her.
"Ready for some fairy tales?" Emma scoffed.
"They're not fairy tales. They're true. Every story in this book actually happened." Henry told her.
A look of shock passed over Lux's face as she looked back at the book and the little boy.
"Of course they did." Emma said sarcastically.
"Use your superpower. See if I'm lying." Henry told her.
Emma looked back at him for a moment think about what he had said. "Just because you believe something doesn't make it true." Emma answered.
"That's exactly what makes it true. You should know more than anyone." Henry told her
"Why's that?" Lux asked.
"Because she's in this book." Henry said as he held up the book.
"Oh, kid. You've got problems." Emma said simply before turning back to the road.
"Yup. And you're going to fix them." Henry replied to her causing Lux to laugh.
"He's soo your kid. Both of you stubborn as hell." Lux told Emma laughing.
While Snow and Prince Charming walked down the dark musty corridor to Rumplestiltskin's cell, Snow held out her hand, Prince Charming grasping it tight as they got closer to the cell.
"When we reach the cell, stay out of the light, and whatever you do, do not let him know your name. If he knows your name, he will have power over you.b" The guard told them as they walked closer to the cell. "Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin! I have a question for you." He called as they reached the end of the passage, a large wooden cage in front of them.
"No, you don't. They do. Snow White—and Prince "Charming"!" Rumplestiltskin cackled as he climbed down from the bars of his cage. "You insult me. Step into the light, and take off those ridiculous robes." Rumplestiltskin told them. They then stepped forward taking off their goods as they walked into the light of the flame. "Ah, ha-ha ha... that's much better." Rumplestiltskin noted.
"We've come to ask you about the--" The Prince started.
"Yes, yes, I know why you're here! You want to know about the Queen's threat." Rumple finished.
"Tell us what you know." Snow demanded.
"Ohh! Tense, aren't we? Fear not: for I can ease your mind! But. It's gonna cost you something in return." Rumplestiltskin told her.
" No. This is a waste of time." Charming told her as he turned around.
"What do you want?" Snow asked him.
"Oh... the name of your unborn child?" Rumplestiltskin bargained.
"Absolutely not!" Charming shouted.
"Deal! What do you know?" Snow agreed.
"Ah. The Queen has created a powerful curse. And it's coming. Soon you'll all be in a prison, just like me, only worse! Your prison--all of our prisons—will be time. And time will stop. And we will be trapped, someplace horrible, where everything we hold dear, everything we love will be ripped from us while we suffer for all eternity, while the Queen celebrates, victorious at last! ...No more happy endings." Rumplestiltskin explained.
"What can we do?" Snow questioned.
"We can't do anything!" Rumplestiltskin laughed.
"Who can?" Snow persisted as Rumplestiltskin reached down, putting his hand through the pointing his hand at her belly.
"That little thing. Growing inside your belly." He told her as Prince Charming drew his sword and slapped Rumplestiltskin's hand with it.
"Next time, I cut it off."
"Tk, tk, tk, tk, tk. The infant is our only hope." He said facing Prince Charming before turning back to Snow White. “Get the child to safety. Get the child to safety and on its..” He began before closing his eyes in concentration. “twenty-eighth birthday, the child will return. The child will find you, and the final battle will begin!” He finished with an insane cackle again.
“ Heard enough. We're leaving.” Charming said as he began to pull Snow away from the cage. Rumplestiltskin whooped and cackled before making a deranged scream.
“Hey! No! We made a deal! I want her name! We had a deal—I. Need. Her. Name! I want her name!” Rumplestiskin screeched.
“ Her? It's a boy.” Charming told him as he laughed.
“ Missy, missy—you know I'm right. Tell me. What's her name?” Rumplestiskin asked.
“ Emma. Her name is Emma.” Snow white answered before she walked away with Charming.
“Emma.” Rumplestiltskin repeated before retreating further into his cage.
“ Okay, kid, how about an address?” Emma asked as she drove Henry into town the rain pelting down on the car driving through downtown Storybrooke.
“ Forty-four, not-telling-you street.” Henry told her folding his arms and leaning back in the seat.
Emma stopped the car and got out leaning against the door. “Look, it's been a long night, and it's almost...” She began before looking up at the clock tower. “—eight-fifteen?” She asked confused.
“That clock hasn't moved my whole life. Time's frozen here.” Henry explained to her as he got out of the car.
“ Excuse me?” Emma asked confused as Lux also got out of the car and walked around and stood next to Emma.
“ The Evil Queen did it with her curse. She sent everyone from the Enchanted Forest here.” Henry continued.
“ Hang on. The Evil Queen sent a bunch of fairytale characters here.” Emma stated.
“ Yeah. And now they're trapped.” Henry finished.
“ Frozen in time, stuck in Storybrooke, Maine. That's what you're going with?” Lux asked them.
“ It's true!” Henry argued.
“ Then why doesn't everybody just leave?” Emma asked.
“ They can't. If they try, bad things happen.” Henry told them.
“Henry! What are you doing here? Is everything all right?” Archie asked as he walked past the car with Pongo, his Dalmatian.
“ I'm fine, Archie.” Henry promised as he bent down and pet Pongo.
“ Who's this?” Archie asked pointing to Emma and Lux.
“ Just someone trying to give him a ride home.” Emma told him simply.
“ She's my mom, Archie.” Henry said pointing to Emma. “And this is my Aunty.” He continued, pointing to Lux.
“ Oh.. I see.” Archie said simply, slightly confused.
“ You know where he lives?” Emma asked Archie pointing down to Henry.
“ Oh. Yeah, sure, just uh, right up on Mifflin Street; the Mayor's house is the biggest one on the block.” Archie told Emma pointing in the right direction.
“ You're the mayor's kid?” Lux asked looking down at Henry.
“ Uh. Maybe?” Henry said cautiously.
“Hey. Where were you today, Henry, because you missed our session?” Archie asked him.
“ Oh, I forgot to tell you. I went on a field trip.” Henry lied easily.
“ Henry, what'd I tell you about lying? Giving in to one's dark side never accomplishes anything.” Archie said as he knelt down next to Archie.
“ O-kay! Well, I really should be getting him home.” Emma said stepping back a little away from Henry and Archie.
“ Yeah. Sure. Well, listen—have a good night, and uh, you be good, Henry.” Archie said before he strolled away from Emma and Henry.
“ So that's your shrink.” Emma noted.
“ I'm not crazy.” Henry promised, slightly defensively.
“ Didn't say that. Just—he doesn't seem cursed to me. Maybe he's just trying to help you.” Emma noted.
“ He's the one who needs help. Because he doesn't know.” Henry argued.
“ That he's a fairytale character?” Emma asked.
“ None of them do. They don't remember who they are.” Henry explained again.
“ Convenient. All right. I'll play.” Emma said as she got back into the car, Lux getting in the passenger seat and Henry sitting in the back. “Who's he supposed to be?” Emma asked.
“ Jiminy Cricket!” Henry said as if it were obvious.
“ Right. The lying thing. Thought your nose grew a little bit.” Emma laughed.
“ I'm not Pinocchio!” Henry shouted.
“ 'Course you're not. 'Cause that would be ridiculous.” Emma said sarcastically as they drove off.
“I say we fight!” Prince Charming shouted as he slammed his fist on table surrounded by Snow White, Red Riding Hood, Granny, Grumpy, Doc, Geppetto, Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket, discussing what to do about the Curse.
“ Fighting is a bad idea. Giving in to one's dark side never accomplishes anything.” Jimmy Cricket told them all, speaking up through a large microphone.
“ And how many wars has a clear conscience won? We need to take the Queen out before she can inflict her curse.” Prince Charming asked them.
“ Can we even trust Rumplestiltskin?” Doc asked.
“ I've sent my men into the forest. The animals are abuzz with the Queen's plan. This is going to happen unless we do something.” Prince Charming said to them.
“ There's no point. The future is written.” Snow White argued.
“ No. I refuse to believe that. Good can't just lose!” Prince Charming stated passionately.
“ Maybe it can.” Snow noted downtrodden.
“ No. Not as long as we have each other. If you believe him about the curse then you must believe him about our child. She will be the savior.” Charming told her as the Blue Fairy and some soldiers entered the hall, carrying a large tree trunk. “What the hell is this?” Charming asked them as they reached the table.
“ Our only hope of saving that child.” The Blue Fairy told him as she flew over to Snow and Charming.
“ A tree? Our fate rests on a tree? Let's get back to the fighting thing.” Grumpy said turning back to Charming.
“ The tree is enchanted. If fashioned into a vessel it can ward off any curse. Geppetto, can you build such a thing?” The Blue Fairy explained.
“ Me and my boy. We can do it.” He answered as he ruffled Pinocchio's hair.
“This will work. We all must have faith. There is, however, a catch. The enchantment is indeed powerful, but all power has its limits. And this tree can protect only one.” The Blue Fairy explained as Snow White and Prince Charming shared a concerned look.
“Please don't take me back there.” Henry begged as Emma walked Henry up the garden path to the Mayors house.
“We have to. I'm sure your parents are worried sick about you.” Lux said as she walked further up the pathway.
“ I don't have parents. I just have a mom, and she's--evil.” Henry shuddered.
“ Evil. That's a bit extreme, isn't it?” Emma asked.
“ She is. She doesn't love me; she only pretends to.” Henry told them.
“ Kid. I'm sure that's not true.” Lux argued as the door of the Mayor’s house opened, and Regina and the Sheriff walked out.
“ Henry? Uh! Henry!” Regina called as she ran out and hugged him. “Are you okay? Where have you been? What happened?” Regina questioned as she hugged him tightly
“I found my real mom!” Henry cried as he pointed to Emma.
“You're Henry's birth mother?” Regina asked her.
“ Hi.” Emma said as she gave an awkward wave.
“ I'll.. just.. go check the lad, make sure he's okay.” The Sheriff said as he walked off with Henry.
“ How'd you like a glass of the best apple cider you ever tasted?” Regina asked Emma and Lux.
“ Got anything stronger?” Emma replied to her as she and Lux followed Regina into the house, Regina went into her office as Emma and Lux stood awkwardly in the foyer waiting for her. Regina walked out with three glasses and a scotch bottle.
“How did he find me?” Emma asked her.
“ No idea. When I adopted him, he was only three weeks old. Records were sealed, I was told the birth mother didn't want to have any contact.” Regina told her as she poured scotch into each of the glasses.
“ You were told right.” Emma told her taking a drink from her glass.
“ And the father?” Regina questioned.
“ There was one.” Emma stated.
“ Do I need to be worried about him?” Regina prompted.
“ Nope. Doesn't even know.” Emma answered.
“ Do I need to be worried about you, Miss Swan? Or your friend?” Regina asked nodding her head to Lux. “ Absolutely not.” Emma said quickly. “My name is Lux. Don’t worry, I’m only the Aunt, I’m with Emma.” Lux said.
“ Madam Mayor, you can relax. Other than being a tired little boy, Henry's fine.” The Sheriff told her as he walked down the stairs down to the foyer.
“ Thank you, Sheriff.” Regina told him as Sheriff Graham walked out of the front door before Emma, Lux and Regina made their way into the living room. “I'm sorry he dragged you out of your life. I really don't know what's gotten into him.” Regina told them as she sat down on the sofa.
“ Kid's having a rough time. Happens.” Emma told her, simply waving it off.
“ You have to understand, ever since I became mayor, balancing things has been tricky. You have a job, I assume?” Regina explained.
“ Uh, I keep busy. Yeah.” Emma answered not elaborating.
“ Imagine having another one on top of it. That's being a single mom. So I push forward. Am I strict? I suppose. But I do it for his own good. I want Henry to excel in life. I don't think that makes me evil, do you?” Regina questioned.
“ I'm--sure he's just saying that because of the fairytale thing.” Emma told her.
“ What fairytale thing?” Regina asked confused.
“ Oh, you know, his book. How he thinks everyone's a cartoon character from it. Like his shrink is Jiminy Cricket.” Emma explained as Lux sat o watching Regina’s expressions as Emma told her about her son’s theory.
“ I'm sorry, I--really have no idea what you're talking about.” Regina apologised.
“ You know what, it's none of my business. He's your kid. And we really should be heading back.” Emma said turning to Lux.
“ Of course.” Regina agreed as she walked Emma and Lux out of the house. As Emma and Lux walked down the path, Emma turned around and briefly looked up to see Henry watching her from his bedroom window.
As Emma was driving out of town she noticed Henry's book on the back seat of the car.
“Sneaky bastard.” Emma said as she looked back to see a wolf standing in the road, she gasped as she spun the car out of the way, the car spinning out of control, crashing into the "Welcome to Storybrooke" sign. Emma's head hit the steering wheel hard and causing her to fall unconscious, Lux sat next to her a large gash on her head where she had wacked her head on the dashboard. In the middle of the road, the wolf howled loudly, Lux looking over at it, noticing it’s large red and black eyes.
While Geppetto and Pinocchio worked in their office, working on the trunk, Snow White stood staring out a window, she turned back and walked over to Prince Charming.
“ I don't wanna do this.” Snow told him as she wrapped her arms around her.
“ It has to be you.” Charming told her looking down at her large stomach.
“ I'm not leaving you.” Snow told him defiantly.
“ It's the only way. You'll go in there, and you'll be safe from the curse.” Charming promised her.
“ He said it would be on her twenty-eighth birthday.” Snow remembered.
“ What's twenty-eight years when you have eternal love? I have faith. You will save me, as I did you.” Charming told her as he leant down and kissed her. Snow broke away with a look of pain on her face. “What is it?” Charming asked.
“The baby. She's coming!” Snow cried.
As Grumpy stood guard with Sleepy and two other dwarves, he took a large gulp from his canteen before noticing something in the distance he and kicked Sleepy awake pointing in the direction of the black cloud.
“ Wake up. Wake up! Look!” Grumpy told him as a creature flew quickly toward the castle, trying to outrace a cloud of purple and green smoke. A dragon flew past and Grumpy ran over and rang a nearby bell. “The curse! It's HEEEEEERE!” Grumpy screamed from the top of the battlements
As Emma, lay on a cot in the Storybrooke Sheriff Department, she opened her eyes to see Lux sitting on a chair on the other side of the cell wall. Leroy was in the cell next to her, softly whistling "Whistle While You Work" as Marco stood outside, repairing a cabinet next to Lux.
“ What are you looking at, sister?” Leroy asked Emma as she sat up and looked at Leroy.
“ Hey, Leroy—manners! We have a guest! So you are eh, Henry's mother, and Aunty. How lovely for him to have you back in his life.” Marco told them as he looked over at Emma then Lux.
“ Actually, we were just dropping him off.” Emma corrected him.
“ Tkh. Don't blame ya. They're all brats; who needs 'em.” Leroy told her agreeing with her.
“ Well, I'd give anything for one. My wife and I, we tried for many years, but, uh... it was not meant to be.” Marco told them.
“ Well cry me a river.” Leroy told him. “Shut it Shorty, have some respect.” Lux told Leroy as he lay back down in his cell.
“ Leroy! I'm going to let you out; you need to behave. Put on a smile, and stay out of trouble.” The Sheriff told him as he walked into the office and across it, past Marco and Lux and unlocked Leroy’s cell. Leroy came out with a large false smile on his face and he walked out of the police station.
“ Seriously?” Emma asked as she pointed to her cell.
“ Regina's drinks; a little stronger than we thought.” The Sheriff told her.
“ I wasn't drunk; there was a wolf, standing in the middle of the road.” Emma argued.
“ A wolf. Right.” The Sheriff scoffed. “Hey douche. Wolf, road, swerve. That’s how it happened, breathalyse me if you want to.” Lux argued.
“ Graham? Henry's run away again, we have to...” Regina said walking into the police station. “What are they doing here?” Regina asked pointing to Emma and Lux. “Do you know where he is?” Regina asked them walking over to Emma’s cell.
“ Lady, I haven't seen him since I dropped him at your house, and...” She said as she rattled the prison bars. “pretty good alibi.”
“ Yeah, well, he wasn't in his room this morning.” Regina explained.
“ Did you try his friends?” Lux asked.
“ He doesn't really have any. Kind of a loner.” Regina told her.
“ Every kid has friends. Did you check his computer? If he was close to someone he'd be emailing them.” Emma said to her.
“ And you know this how?” Regina questioned.
“ Finding people's what we do. Here's an idea; how 'bout you guys let her out, and we'll help you find him.” Lux suggested.
As Emma, Lux and Sheriff Graham sat in Henry’s room they looked over his computer, pouring through his emails and web searches as Regina watched on.
“Smart kid. Cleared his inbox. I'm smart too, a little hard disk recovery utility I like to use.” Lux said as she went back to the computer.
“ I'm a bit more old-fashioned, in my techniques. Pounding the pavement, knocking on doors, that sort of thing.” The Sheriff told her.
“ You're on salary; I get paid for delivery. Pounding pavement is not a luxury that I get.” Emma explained.
“Ah, there's a receipt for a website, whosyourmomma.org—it's expensive. He has a credit card?” Lux asked as she opened an email.
“ He's ten.” Regina stated simply.
“ Well, he used one.” Emma told her as she looked back to the computer screen to see the name of the person who owned the card. “Let's pull up a transaction record. Mary Margaret Blanchard, who's Mary Margaret Blanchard?” Lux asked looking at the transcript on the screen.
“ Henry's teacher.” Regina told them as she walked out of the bedroom.
As Emma, Lux and Regina made their way up to the entrance of Storybrooke Elementary School. Mary Margaret was in her class teaching the children to make bird houses while, holding a bird gently in her hand.
“ As we build our birdhouses, remember: what you're making is a home. Not a cage. A bird is free, and will do what it will. This is for them, not us. They're loyal creatures...” Mary Margret told the children in her class as she let the bird fly from her hand out of the window and to a small Bird house resting on a tree outside. “If you love them and they love you, they will always find you.” She told them as the bell rang. The class stood up and rushed out of the class. “We'll pick this up after recess. No running!” Mary Margret called after them as a young boy walked up to her and handed her a large green pear. She took it thanking the boy before Regina walked into the class shadowed by Lux and Emma. “Miss Mills, what are you doing here?” Mary Margret asked her.
“ Where's my son?” Regina asked her simply.
“ Henry.. I assumed he was home with you.” Mary Margret told her as she began to tidy up the class room.
“ You think I'd be here if he was? Did you give him your credit card so can find her?” Regina asked pointing back to Emma, venom dripping from her voice.
“ I'm sorry, who are you?” Mary Margret asked looking over at Emma.
“ I'm—I'm his...” Emma began before Regina interrupted her.
“ The woman who gave him up for adoption.”
“ You don't know anything about this, do you?” Lux asked looking at Mary Margret’s confused facial expression.
“ No, unfortunately not.” Mary Margret told them as she pulled out her purse and began looking through the cards. “Clever boy. I should never have given him that book.” Mary Margret told them as she placed her purse down on the table and looked up at Regina, Emma and Lux.
“ What in the hell is this book I keep hearing about?” Regna asked looking around at everyone in the room.
“ Just some old stories I gave him. As you well know, Henry is a special boy: so smart, so creative, and as you might be aware, lonely. He needed it.” Mary Margret explained to her.
“ What he needs is dose of reality. This is a waste of time. Have a nice trip back to Boston.” She said to Emma and Lux as she walked out of the classroom in a huff, knocking over a stack of books on the way. Emma and Lux both walked into the classroom and helped Mary Margaret pick them up.
“Sorry to bother you.” Emma told her as she placed the books on the table.
“No, it's--it's okay, I fear this is partially my fault.” Mary Margret told her as she also put a stack of books down.
“ How's a book supposed to help?” Lux asked her.
“ What do you think stories are for? These stories? The classics? There's a reason we all know them. They're a way for us to deal with our world. A world that doesn't always make sense. See, Henry hasn't had the easiest life.” Mary Margret explained as they left the classroom and walked down the hallway.
“ Yeah, she's kind of a hard-ass.” Emma agreed. “Hard-ass? I think you mean bitch plain and simple.” Lux corrected her.
“ No, it's more than her. He's like any adopted child. He wrestles with that most basic question they all inevitably face: why would anyone give me away?” Mary Margret continued before realizing what she's said and looking up at Emma with large eyes. “I am so sorry. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean in any way to judge you...”
“ It's okay.” Emma reassured her.
“ Look, I gave the book to him because I wanted Henry to have the most important thing anyone can have; hope. Believing in even the possibility of a happy ending is a very powerful thing.” Mary Margret explained to them.
“ You know where he is, don't you.”Emma noted.
“ You might want to check his castle.” Mary Margret told them.
As Snow lay on her bed in the castle, in the final stages of labor, Prince Charming held her hand as Doc waited by the bedside. They all stood by waiting for Snow to give birth while The Evil Queen's forces rode through a forest towards the castle.
"Ahhh! Help! I can't have this baby now!" Snow cried in pain.
"Doc. Do something." Prince Charming begged before turning back to Snow White. "It's gonna be okay. The wardrobe's almost finished, just—just hold on." The Prince told her.
"Nooooo! Ahhh!" Snow screamed.
" It's ready." Gepetto told them as he walked into the room.
"It's ready." Charming told Snow softly before bending down to pick her up.
"It's too late. We can't move her." Doc told him.
"Push. Push." Charming commanded as he stood by Snow, holding her hand tightly.
While Snow was giving birth The Queen rode faster through the forest, getting closer to Snow and Charming's castle, followed closely by the Dark Curse, a thick black smog soaring quickly through the sky. After Snow has finally given birth she held in her arms a small baby girl covered in a blanket with "Emma" embroidered on it. Charming lent down and kissed both Snow White and Emma's foreheads.
"The wardrobe. It only takes one." Snow noted still groggy and tiered from giving birth. She looked up at Prince Charming and they shared a look until a blast and a screams outside the door cause them to look away.
"Then our plan has failed. At least we're together." The prince told her simply, still staring at the doorway.
" No. You have to take her. Take the baby to the wardrobe." Snow told him handing over the small bundle of blankets.
"Are you out of your mind?" Charming asked her not taking the xhold from.her arms.
" No. It's the only way, you have to send her through." Snow reasoned still holding the baby out to him.
"No no n-n-n-n-no. You don't know what you're saying."
"No, I do. We have to believe that she'll come back for us. We have to giver her her best chance." Snow told him as he finally took the baby, leaning down to once again kiss Emma's the forehead. "Goodbye, Emma." Snow whispered before Charming unsheathed his sword and walked out of the room.
As he ran along the corridor two of the Evil Queen's soldiers were fighting with palace guards, killing them both before turning to face Prince Charming. He fought with them momentarily, the soldiers swiping their swords at his, slicing into his shoulder before Charming driving his sword into each of their hearts, killing them. He looked down at Emma to see her safe in her blanket before continuing to run down the corridors. When he reached Geppetto's workshop he kicked down the doors, ran over to the wardrobe and placed Emma inside, giving her one last kiss.
"Find us." He whispered before closing the door. He turned around to find two more soldiers in the room. He stood up, holding up his sword before dueling with them, lunging his sword in their direction. While he was digging one of the soldiers wounded him in the abdomen causing him to collapse on the floor. As he lay on the carpet the soldier walked over to the wardrobe, and opened it to find it empty. Prince Charming looked over to see the empty wardrobe, knowing Emma was safe before loses consciousness and slumping on floor.
As Henry sat on his wooden playground castle, Emma and Lux walked up behind him, Emma holding his storybook in her arms.
"You left this in my car." Emma told him as she stood next to the castle. Lux walked over to him, sitting down next to him on the wooden floor as Emma handed Henry his book. "Still hasn't moved, huh?" She asked him referring to the clock.
" I was hoping that when I brought you back, things would change here. That the final battle will begin." Henry explained downtrodden.
"I'm not fighting any battles, kid." Emma told him as she came and sat on the other side of him.
"Yes, you are. You're here because it's your destiny. You're going to bring back the happy endings." Henry told her ecstatically.
"Can you cut it with the book crap?" Emma asked him.
"You don't have to be hostile. I know you like me, I can tell. You're just—pushing me away because I make you feel guilty. It's okay; I know why you gave me away. You wanted to give me my best chance." Henry told her.
Emma looked at him pausing for a moment. "How do you know that?" She asked him.
"The same reason Snow White gave you away." Henry told her as he patted the boom.
"Listen to me, kid. I am not in any book. I'm a real person. And I'm no savior. You were right about one thing, though. I wanted you to have your best chance. But it's not with me. C'mon, let's go." She told him and Lux.
"Please don't take me back there! Just stay with me for one week, that's all I ask! One week, and you'll see I'm not crazy." Henry begged.
"We have to get you back to your mom." Emma said as she looked over at Lux who was simply watching the two of them.
"You don't know what it's like with her. My life sucks!" Henry complained.
"Oh, you wanna know what sucking is? Being left abandoned on the side of a freeway; my parents didn't even bother to drop me off at a hospital!" Emma shouted as tears formed in her eyes. "I ended up in a foster system and I had a family until I was three but then they had their own kid so they sent me back..." Emma said tearily before breathing in deeply and wiping away the fallen tears. "Look. Your mom is trying her best. I know it's hard. And I know sometimes you think she doesn't love you. But at least she wants you." Emma explained.
"Your parents didn't leave you on the side of the freeway; that's just where you came through!" Henry told her.
"What?" Emma asked confused.
"The wardrobe. When you went through the wardrobe you appeared on the side of the street. Your parents were trying to save you from the curse." Henry answered.
"Sure they were. C'mon, Henry." She said holding out her hand. "Lux." She ushered as she started to walk away. Henry stood and walked over to her, taking her hand as they walked to the car, followed by Lux.
As Snow White entered Geppetto's Workshop Prince Charming lay on the floor, a pool of blood surrounding him. She ran over it him kneeling down next to him, cradling his head.
"No. No. No!" She chanted continuing to say "no" as she rocked Prince Charming's head in her lap. "Please. Please come back to me." She begged as she lent down and
kissed him on the lips. No spark of light or magic happened and Charming still lay dead on the floor. She lent down kissing him again, willing the life back into him but still nothing happened. While she sobbed over Charming's body The Evil Queen entered the room.
"Oh, don't worry, dear. In a few moments you won't remember you knew him, let alone loved him." The Queen comforted her in a malicious way.
"Why did you do this?" Snow asked with tear rimmed eyes.
"Because this is my happy ending." The Queen told her simply as two of her soldiers entered the room, the Queen turning to look at them. "The child?" She asked them.
"Gone. It was in the wardrobe; and then it was gone. It's nowhere to be found." The guard told her sheepishly.
"Where is she?" The Evil Queen asked looking over at Snow.
"She got away. You're going to lose. I know that now. Good will always win." Snow told her, a small smile playing on her lips.
"We'll see about that." The Queen replied as she started to laugh in an evil, demented way just as the ceiling began to crack, the light faded as rhe black and purple smog crowded the window.
"Where are we going?" Snow asked as the room got even darker.
?Somewhere horrible." The Queen answered as the window to the room smashed and the Curse flooded inside. Soon the whole room was filled with dark, purple and black smog, creating a vortex of dark magic around them. "Absolutely horrible. A place where the only happy ending will be mine." The Queen continues as the Curse smoke covers everything, darkening the whole sky.
As they walked up to the Mayor's house. Regina opened the front door to Emma and Lux walking Henry up the front path. Henry ran inside when he got close enough, bit looking back at Emma or Lux.
"Thank you." Regina told them, her eyes flickering briefly inside the house following after Henry.
"No problem." Lux told her waving her hand dismissively.
"He seems to have taken quite a shine to you two." Regina commented watching them both.
Emma laughed at her comment. "You know it seems kind of crazy. Yesterday was my birthday. And—when I blew out the candle on this cupcake I bought myself, I actually made a wish. That I didn't have to be alone on my birthday. And then Henry showed up..." Emma said before Regina Interrupted.
"I hope there's no misunderstanding here." Regina told her.
" Hey I was there!" Lux said INDIGNANTLY.
"I'm sorry?" Emma asked confused ignoring Lux's comment.
"Don't mistake all of this as invitation back into his life." Regina explained.
" Oh..." Emma said understanding her meaning.
"Miss Swan, you made a decision ten years ago. And in the last decade, while you've been—well, who knows that you've been doing—I've changed every diaper, soothed every fever, endured every tantrum. You may have given birth to him, but he is my son." Regina told her simply.
"I was not..." Emma started before Regina interrupted her again.
"No. You don't get to speak—you don't get to do anything. You gave up that right when you tossed him away. Do you know what a closed adoption is? It's what you asked for. You have no legal right to Henry, and you're gonna be held to that. So I suggest you get in your car, and you leave this town. Because if you don't, I will destroy you if it is the last thing I do. Goodbye, Miss Swan." Regina told her before starting to close the door.
"Lady, I do whatever the hell I want. If I want to stay in Storybrooke I'll stay and your pathetic little threats don't scare me. Got it?" Lux asked stepping closer to the door. Before Regina could reply Emma had stepped closer as well looking directly at Regina .
"Do you love him?" Emma asked her simply.
"Excuse me?" Regina asked confused.
"Henry. Do you love him?" Emma expanded, still looking directly at Regina.
"Of course I love him." Regina told her before closing the door and walking into the house. Emma turned back around to Lux looking visibly troubled by Regina's answer. As Regina walked upstairs to Henry's room, Henry lay in his bed sleep. Regina crept in taking his book without him noticing, and stood watching herself hold it in a mirror for a moment thinking about how her plan was slowly unraveling and what she could do to stop it.
"So, I take it we're staying?" Lux asked as they drove down the main street of Storybrooke.
"There's something about her Lux. She just... Uh. I don't know what it is but I don't like her." Emma explained as she pulled up in front of a large B and B. Emma and Lux got out of the car and walked up the path into Granny's Bed and Breakfast. When they entered the B and B they heard a large commotion as two roaring voices fought further in the large house.
"You're out all night, and now you're going out again." An elderly woman's voice shouted.
"I should've moved to Boston!" A younger woman's voice retorted.
"I'm sorry that my heart attack interfered with your plans to sleep your way down the Eastern Seaboard!" The older lady screeched again.
"'Scuse me?" Emma called. "We'd--like a room?" Emma told the voices.
A older lady popped her head around a door frame and looked at the two young women. "Really?" She asked them. Emma nodded her head in response as the old lady pulled out a ledger. "Would you like a forest view or a square view? Normally there's an upgrade fee for the square, but as the rent is due, I'll wave it." The Woman told them.
"Square is fine." Lux replied.
"Now. What's the name?" Granny asked them.
"Swan. Emma Swan."
"Emma.. What a lovely name." An elderly man said standing behind Lux. They both turned to look at him dressed in a fitted suit and using a long cane with a golden handle.
"Thanks." Emma replied simply before looking back at Lux with confusion in her eyes.
While Lux and Emma communicated using their eyes Granny removed a large roll of cash from a drawer before handing it all over to Mr. Gold.
"It's all here." She promised him.
" Yes, yes, of course it is, dear. Thank you." Mr Gold replied not even bothering to count the money and turned back to Emma. "Enjoy your stay, Emma." He told her before leaving the B and B.
"Who's that?" Lux asked after he was out of earshot.
"Mr. Gold. He owns this place." A younger woman told them as she watched him walk away through the window.
" The inn?" Emma asked.
"No. The town. So! How long will you be with us?" Granny asked changing rhe subject.
"A week. Just a week." Emma answered quickly.
"Great." Granny told her before she handed her an old-fashioned key. "Welcome to Storybrooke. I'm Granny and that's Ruby." The old lady told her pointing to the girl still looking out the window. "Lovely to have you with us." Granny told them before walking up the stairs ushering them to follow and leading them to their room.
As Henry looked on the window of his bedroom, he watched the town square. No one was out at that time causing his eyes to wander to the frozen clock tower. Suddenly the clock hand moved, the minute hand turning to 8:16. Henry looked on for a moment shocked before a large smile covered his face, he knew that Emma had stayed.