Flashback
In the tower, Hook was admiring his daughter's painting of the ocean that she was currently doing.
He smiled, "That painting is gorgeous, Alice. The calm before the storm," He said.
"I don't think I like it," Alice said as she glanced up at her father.
"How is that possible?" Hook looked at her, "It might be your best one yet, it's... I mean, it's beautiful," Hook said.
"It just makes me want to see the real ocean, I'm done painting for a while," Alice said and walked to the window, she touched the magical barrier that was sealing her inside.
"I'm sorry you're trapped in here, Starfish. I know it's not fair, but you know what? I might have something that'll make you smile," Alice turned to her father and sees him holding a case, "I was saving it for your birthday, but today is better," Hook said and handed her the case.
Alice opened it and looked inside before looking back up at him, "Is it sand?" Alice asked.
"Well, I figured if I couldn't take you to the sea, then I'd bring a piece of the sea to you," Hook said.
"Thank you, Papa. I love you," Alice said.
"I love you, too," Hook said and the two hugged until Hook clutched his throat in pain.
"Papa! What's wrong? Papa! Wha's happening to you?! Papa!" Alice said worriedly and scared.
Gothel appeared, "I am," She said and magically shoved him out the window.
Alice ran to the window, "No!" She yelled.
Suddenly, Alice woke up from her nightmare screaming. Hook walked over with a lantern and see it down, "Hey, don't worry. It was just a bad dream," He said.
"I saw the witch again, she's coming for me," Alice said, terrified.
"It was just a nightmare," Hook said.
"It's not! It's real! You have to believe me!" Alice said as he looked at her father.
Hook sat on the bed and pulled her into a hug, "You do see the world in a special way, Alice. If you say the dream means something, then I believe you," Hook said then he got him and grabbed his sword and coat.
"What are you doing?" Alice asked him.
Hook looked at her, "Making sure the dream doesn't come true. I'm getting you out of this tower, once and for all," Hook said.
"But how? You've tried everything," Alice said.
"Almost everything. Truth is there is one more thing I can try. It's a dark path that I always feared to take, but I don't have any other choice," Hook gave her the white knight chess piece, "Keep this close by, to remember me," Hook said.
"I'm scared, Papa. What if something happens to you?" Alice asked.
"What happens to me? Come on, I'll be fine and I swear I will return as soon as I can," Hook said.
"Then take this to remember me," Alice said as she gave him a rook chess piece.
"My little rook," He smiled at her, "You are the bravest girl I know. Look, soon all of this will be over and all the chess pieces will be together again," Hook said before giving her kiss on her head before leaving.
End of Flashback
At the station, Rogers was going over the photos of Sage and Hilda when Tilly came in, she placed a chess board on his desk.
"Morning, detective! I'm glad you're here, I could really use a good match right now," Tilly said.
"Look, I'm working. I don't have time to play games," Rogers said.
Sofia walked in with two coffees, "Morning, Tilly, everything okay?" She asked and gave Rogers a coffee, "Here hon."
Rogers took the coffee, "Thanks love, sorry for making you do a coffee run," Rogers said.
"Meh, I don't mind I needed a walk, your serious face was bugging me," Sofia giggled and sat behind her desk.
"Morning Sofia," Tilly smiled and turned to Rogers, "We can all make time for games. They can help us out on our bad days and I have a feeling it's gonna be one of those," Tilly said.
Sofia pushed her chair to go behind Rogers desk slightly with him, she looked at Tilly, "What do you mean?" Sofia asked.
"Well, just a feeling something awful's gonna happen. My head feels a bit off, bt it's nothing a good game won't clear up!" Tilly said as she opened the chess board and started taking out the chess pieces.
"I'm sure that it would, but we have to focus on our case right now. People are in danger, it's important," Rogers said as he put the chess pieces away.
"And I'm not?" Tilly looked at him hurt.
"I'm not saying that, I'm not. I'm just..." Rogers said and looked at Sofia, who was moving away, leaving him to dig himself out this one alone. He looked at Tilly, "Right now, we... I really need you to go home, yeah?" Rogers said.
"Right, yeah, of course," Tilly said, picking up the chess board and reluctantly leaves, brushing past Weaver as he came in.
"Hey, Tilly," Weaver said as he walked into the office, then looked at Sofia and Rogers, "What's the matter with her?" Weaver asked.
"I'm not sure. It's just Tilly being Tilly," Rogers said then suddenly a hand swipped the back of his head, hard. He hit the table and turned to see Sofia glaring at him, "What the hell Sof?!"
"You hurt her feelings, again!" Sofia sighed, "Seriously, are you dumb or plain stupid?!"
"There's not much different between them Sofia," Weaver said, amused.
"I know, that's why I said it," Sofia looked at Weaver, "Hey, I have a question... Do you know a Brooklyn?"
Weaver looked at her shocked, "I...I hmm, yes, we worked together for a while... Why?" Weaver asked.
Sofia picked up a piece of paper and walked to him, handed it to him, "This was one my desk," She said.
Earlier that day - 2 hours before
Rogers and Sofia walked into the station and went into their shared office with Weaver.
"I'll get us some coffees," Rogers said taking off his jacket.
"Thanks," Sofia sat behind her desk and watched him leave.
She held her head and hissed, "Ah... Ah, what the hell..." She muttered and lowered her head onto the table.
After a few moments she lifted her head up, "Err..." She looked around, "Well, I'm not in Storybrooke anymore... Rumpel..." She thought, "Is Weaver, Sofia will ask Weaver who I am," Brooke said and quickly wrote a note for Weaver/Rumpel.
Rogers walked in and handed her, a coffee, "Here, love," Rogers said.
"T-Thanks," Brooke said and walked out of the office, going to the ladies toliets. She paced back and force, "Okay, so... Why am I awake?" Her head began to hurt, "Damn it... Not again," She hissed and leaned against a wall, "Ah..."
"Sof..." Rogers said from the door, "Are you okay?" And the door opened, he stepped back looking at her.
"I'm fine, hon... Didn't sleep well last night," Sofia was back and smiled, "Worried about me?"
Present.
"Really?" Weaver questioned, unfolded the note and looked at the note: HELP ME! Since Henry came to town, I woke up in my mind behind a locked door. Sort Gothel out! Wake Gina and Lena - Brooklyn J.
"Everything okay, Weaver?" Rogers asked.
"Yeah, she's just telling me know she's in town," Weaver said and folded the note to see Weaver from Brooklyn J, he pocketed the note then he looked at Sofia who was rubbing her head.
"Okay," Rogers said.
"So, what's the word on our Blind Baker?" Sofia asked.
"Enjoying the finest medical care in Hyperion Heights. I posted a patrol outside her room. My suspicion is, this killer goes for easy prey, so I've just made things a little bit more difficult. With a bit of luck, it'll help flush them out," Weaver said.
"So, everyone in that cult is in danger, but we don't have a bloody clue who they are," Rogers said.
"Well, we don't, but Eloise does," Sofia looked at her husband, "White Knight," She said and he rolled his eyes.
"Eloise Gardener may have decided to vanish in the wake of Victoria's death but that doesn't mean to say we won't find her. We will, she's the key that's gonna open all the locks," Weaver said.
Gothel walked inside, "Then, by all means," They looked at her, "Let's open them. I think it's time we all had a little talk," Gothel said.
----x----
Later, Rogers and Weaver went to question Gothel in the interrogation room as Sofia watched on the live feed.
"You have a chance to save some lives here, alright? All we need is a list of the members of the cult and then we can get to them before the killer does," Rogers said.
"We're not a cult, we're a group of women with shared ideals. Why do people like you always have to put a label on that? Like cult or coven or I don't know witches?" Gothel questioned.
"Is that label so far astray? Where were you the night of Victoria Belfrey's death?" Weaver asked.
"I'm sorry, am I a suspect now and since when was this about me, detective Weaver? I came here to help you find a killer," Gothel said.
"Of course you did. I apologise for my partner," Rogers said.
"I don't want an apology, I want him gone," Gothel looked at Rogers, "You and I always have such nice conversations, Detective Rogers, when that little bitch wife of yours isn't around," Rogers looked at her annoyed, "So, if I can't talk to you alone, I don't talk at all."
The two men stepped out, they went into the office where Sofia was watching through the live feed. Sofia looked at her, "So, she's not gonna talk unless she talks to you alone?" Sofia asked as she turned to Rogers and he nodded.
"You do not want to go in there yourself. That woman's life work is manipulation," Weaver said.
"Agreed," Sofia said.
"Yeah, she manipulates lonely, lost girls and I'm none of those things. I'll be fine, it's not like she an actual witch," Rogers said.
"Yeah, well, whatever she is, I assure you, she's not going to give up her answers easily," Weaver said.
"Why? Becuase she won't talk to you? I spent years looking for her. Yeah, she turned out different than I expected but I know her, she likes to be in control," Rogers said.
"Yeah, you got that part right," Sofia said and swirled her chair to face them.
"Yeah, so I'll let her think she's in control," Rogers said and looked at Sofia, he walked to her.
Sofia looked at him, "What?" She asked and her eyes widened a little when he pressed his lips against her.
"Calm down," Rogers said, looking her in the eyes.
"I am calm!" Sofia said.
Weaver and Rogers went silent, "Of course you are," Weaver said.
"So, when she thinks she's in control, what will you do then?" Sofia asked.
Rogers stood up straight, "Then I'll rope her in, break open the case," He said and headed to the door.
"Hey, hey, hey, I'm trying to help you here. I want to solve this case just as badly as you do. So, go in there, get your answers but whatever happens do not let that woman inside your head," Weaver said but Rogers didn't say anything and he walked away.
Weaver looked at Sofia, "Sofia, will you be okay watching this alone... I need to find Brooklyn," Weaver said.
Sofia looked at him and nodded, "Sure thing," Sofia smiled at him.
"Thanks, I shan't be long," Weaver said and walked out.
Flashback
Hook went to go see Rumpelstiltskin in his cell to find a way to get Alice out of the tower. Rumpelstiltskin had told Hook that the magic weapon he seeked to shatter any prison was in the hands of another captain.
End of Flashback
Weaver walked into the bar and found Regina and Zelena as he walked to the bar, "A word," He said.
Regina and Zelena walked to him, "What is it?" Zelena asked.
Weaver handed them the note, Regina took it and the sister read it, "She's trying to wake up?" Regina asked.
"Without a memory potion?" Zelena questioned.
"Yeah, she could kill herself doing this," Weaver sighed, "But that's our Brooke."
"It is," Regina handed him back the note, "I explained the headaches and shouting at nothing."
"It does," Weaver pocketed the note.
"How does she know she's being a locked door, as she's put it?" Zelena asked, "I know, that our real selves were somewhere in our minds, but we were all 'locked' away when we got here."
"Her locket," Weaver said.
"What?" Regina asked.
"Her locket, she and Hook came to me about the curse and Brooke asked me to lock the locket she she wouldn't be able to open it... I might have accidentally... Began the switch of the two Brooklyns," Weaver said.
"So, Sofia is Princess Brooklyn?" Regina asked.
"More than likely," Weaver said.
"You know, you should stop trying to do a good thing, you end up messing things up more sometimes," Zelena said.
"Brooke wants our help, so what do we do?" Regina asked.
"Nothing, Alicia is working on something, for the past few years back in our town, but, I'd advise us to not wake Brooke up," Weaver said.
"Why not? We need her!" Zelena whispered yelled.
"We don't... Not right now," Weaver said.
"You got a plan?" Regina asked.
"With Brooke yes, keep her as Sofia. She's working in the station, so if Brooke wakes up, she'll be right back and avoiding the captain which when their curse persona's have been married for 4 years, he won't take it lying down. We'll wake her when I say so," Weaver said.
"Alright..." Regina sighed, "I don't like it, but alright."
"So, how did they switch?" Zelena asked.
"My guess is, when the curse was cast, Brooke, without realising got scared and swapped accidentally... And her curse persona, is our Brooke's personality, just doubled the anger," Weaver said.
"Right... So, we're awake and we keep the Socreress asleep?" Zelena questioned.
"Yes," Weaver said.
"Wonderful," Zelena said.
"I have to head off, just keep her asleep a little longer," Weaver said and walked out of the bar.
Regina and Zelena looked at each other.
----x----
Meanwhile, Sofia watched the interrogation through the live feed as Rogers had walked back into the interrogation room, he places the coffees on the table. Gothel looked up at the surveillance camera.
"Alright, you win, Detective Weaver and Officer Rogers have gone out for a coffee. It's just us now," Rogers said.
"Oh, I doubt she went anywhere," Gothel turned to him and smiled at him, "But as long as I can look at your face and not Weaver's, I'm a happy girl," Gothel said.
"Glad to hear that," Rogers said.
"Have you ever thought about taking a razor to that face of yours, detective? I bet you look nice clean-shaven," Gothel said.
Rogers ignored her questions and took out his notebook, "Tell me, why did you come in today?" Rogers asked her.
"Because I want the same thing you do. I want to prevent women like me from being killed," Gothel said.
"Well, tell me who they are and I'll protect them," Rogers said.
"And you really think you're capable of that? It's not that easy. First, you have to know who you really are and right now, you have no idea," Gothel said.
"And you think you do?" Rogers asked.
"I think the answer's closer than you ever imagined," Gothel said, taking the notebook and thumbed through until she found a picture of a pirate ship, "A picture really is worth a thousand words, isn't it? I wonder what this one means, deep down," Gothel said.
"It's just a doodle, it's an old habit," Rogers said taking the notebook from her.
"Maybe, older than you know. There are so many patterns around you, you can't see yet. Patterns that govern your actions and mine and the killer's," Gothel said.
"What kind of patterns?" Rogers asked.
"If you want to learn the truth about the killer, first, you need to learn the truth about yourself," Gothel said.
"Alright, well, you seem to know everything. Why don't you just tell me," Rogers said.
"Oh, I can't see all the patterns. I can't, but I do know how to search for him and if you're ready to uncover yours, you just need to do one small thing for me," Gothel said.
In the office, Sofia glared at the screen and Weaver walked in, "If you had powers, that television would be melting," Weaver commented.
"If I did, that bitch wouldn't be speaking," Sofia said and looked at him, "How'd it go?"
"Not so good, I can't do what she wants yet," Weaver said.
"I'm sure she'll understand when you explain briefly why," Sofia smiled a little.
"I hope so... So, what's happening?" Weaver said and Sofia explained what he's missed.