Mr. Gold's car came to a stop in front of the town boundary. He got out and popped the truck, where Smee was bound and gagged inside.
Mr. Gold removed the gag and led Smee over the town line before saying, "This will only take a moment."
"Don't... push me over," Smee begged. "If I cross this line, I'll lose my memory. It's a cruel fate."
"A fate you were more than willing to bestow upon Belle." He kicked Smee to the ground and took his hat. "You've had this rag since the day we met. Why is it so important to you?"
"My grandmother made it for me when I was a boy. It's always brought me good fortune. What difference does it make?"
Mr. Gold poured a potion over the hat, causing it to glow. "Oh... All the difference in the world. It's your only chance." He threw the hat back to Smee, who quickly put it on.
"What do you mean, my only-"
Mr. Gold pushed Smee over the town boundary. A surge of blue magic pulsed through his body and stopped.
"What's your name?" Mr. Gold asked.
"William Smee," Smee replied.
"And who am I?"
"Rumpelstiltskin. The Dark One. I remember everything! How can this be?"
"Well, it seems our little experiment was a success. Now go." Smee fled the scene. "I have a trip to plan."
---
Several Storybrooke residents were gathered around a casket and a tombstone. It read 'Archibald Hopper - Friend and Conscience'.
Mary Margaret gave the eulogy. "Some of us knew him as Archie. Others, as Jiminy. But we all knew him as a true friend. And though, he may now be gone, he will always live on inside of us. Reminding us to be our best selves, to do the right thing, to always fight for what we believe. So, we shouldn't think of today as goodbye, just as a way of saying... Archie, we'll be listening."
Marco walked up to the tombstone and laid Archie's umbrella against it before saying, "I miss you so much, my friend. Well, at least... You are in a better place."
---
In the hold of Hook's ship, Hook was interrogating Archie, who was still tied up.
"Wait!" Archie cried. "No, please, don't! Wait! Please! Please!"
"Shh... As your patient, the Dark One must've told you all manner of secrets," Hook said. "Where is his dagger?"
"I don't know anything about a dagger."
"No, you don't, do you? It's his weakness. Now, tell me, does he have any others?" Archie didn't respond. "Very well. I've always wanted to dissect a cricket." He dug his hook into Archie's forehead.
"No! Wait. Wait. Please."
"Ah... That's more like it. Now tell me, Cricket, what is his weakness?"
---
Belle entered Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop. "Hey. What, uh... What's wrong that you couldn't tell me on the phone?"
"I did it," Mr. Gold replied. "I can leave."
"You can cross the town line?"
"Indeed I can. When I pour this potion onto the object I hold most dear, that object becomes a talisman, and allows me to cross the town line and still remember who I am."
"And who you're looking for?"
"My boy."
"What, um... What will you enchant?"
"Well..." he revealed a hidden safe behind a painting. He unlocked the safe and pulled out a well-worn shawl. "This shawl... is all I have left of my Baelfire."
"I don't suppose I could come with you?"
"No, I... I... I truly wish you could, but... I only have enough of this potion for one object." He put the shawl back into the safe. "This is my journey, Belle. This is my journey. I'm afraid it's something I have to do alone."
The two hugged before Belle said, "I know."
Belle made her way to the library and entered. She grabbed a handful of books to put away. She ran into Hook, who was reading a book in one of the aisles.
"Uh, sorry," Belle apologized. "The... The library's not open yet."
"Oh. I'm not here for the books, love," Hook told her."
"You. You're the one who broke into my cell at the Queen's palace."' She ran into the main part of the library and Hook followed her. "You wanted to kill Rumpelstiltskin."
"Oh, I still do. But, right now, I'll settle for you."
She pushed a cart of books on top of Hook and ran into the elevator. Hook freed himself from the pule and dashed towards the elevator, but the door shut in his face. He banged on the door.
Belle called Mr. Gold from inside. "Hey, Belle."
"Rumpel, I'm... I'm in the elevator," Belle said. "There's a man here. He broke in. He wants to kill me."
"Belle? You're... You're breaking up. Who's in the library?"
"... Pirate-"
"Belle?"
"... A hand. Missing a hand-"
"Belle?"
"Hello?" The line cut out and Belle hung up the phone.
"Belle?"
LATER
Belle was still trapped in the elevator. There was someone banging on the door, trying to get in. When the door opened, it turned out to be Mr. Gold, not Hook. She ran into his arms.
"Belle," Mr. Gold said. "It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. Here." He placed his jacket over her shoulders.
"Where... Where is he?" Belle asked.
"I don't know. But you've got nothing to fear. I'm here now."
---
At Mary Margaret's apartment, Henry and Aubree were brooding on their beds.
Emma entered the room with a Pop Tart on two plates. "Hey, kids. You two hungry? I managed to wrangle up a couple Pop Tarts."
"No, thanks," the twins replied.
Emma headed back to the living room, where Mary Margaret and the rest of the funeral attendees were gathered.
"Well, that went well," Emma muttered.
"Emma, you're doing all you can do," Mary Margaret told her.
"That's what makes me feel awful."
"Ladies?" Leroy called. "The dwarves have been thinking. We have to ask - when do we go back?"
"Back?" Emma repeated. "Where?"
"The Enchanted Forest. Our home."
Mary Margaret frowned. "You want to go back?"
"We fought really hard to get here," Emma said.
"But with what Regina did to Archie, Storybrooke ain't as safe as we thought," Leroy reminded her.
"We're going to find her. There's only so many places she can hide."
"We've dealt with her before, we'll do it again," Mary Margaret said.
"But it's not just her," Leroy noted. "The curse is broken. There's a whole world full of people beyond the town line that don't know who or what we are. Ever think of what might happen if one of them here to come pay us a visit?"
"He's right," Ruby agreed. "What if they see, you know, magic? Like a girl turning into a wolf, for example? Folks weren't exactly understanding back in our world."
"Okay, let's not worry about 'what ifs'," Emma told them. "No one is here."
"Yet," Leroy stated. "Maybe they come, maybe they don't. But that doesn't change the fact that while we might enjoy things like penicillin, we're a bit homesick."
---
Mr. Gold and Belle were walking along the main street back to Mr. Gold's shop.
"Where are you going?" Belle questioned.
"The shop," Mr. Gold replied.
"Why?"
"Well, let's just say, there are many wonderful things in there, that I could use to make sure that pirate never comes near you ever again."
"Rumpel, no. We... We need to report this to the Sheriff. They'll take care of him. You're so close to finding your son. Please. Please, don't let your hatred for this man get in the way of that."
"But he tried to harm you."
"But why? What... What happened between you two?"
"Belle... This is not really your concern."
"He attacked me. It most definitely is my concern."
"Many years ago, I was married to a woman named Milah... Until Hook crossed our paths."
"She was Baelfire's mother?"
"Yeah. And because of that marauding cur, he grew up without her. He took my wife - he took Bae's mother - so I took his hand."
"That's why he came after me. But, uh, what... What about her? What... What did he do? Rumpel, you can... You can tell me anything."
"She died. That's all that matters."
They arrived at the shop and entered. Inside, they discovered that the entire shop had been ransacked.
"What happened here?" Belle wondered.
"Hook," Mr. Gold said. "This is why he attacked you."
"To get you out of the store. What did he want?"
Mr. Gold checked the safe and found it empty.
From a nearby rooftop, Hook spied on the pair through a telescope. Smee, holding the stolen shawl, joined Hook.
"You have it, Mr. Smee?" Hook questioned.
"What is it, Captain?" Smee asked.
"It's the end of the crocodile's hope. Now he's trapped here."
---
Mr. Gold began smashing things with his cane until Belle stopped him.
"Rumpel!" Belle called. "Rumpel! Stop it! Stop, please."
"No, you're right," Mr. Gold agreed.
"Hey..."
"I'll have to retrieve what's mine." He stalked towards the exit.
"Let me... Let me help you."
"This is my fight."
"And this is my fault! If Hook had never attacked me, you never would have left the shop."
"How do you propose that we get the shawl back? Have you dueled with a pirate before? How exactly are you going to help me?"
"Well, I'm not going to sit here and do nothing!"
"No. You're going back to the library, lock the door, and wait for me to dispense with this problem!"
"And, if I don't? You'll... You'll cast some spell that gives me no choice?"
"No. I trust you'll do as I wish, as you trust me to be a better man. Belle, please. Hook has maybe cost me the chance of finding my son. I don't want to lose you, too. Here, look. I want you to take this." He pulled a gun from one of the drawers and handed it to Belle. "Just in case Hook is stupid to come after you again. Point this, pull this trigger, and the gun'll do the rest for you. All right? All right?!"
"Yes, yes." He tried to leave again, but Belle stopped him. "W-wait. Promise me that you going after Hook is just about getting the shawl back."
Mr. Gold didn't respond and abruptly left.
Belle cleaned up the mess of books at the library. Amongst the pile, she found a knotted piece of rope. Curious, she found a book titled 'A Nautical Guide' and looked through. She found a page on ship knots and discovered that the piece of knotted rope was called 'the Monkey's Fist'.
"Hook came here on his ship," Belle realized.
---
Carrying a bag, Smee headed down the main street of Storybrooke. When he reached a parking lot, he was confronted by Mr. Gold.
"Leaving town, Mr. Smee?" Mr. Gold asked, pinning Smee to the wall using magic. He struggled to breathe. "I spared your life. And this is how you repay me? That object you stole from me -- I want it back."
"I gave it to Hook," Smee told him.
"And where is he?"
"I don't know. W-we met on a rooftop. He didn't tell me anything."
"And why would he? Hook knows exactly what you are, Mr. Smee - a sniveling rat." A puff of black smoke from Mr. Gold turned Smee into a rat. "Now, scurry off."
---
Belle made her way to the docks in search of Hook's ship, but found it deserted. "Where is it?"
Above her, she noticed several seagulls perched on a seemingly invisible object. She grabbed a handful of feed from a nearby container and threw it at the base of the ship. The feed revealed the stairway leading onto the boat.
"Found you," Belle said, walking carefully up the stairs until she crossed an invisible barrier, which allowed her to see the ship for herself. She went below deck and heard Archie yell out.
"Hello?" Archie called.
"Uh... H-Hello?"
"Down here!" Belle opened the grate and found Archie tied up inside. "Belle! Oh, thank God!"
"Archie! You're... You... You're okay!"
"Yes, I... I... I am. I... I... Can... Can you, uh..."
Belle grabbed a nearby sword and cut Archie's ropes. He untied his legs and climbed out before Belle said, "Go. Find Mr. Gold. Tell him I'm here. Bring back to the ship."
"Wait. You're not coming with me?"
A creaking noise sounded from above and Belle cried, "Go. Go! Go, go! There's no time to argue."
Archie exited, leaving Belle behind.
---
David and Mary Margaret were washing dishes at the apartment. They saw Henry and Aubree sitting on their beds calling someone.
"Who're they calling?" David wondered.
The recording on Archie's office phone faintly sounded. "You've reached the office of Archibald Hopper. I'm sorry I can't take your call right now. I'm either with a patient-"
"Or dead," the twins muttered.
Henry hung up and David sat between them on the bed and said, "It's okay, buddy, kiddos. Things will get better, I promise. You just... got to hang in there."
"Doesn't feel that way."
"I know. I know."
Pongo suddenly entered through the front door and rushed to where Henry and Aubree were sitting.
"Pongo!" Henry and Aubree called.
"How did he get in here?" Mary Margaret wondered.
Emma entered. "I brought him. Marco and I had a chat. Archie knew how much Henry and Aubree love this dog. We decided they should have him. That is, if you two are up for taking care of him, Henry, Aubree."
The twins exchanged a look before Henry said, "Yeah, we are!"
They saw the trail of mud brought in by Pongo and Emma offered a suggestion. "Henry, Aubree, why don't you two take Pongo and clean him up?"
"Okay. Come on. Come on, boy! Come on! Let's go! Come on, boy."
Henry and Aubree left.
Emma spoke again. "All right, look. I know that there's a lot to work out logistically, but-"
Mary Margaret cut her off. "No, no, no. I think giving Pongo to Henry and Aubree is a great idea. It's just, five people and a Dalmatian in this loft. Things might get a little-"
"Cramped. I know. We'll get creative."
"Or... We could get our own place."
"You want to do what?"
"You want to move out?" David questioned.
"Whoa!" Mary Margaret exclaimed. "I... It's just a suggestion."
Emma looked between them. "After twenty-eight years, isn't this what we've all been waiting for? To be together under the same roof?"
"Yes! I just... Imagined a bigger roof. ... With turrets. Being here in Storybrooke, we have a chance at a fresh start. Let's take it."
---
Belle placed the gun on the counter and began searching the room for the shawl. She found a locked box on a shelf, but no key. She eventually found the key on one of the shelves and opened the box. Inside, there were only a few pieces of gold. Holding the shawl, Hook entered behind her.
"Looking for this?" Hook asked.
"Uh, that doesn't belong to you," Belle told him.
"Oh, it does now." They both glanced at the gun and Belle attempted to grab it, but Hook was faster. "Oh... My dear Belle, you should've stayed with your books. Real life can get so... Messy." He pointed the gun at her head.
"I'm not afraid of you, and I'm not leaving without that."
He placed the shawl on the counter. "Well, I admire your loyalty. But helping Rumeplstilskin? I'm afraid you're fighting a lost cause."
"He needs that shawl to find his son."
"And what makes you think his son wants to be found? Mm? I'm doing that boy a favour."
"Have you not hurt Rumpel enough?"
"Oh, I've hurt him?"
"You stole his wife."
"Tell me something, love. If a woman comes to you and begs you to take her away, is that theft?"
"Why would she leave him?"
"Because he was a coward. And because she loved me. I should have burned this the moment I acquired it."
"Why didn't you?"
"Because she made it."
"I'm sorry she died, but... Vengeance? Vengeance won't bring her back."
"Died? Like it was some kind of accident? Is that what he told you?"
"He... Well, he... He didn't say."
"No, of course not. Of course he'd leave out the most important detail of her passing."
"And, uh... What would that be?"
"He killed her. He ripped out her heart, and he crushed it right in front of me."
"No..."
"Oh, yes."
"No!"
"Yes. He will do anything - anything - anything to hold on to his power. Why do you think anyone who's ever gotten close to him, has either run away, or been killed? Now, what makes you think you're any different? Tell me something, darling. Why would you want to fight for a man like that?"
"Because I still see good in him. Because I believe he's changed. Because his heart? Is true. And yours? Yours is rotten."
Belle slammed the oar that was hanging from the ceiling into Hook's head. He stumbled back and fell into the storage area where Archie was held. Belle grabbed the shawl from the counter and ran upstairs.
"You have no idea..." Hook trailed as Belle made her way above deck where Hook cut her off.
"How the hell did you..."
"Oh, I know this ship like the back of my... Well, you know. I'd suggest you give that back to me now."
Mr. Gold arrived on deck. "Or what?"
"Ah. You look different in this world, crocodile. Like the coward I met so long ago - limp and all."
"And yet, you still can't kill me."
"Let's have it, Dark One. What magic are you going to hide behind today?"
"Oh, no. Not magic." He began hitting Hook upside the head with his cane, causing him to fall back. Mr. Gold furiously began beating Hook with his cane.
"Rumpel!" Belle called. "Hey, let's go. Let's go. Let's go."
"No, not yet, Belle." He hit him again.
Belle held up the shawl. "This - this is what you came for. This is what's going to get you back to Bae."
"Ah, you're wasting your breath, love," Hook said. "He can't resist. He has to prove that he's not a coward."
"You may want to turn away, Belle," Mr. Gold warned. "This isn't going to be pretty." He began beating Hook with his cane.
"Do it! Do it! Kill me! He has to show you how powerful he is."
"No, Rumpel," Belle protested. "This... This is what he wants. To destroy every bit of good in you."
"Rip my heart out. Kill me like you did Milah, and then I'll finally be reunited with her."
"He has to die, Belle," Mr. Gold told her, dropping his cane and lunged for Hook's throat.
"No!" Belle cried. "No, he doesn't! There's still good in you. I see it. I've always seen it. Please. Please show me I'm not wrong."
"You take your little ship, and sail until you fall off the edge of the world. I never want to see you again. Let's go."
---
At Granny's Diner, Mary Margaret and David were looking through the real estate available in Storybrooke.
"I really liked this one," Mary Margaret said.
"I don't know," David stated. "The yard looks kind of small."
"You going to say that about every house we look at?"
"I grew up on a farm."
"This isn't about the houses, is it?"
"We buried a friend this morning, Mary Margaret, and it made me realize... I don't want to die here."
"But our home, David? It doesn't exist anymore. The ogres are back. Cora's in power."
"Which is exactly why we need to return. To make things right - to fight."
"I'm tired of fighting! That's all we've ever done. We have a chance here - a chance to be together."
"But what if we don't belong here? Isn't it worth it to fight for what we really want?"
"Unless we don't want the same thing."
Aubree's POV
INT. MARY MARGARET'S APARTMENT
Henry and I were drawing while Pongo laid at our feet.
Emma entered and asked, "You plotting your escape from Shawshank, kids?"
"No, they're blueprints," Henry replied. "Bree and I had some ideas for what if David and Mary Margaret move out. Look."
"You two want to make Mary Margaret's room an armory?"
"Yeah. You know, for weapons and stuff. To protect us - from Regina."
I frowned. "She hurt Archie. What if she wants to take us back?"
"That's not going to happen."
There was a knock on the door, and Pongo started getting agitated.
"Pongo?" Emma called. "What is it?" She answered the door.
Henry and I frowned and went to the door.
"Archie?" Henry and I called.
"Henry. Aubree," Archie said. "Oh!" We hugged him tightly. "Oh, it's all right. I'm fine. I'm fine." I sniffled. "Aubree, I'm okay. There's no need to cry."
"Henry. Aubree. We were wrong," Emma told us. "Regina didn't do it."
Henry grinned. "We knew it. Maybe we should let her know."
"Yeah. But something tells me, either way, we're going to pay the price."
Third Person POV:
EXT. STREET
Mr. Gold's car pulled up in front of the town boundary. He and Belle sat inside and talked. He held up the shawl.
"This would have been lost if it wasn't for you, Belle," Mr. Gold said. "I would have been lost. After everything you've learned about me, after everything I've done, why haven't you given up on me?"
"I learned a long time ago, that when you find something that's worth fighting for, you never give up," Belle replied.
The two approached the town line. Mr. Gold poured the potion over the shawl, causing it to glow with magic.
"Okay..." Belle began.
"Here we go," Mr. Gold told her, crossing the spray-painted boundary, causing a surge of magic to pulse through his body. "Belle..."
Belle edged closer to the town line and grabbed Mr. Gold's hand. "It... It worked."
"Now you can find your son."
"Oh, Belle, I so wish you were coming with me."
"As do I, but... It doesn't matter."
"And why not?"
"Because you'll find me. And, when you do, I'll be here waiting for you when you get back."
They went to hug, when a shot rang out. Belle fell forward across the town line, causing the magic to surge through her. Behind them, Hook was pointing the gun in their direction.
"I wouldn't count on it," Hook said.
"Belle?!" Mr. Gold called. "Belle? Belle!" He lowered Belle to the ground.
She looked up at him with a confused expression. "W-Who's Belle?"
"Oh, no. No, no, no, no..."
"Oh, fear not," Hook told him. "She'll live. She'll just have no idea who you are."
"What you've done cannot be undone."
"Well, now you finally know how it feels! Well, go ahead, crocodile. Do your worst!"
"Oh, I intend to."
Mr. Gold magically produced a fireball in his hand. He went to throw it, but a car suddenly barreled down the road towards them. Mr. Gold grabbed Belle and rolled them both out of the way, but the car ended up hitting Hook. Hook fell unconscious on the side of the road, while the car swerved and crashed into a large boulder. The car came to a stop and the license plate was from Pennsylvania.