Henry and I watched as the clock tower hands moved.
Mom came into Henry's room and called for me. "Aubree, get in here!"
I walked into Henry's room and she asked, "The missing pages - where are they?"
Henry shrugged. "It's an old book. Stuff's missing. Why do you care?"
"I care because you two think I'm some evil queen. And that hurts me, Henry, Aubree. I'm your mother."
"No, you're not," Henry and I said.
Mom frowned. "Well, then who is? What woman you two brought here? I don't like what she and this book are doing to you two. Thankfully, both are no longer an issue." Henry and I smirked. "What?"
The clock chimed, and Mom looked up. Henry and I left while she was distracted by the clock.
"That was close," I muttered.
Henry glanced at me. "You know what this means, right?"
"That she stayed. I think we're starting to get through to her."
"Yeah. Now getting her to believe is gonna be harder."
"We'll find a way. We always do."
Third Person POV:
Regina knocked on the door to Emma's room whilst holding a basket of apples.
When the door opened, Regina said, "Did you know the Honeycrisp tree is the most vigorous and hearty of all apple trees? It can survive temperatures as low as forty below and keep growing. It can weather any storm. I have one that I've tended to since I was a little girl. And to this day, I have yet to taste anything more delicious than the fruit it offers." She handed Emma an apple.
"Thanks," Emma replied.
"I'm sure you'll enjoy them on your drive home."
"Actually, I'm going to stay for awhile."
"I'm not sure that's such a good idea. Henry and Aubree have enough issues. They don't need you confusing them."
"All do respect, Madam Mayor, the fact that you have now threatened me twice in the last 12 hours makes me want to stay more."
"Since when were apples a threat?"
"I can read between the lines. Sorry. I just want to make sure Henry and Aubree are okay."
"They're fine, dear. Any problems they have are being taken care of."
"What does that mean?"
"It means I have them in therapy. It's all under control. Take my advice, Miss Swan. Only one of us knows what's best for Henry and Aubree."
"Yeah, I'm starting to think you're right about that."
"It's time for you to go."
"Or what?"
"Don't underestimate me, Miss Swan. You have no idea what I'm capable of."
Regina made her way home and picked apples in her garden.
A man holding a newspaper, featuring Emma on the front page, walked up behind her. "The Mirror strikes again!"
"You're late," Regina said.
"Sorry. I wanted to bring you the latest edition. I assure you it's one of my better hatchet jobs."
"That's not what I asked for. What'd you find out about her?"
"Well, the truth be told, there wasn't much. She spent a lot of time in foster homes. Sh-she got into some trouble when she was a kid, ah, but the details are locked up pretty tight. Since then, she's clean. Bounced around all over. The only thing I really learned was that she doesn't like to sit still."
"Well, that appears to have changed."
"D-did you know that, um, she had Henry and Aubree while she was in Phoenix? Huh, how'd they wind up here in Maine?"
"So, if I'm understanding you correctly, you found nothing of value. Which means you have no value, Sidney. Do you know what I do with things that hold no value to me? I throw them away."
"I-I'll keep looking."
Aubree's POV:
Henry and I walked up to the counter and ordered a hot chocolate for Emma who had just walked in.
I smiled at Granny. "Make sure you add cinnamon."
Henry and I sat at a booth and watched as Ruby served Emma her cocoa.
"Here you go," Ruby said.
"Thank you, Emma replied. "But I did not order that."
"Yeah, I know. You have an admirer. More like a couple."
Emma saw Sheriff Graham at another table. She walked over and put the cocoa in front of him.
Sheriff Graham looked up at her. "Ah, so you decided to stay,"
"Observant," Emma noted. "Important for a cop."
"It's good news for our tourist business, it's bad for our local signage. It's... It's a joke. It's because you ran over our sign."
"Look, the cocoa was a nice gesture, and I am impressed that you guessed that I like cinnamon on my chocolate because most people don't, but I am not here to flirt. So thank you, but no thank you."
"I didn't send it."
Henry and I, sitting at another booth, overheard them.
"We did," Henry said. "We like cinnamon, too."
Emma frowned at us. "Don't you two have school?"
"Duh. We're ten. Walk us," I told her as Henry and I stood.
She walked us to the bus stop and Emma asked, "So, what's the deal with you two and your mom?"
Henry shook his head. "It's not about us, it's about her curse. We have to break it. Luckily, Bree and I have a plan. Step one -- identification. We call it Operation Cobra."
"Cobra? That has nothing to do with fairy tales."
I smirked. "Exactly. It's a code name to throw the Queen off her trail."
"So, everyone here is a fairy tale character. They just don't know it."
"That's the curse. Time's been frozen -- that is, until you got here."
Emma took a bite of her apple and Henry cried, "Hey! Where'd you get that?"
"Your mom," Emma replied.
"Don't eat that!"
Henry grabbed the apple from Emma and threw it over his shoulder.
Emma frowned. "Okay, uh... All right. What about their pasts?"
"They don't know," Henry answered. "It's a haze to them. Ask anyone everything. and you'll see."
"So, for decades, people have been walking around in a haze, not aging, with screwed up memories, stuck in a cursed town that kept them oblivious."
I grinned. "We knew you'd get it. That's why we need it. You're the only one who can stop her curse."
"Because I'm the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming?"
"Yes. And right now, we have the advantage. Our mom doesn't know that. Henry and I took out the end. The part with you in it." Henry showed her the pages and I continued. "Your mom is Snow White."
"Kids..."
Henry cut her off. "I know the hero never believes at first. If they did, it wouldn't be a very good story. If you need proof, take them. But whatever you do, don't let her see these pages. They're dangerous. If she finds out who you are, then it would be bad. Bree and I got to go. But we'll find you later and we can get started. We knew you'd believe us!"
"I never said I did."
"Why else would you be here?" I shot back with a wide smile.
Henry and I ran into the school.
Third Person POV:
Mary Margaret noticed Emma and approached her. "It's good to see their smiles back."
Emma shook her head. "I didn't do anything."
"You stayed. So, does the Mayor know you're still here?"
"Oh, she knows. What is her deal? She's not a great people person. How did she get elected?"
"She's been mayor for as long as I can remember. No one's ever been brave enough to run against her. She inspires quite a bit of, well, fear. I'm afraid I only made that worse by giving Henry and Aubree that book. Now they think she's the Evil Queen."
"Who do they think you are?"
"Oh, it's stilly."
"I just got five minutes of silly. Lay it on me."
"Snow White. Who do they think you are?"
"I'm not in the book. Can I ask you a favor? Regina mentioned the kids are in therapy. Do you know where I could find the doctor?"
Emma made her way to Archie's office and knocked on the door. "Hey."
"Emma Swan," Archie greeted. "I was, uh, just reading about you. Let me guess -- you're here for a little help with post-traumatic stress? ...That diagnosis was free, by the way."
"No, I'm here about Henry and Aubree."
"I'm sorry. I... I really shouldn't-"
"I know, I'm sorry. Just tell me something. This fairy tale obsession -- what is causing it? I mean, they think everyone is a character in their book. That's... crazy."
"I-I hope you don't talk that way in front of them. The word crazy is, um, quite damaging. These stories... They're their language. They have no idea how to express complex emotion, so they're translating as best they can. This is how they communicate, when they're using this book to help deal with their problems."
"But they got the book a month ago. Have they been seeing you longer than that?"
"Um, yes, they have."
"So it's Regina, isn't it?"
"Uh, their mother is, uh, a very complicated woman. And, uh, over the years, her attempts to try and bring Henry and Aubree close to her only backfired. Why don't you take a look at the files? Um, see what I mean." Archie got Henry and Aubree's files from the cabinet and handed them to Emma.
"Why are you doing this?" Emma asked.
"We talked about you a lot. And you're very important to them."
"Thank you."
"Just, uh, see that I get them back, okay? And Miss Swan. Just for the sake of the boy and the girl, be careful how to handle their belief system. Destroying their imagination would be... be devastating."
Emma left and Archie went to the phone and dialed a number.
"You were right," Archie said. "She was just here."
"Did she take the files?" Regina asked.
"Yes. H-How did you know that she was going to come here?"
"Because I'm the one who gave her the idea."
Emma sat on her bed at Granny's and flipped through Henry and Aubree's files. There was a knock on the door and she answered, seeing Graham.
"Hey, there," Emma greeted. "If you're concerned about the 'do not disturb' signs, don't worry. I've left them alone."
"Actually, I'm here about Dr. Archibald Hopper," Graham said. "He mentioned you got into a bit of a row with him earlier?"
Emma frowned, confused. "No..."
"I was shocked too. And given your shy, delicate sensibilities... He says you demanded to see Henry and Aubree's files and when he refused, you came back and stole them."
"He gave them to me."
"Alas, he's telling a different tale. May I check your room? Or, must I get a search warrant?"
Emma let Graham inside. The papers from Henry and Aubree's files were strewn everywhere.
Emma gestured to the bed. "This what you're looking for?"
"Well, you're very accommodating," Graham commented. "I'm afraid, Miss Swan, you're under arrest. Again."
"You know I'm being set up, don't you?"
As Graham handcuffed her, he asked, "And whom, may I ask, is setting you up?"
Aubree's POV:
I glanced across the street and whispered to Henry, "Evil Queen Mom alert."
Miss Blanchard was in the middle of a lesson. "-water, synthesize."
"Excuse me," Mom called. "May I speak with my son and daughter?"
Miss Blanchard looked at Mom. "We're in the middle of a lesson. Is it important?"
"Do you think I'd be here if it wasn't?"
Mom walked towards us. "Henry, Aubree, sweeties, I have some bad news. The woman who brought you two here -- she's been arrested. She broke into Dr. Hopper's office and stole his files. She's a con woman. She's trying to learn about us in order to take advantage of us. That's why she's sticking around. I'm sorry."
I smirked. "A con woman? Cool!"
Henry glared at Mom. "No, you're not."
Mom looked between us. "I know you two think otherwise, but all I'm doing is trying to protect you two. This is going to be good for us. You'll both see. Things will be better."
The bell rang and Henry said, "We got to get back to class. Come on, Bree."
Third Person POV:
Graham and Emma were at the jail and he was taking her mugshot.
"You know the shrink is lying, right?" Emma said.
"To the right, please," Graham instructed. "Why would he lie?"
"The Mayor put him up to this. She's got to have something on him. He's terrified of her like everyone else in this... town."
"To the left. Regina may be a touch intimidating, but I don't think she'd go as far as a frame job."
"How far would she go? What does she have her hands in?"
"Well, she's the mayor. She has her hands in everything."
"Including the police force?"
Henry and Aubree ran in, followed by Mary Margaret.
"Hey!" The twins called.
"Henry! Aubree!" Graham cried. "Henry, Aubree, what are you two doing here?"
"Their mother told them what happened," Mary Margaret explained.
"Of course she did," Emma muttered. "Henry, Aubree, I don't know what she said--"
Henry cut her off. "You're a genius."
"What?"
Aubree grinned. "We know what you were up to. You were gathering intel for Operation Cobra."
Graham frowned. "I'm sorry. I'm a bit lost."
"It's need to know, Sheriff," Henry told him. "And all you need to know is that Miss Blanchard's going to bail her out."
"You are?" Emma asked. "Why?"
"I, uh, trust you," Mary Margaret said.
Emma held her arms to Graham. "Well, if you can uncuff me, I have something to do."
Graham uncuffed Emma and the four left the jail.
Regina was sitting in her office and hear a noise. She looked out the window and saw Emma cutting her apple tree down with a chainsaw.
She went outside and asked, "What the hell are you doing?"
"Picking apples," Emma shot back.
"You're out of your mind."
"No, you are if you think a shoddy frame job's enough to scare me off. You're going to have to do better than that. You come after me one more time, I'm coming back for the rest of this tree. Because, sister, you have no idea what I am capable of." Emma began walking away. "Your move."
Regina picked apples off the ground as Graham walked up behind her.
"She destroyed city property," Regina said. "I want her arrested."
"Again?" Graham asked.
"What are you waiting for?"
"I'm just not convinced arresting her is the right plan. And I'm not talking about your tree. We both know she didn't steal those files."
"Oh, do we?"
"I mean, she looked pretty shocked when I leveled the charges against her."
"It's because she doesn't like being caught."
"Or because she was set up. And if she was, that means Dr. Hopper was lying. And if he's lying, that means someone asked him to. Are we really confident that the man's conscience won't eventually get the best of him?"
"I think your schoolboy crush is clouding your judgment. Remember -- I made you sheriff. And I can take it away just as easily."
"If you want me to arrest her again, I will."
"Good."
"But she's going to keep coming at you. And I know that you're going to keep coming at her and you will do whatever it takes to get her out of here and you may succeed."
"No, I will succeed. He's my son and she's my daughter. It's what's best for them."
"I know that's what you believe. Yeah, but if this escalates, it seems to me the only ones who will get hurt are Henry and Aubree."
Emma walked down the street. She looked over to where her car was parked and saw a boot on it. Her phone rang and she answered. "Yeah?"
"Miss Swan, I'd be happy to continue demonstrating my power, but am I right in guessing your resolve to stay is only growing?"
"You have no idea."
"Well then. I think it's time we made peace. Why don't you drive over to my office? Or walk, whatever suits you."
Regina and Emma sat in Regina's office.
Regina offered a small smile. "I'd like to start by apologizing, Miss Swan."
"What?" Emma asked.
"I just have to accept the reality that you want to be here."
"That's right. I do."
"And that you're here to take my son and daughter from me."
"Okay, let's be clear. I have no idea of taking them from anyone."
"Well, then, what are you doing here?"
"I know I'm not a mother. I think that's pretty self-evident. But I did have them. And I can't help that they got in my head and I want to make sure they're okay. The more you try to push me out, the more I want to be here. Especially after seeing how troubled they are."
"You think they're troubled?"
"Well, they're in therapy. And I only got a couple of pages through their shrink's notes before you had me arrested. But putting all that aside. They think everyone in this town is a fairy tale character."
"And you don't?"
"How can I? The poor kids can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality and it's only getting worse. It's crazy."
"You think we're crazy?" Henry asked.
Aubree stood beside her brother, tears stinging her eyes.
"Henry, Aubree..." Emma called as they ran from the room. "How long were they there?"
"Long enough," Regina replied.
"You knew they would be here."
"Did I know that my son and daughter come to my office every Thursday at precisely 5:00 p.m. for dinner before their therapy session? Of course I did. I'm their mother. Your move."
"You have no soul. How in the hell did you get like this?"
Emma made her way to Mary Margaret's and knocked on the door.
The door opened and Emma said, "Hey. Just wanted to say thank you and, um, pay you back the bail money."
"You look like you need to talk," Mary Margaret noted.
Emma entered and Mary Margaret made them cocoa.
"Cinnamon?" Emma questioned.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I should've asked. It's a little quirk of mine. Do you mind?"
"Not at all. Oh, thanks. When you bailed me out, you said that you trusted me. Why?"
"It's strange. Ever since you arrived here, I've had the oddest feeling like we met before. And, I know it's crazy."
"I'm starting to re-evaluate my definition of crazy."
"For what it's worth, I think you're innocent."
"Oh, breaking and entering, or just in general?"
"Whichever makes you feel better."
"It doesn't really matter what anyone thinks I did or didn't do. I'm leaving. Thank you -- for everything -- but I think it's for the best. If I stay, Henry and Aubree are only going to keep getting hurt."
"What happens if you go? I think the very fact that you want to leave, is why you have to stay. You care about them. Who will protect Henry and Aubree if you won't?"
Aubree's POV:
Henry and I were at our therapy session with Archie.
"Are you sure you two don't want to talk about it?" Archie asked. "You two know, that umbrella kind of is my good luck charm. Is that why you two think I'm Jiminy Cricket?"
"We don't think you're anyone," Henry said.
I nodded. "You're just Archie Hopper. Town therapist."
Emma barged into the room.
"Miss Swan!" Archie cried. "Look, I can explain. The Mayor forced me to-"
Emma cut him off. "I know. Don't worry about it. I get it. Henry, Aubree, I'm sorry."
I buried my head in Henry's shoulder and glared at Emma. "We don't want to talk to you."
Archie frowned. "Miss Swan, if she knew you were here-"
Emma cut him off again. "To hell with her. Henry, Aubree, there is one simple reason I stayed here. You two. I wanted to get to know you two."
"You think we're crazy," Henry shot back.
"No, I think the curse is crazy. And it is. But, that doesn't mean that it isn't true. It is a lot to ask anyone to believe in, but there are a lot of crazy things in this world. So what do I know. Maybe it is true."
My glare deepened. "But you told our mom."
"What she needed to hear. What I do know, is that if the curse is real, the only way to break it is by tricking the Evil Queen into thinking that we are non-believers. 'Cause that way, she's not onto us. Isn't that what Operation Cobra was all about? Throwing her off the trail?"
Henry and I exchanged a look and he nodded before we cried, "Brilliant!"
"I've read the pages and, Henry, Aubree, you two are right. These are dangerous. There is only one way to make sure that she never sees them." Emma threw the pages into the fireplace. "Now we have the advantage."
Henry grinned. "We knew you were here to help us."
Emma smiled. "That's right, kids. I am. And nothing, not even a curse, is going to stop that."