STORYBROOKE - CLOCK TOWER NIGHT
Greg and Tamara were present, along with Hook in a sack.
"Actually, I prefer it with the lights on," Hook said as Greg and Tamara removed the bag. "I've spent enough time below deck to not be afraid of the dark, so if this is your idea of torture, well you're just gonna have to try a little harder."
"Torture you? No, we just want to offer you a job," Greg replied.
"Oh. And then you're gonna let me go?" He laughed. "Oh, I'm sorry, I already did that last job. I killed Rumpelstiltskin. I'm sated. Replete. My life's purpose met.
"I wish I could have been there, to see you stab the Dark One," Tamara said.
"Well, look who's up to speed."
"I'm a quick learner."
"Then you know my work is done!"
"Yeah, I don't think so. Take a look," Greg answered as he and Tamara pushed the chair Hook was tied to over to the window, and handed him a telescope. Through it, Hook could clearly see Rumpelstiltskin walking with Lacey.
"No. No!"
"He's alive, Hook," Tamara told him.
"He beat you. Now this guy has some powerful magic here, mate. He's untouchable. You'll never get another chance to take him down," Greg said.
"Oh, I will. I will indeed," Hook agreed.
"Not unless we help you," Tamara replied.
"How can you help me?"
"We know how to kill magical creatures."
"And the price?"
"I need you to help me find someone," Greg explained. "My father. He was taken in this town a long time ago."
"Why the bloody hell do you think I'll be able to help you find your father?"
"Because you know the woman who took him -- Regina. Do we have a deal?"
STORYBROOKE HARBOR - NIGHT
David and Mary Margaret were talking while, unbeknownst to them, a fisherman listened in.
"If, we're going back to the Enchanted Forest, are we really going to leave Regina behind?" Mary Margaret asked.
"She's too dangerous to bring with us. We have to leave her," David replied.
"But... Henry and Aubree won't like it. She is their mother, despite all the horrors."
"Mary Margaret, those horrors will continue. Do you wanna give her another chance, because every time we do, she-"
"She slips, I know. What do we do?"
"Instead of a second chance, we give her a choice—come back, live out her days in Rumple's cell, or stay here."The fisherman who had been listening in was engulfed in magic smoke, revealing to be Regina in disguise.
"Jail cell? I don't think so," Regina said.
Aubree's POV:
STORYBROOKE
Mom entered and walked up to me and Henry, as we worked on a bird feeder.
"Good morning, Henry. Good morning, Aubree," Mom greeted.
"Um, what are you doing here?" Henry and I asked.
"I've missed you. And I wanted to show you two something." She took a out magic bean from her pocket. "Emma and Mary Margaret and David have been keeping this from you two, darlings. They've been growing magic beans in secret. They want to take you two to the Enchanted Forest, without me."
"Maybe we're all going and they just haven't told you yet?" Henry retorted.
"No, they won't let me help. They don't see the good in me. The good you've both seen. All they see is the Evil Queen, which they made me. And I don't want to be that any more. This is my chance to go back and start over, for me to be the hero. And you'd both like that, right?"
"I--I'd love it," Henry and I said.
"Here's how it will work—there's a fail-safe built into the curse, a trigger."
"Like a self-destruct button. Like you never did it?" Henry asked.
"Yes. It's the next best thing to turning back time."
"That's amazing. What happens to Storybrooke?" I wondered.
"It disappears. Forever. But no need to worry, dears. We can get away first, back to the Enchanted Forest, using this."
Henry frowned. "But, what about everyone else?"
"They die."
"What?!" Henry and I cried.
"I don't have any other choice. As long as there are other people in our lives, you two can never fully be mine. You two loved me once. With them gone, you'll both love me again. And you two can see me for what I truly am—a hero."
"Not if you kill everyone. You're a villain!" Henry yelled.
"Me? They're the ones that have been keeping us apart, they're the villains!"
"How Bree and I can ever love anyone who would do such horrible things? Why would you even tell us this?"
"Because I don't have anyone else to talk to."
"Well I'm gonna stop you," Henry and I said in sync.
"Everything I just said will come to pass." Mom took her spell book out of her bag.
"Never! Why would we let you do any of this?" Henry questioned.
"Because you two won't remember a thing." She casted a spell on me and Henry and I stared, confused.
"Mom. What are you doing here?" Henry and I asked.
Mom laughed and shrugged. "Just came to say hello. I've missed you two. Why don't you two show me that bird feeder." Henry and I walked over to our feeder and opened the lid. "I'm sure it will make the birds very happy."
Third Person POV:
REGINA'S OFFICE
Regina was in her studying the beans that she stole from the bean fields. She heard the door open, and went to look who entered her office -- Hook.
"Captain!" Regina called. "You look like you've had a rough time."
"Indeed, I have. I've come to ask you for your protection," Hook said.
"From Gold? I'm surprised you'd show your face in this town after you noticed your murder didn't take."
"Well we've got bigger problems. That man Greg Mendell, the one who hit me the night I shot Belle, well he's in league with some woman. She abducted me in New York and dragged me back to Mendell. They want me to make an alliance with you, and then betray you. That's why they let me go."
"Mhmm."
"Well, I say that you and I make an alliance, and we'll skip the unpleasant betrayal business."
"Why should I trust you?"
"I took up with your mother for a reason. Perhaps the three of us could reestablish in our alliance."
"My mother died."
"That is sad news indeed. I'm sorry, she will be missed. But I tell you this, Regina. I knew her well enough to know what she wanted most in the world was to see you win. Now I failed in my revenge. The best tribute I could give her is to help you with yours."
"Well, can I... Let me show you something."
"An escape plan? Oh, she would have loved that. She brought that giant for the beans so she could go back and start over with you."
"And now I'm going to do that with Henry. If you'll help me. This is how we're going to escape the total destruction of Storybrooke. If I can trust you."
"Now when you say total destruction, including the crocodile, yes?"
"Oh, yes. Rumpelstiltskin will die. If you help me."
GRANNY'S DINER
A waitress was handing Tamara a to go bag for Neal.
"Here you go," the waitress said.
"No mayo, right?" Tamara asked.
"That's right." Tamara was about to leave when she crashed into Emma.
"Ohh! I'm so sorry," Emma apologized. "I'm - He still hates mayo, huh?" While helping Tamara pick up her things, she found a list with the names of nearly everyone in town and their respective Storybrooke counterparts.
"Avoids it like the plague," Tamara said as she took the list and put it in her purse.
"How are you doing here in Storybrooke? I mean, it's a lot to take in."
"Understatement." Both women laughed. "But, uh, I guess you know that better than anyone."
"Yeah, I guess it's true. But I had Henry and Aubree. They got me through it."
"Yeah. Right. Neal's doing the same for me."
"Even so, it's pretty crazy here. If the world found out about this place, do you know what that would mean for Henry, Aubree or Neal?"
"Look, Emma, you don't have to worry. You can trust me."
"That's good to know."
"I'll be seeing you later."
"Yeah, I'll be seeing you." Tamara left.
BLANCHARD LOFT
Emma was talking, somewhat loudly, to Mary Margaret about what happened at the diner.
"I'm telling you, Tamara is the "she" August was trying to warn us about," Emma said.
"Emma! Shh!" Mary Margaret told her.
"What? Don't "Emma" me!"
Mary Margaret lowered her voice. "Henry and Aubree are upstairs. Look, I know this has been hard for you."
"No. This isn't about me. This is about August. He died trying to warn us about someone. A woman. "She". Tamara has a list of people who live here, what their fairytale names are. Doesn't that worry you?"
"There could be a million different explanations for what you saw."
"We don't know anything about her. And she lied to me. When she said I could trust her, she lied."
"Your "superpower" has been known to be unreliable, Emma. Especially when you're emotional."
"For the last time, I do not have feelings for Neal! That was over a decade ago! I'm over it!"
"Well, that may be. But if you tell Henry and Aubree that you think their dad's fiancée may be up to something, then Henry and Aubree are gonna think that there's a chance their parents could get back together. So keep it to yourself. Please. Till you know something more." She left. Emma turned around to find Henry and Aubree standing right in front of her.
"So... we're back in business?" Henry asked. "We heard everything."
Emma, shocked, replied, "I thought you were in the shower and napping."
"Exactly. Operation Cobra's back on. We're investigating Tamara, right?"
"Get your coats."
STORYBROOKE LIBRARY
Hook and Regina entered and walked over to the elevator.
"This why it's a two-man job? You need me to lower you?" Hook asked.
"No," Regina said. "Used to be. Before magic." She magically operated the elevator and she and Hook entered.
Regina and Hook exited the elevator into the subterranean level of Storybrooke.
"You ever wonder if this constant pursuit for revenge is the reason we have no one who cares for us? I mean, when all this is over, and I know the Crocodile is dead, for good and all, I'll have nothing to look forward to. My life will be empty. Revenge may Saturday your being. But don't misunderstand me, my dear, it's an end, not a beginning," Hook told her.
"For you, maybe. Not me. I have Henry and Aubree. And destroying Storybrooke? Well, that seems like a small price to pay to allow us to live in peace." Hook extended an arm to guide Regina further into the depths. She saw that he was wearing a cuff that once belonged to Cora. "Where did you get that? It belonged to my mother."
"Yes. Well, she enchanted it so I could climb the beanstalk in our world. She..."
"I don't care why she gave it to you. It's hers and I want it back."
"You plan to blow this town off the map and you're worried about a scrap of cowhide?"
"She was my mother."
"Well, she was my friend."
"Hardly." Regina went to take the cuff off of Hook. "Now, follow me closely."
"Precarious. You couldn't have just hid the trigger in the back of your wardrobe?"
"It had to be both well-hidden and well-guarded. I put it somewhere no one would ever think I'd go."
"Yeah, when you say well-guarded, who's guarding it?"
"A friend. She's been through a lot. There's a powerful spell here that sustains her in whatever form she's in. In fact, Hook, she's the reason why this is a two-man job."
"And what exactly am I here to do?"
"I'll get the trigger, and you? Well, you're the distraction."
"What?" Regina pushed Hook down a steep underground cliff into the lair of the trigger's guardian. After falling, Hook landed into this lair and saw that the ashes of the guardian begin to reform. The ashes of the guardian swirled around until the formerly slayed dragon was resurrected as an undead creature. "Maleficent. Love you in earth tones." Maleficent lunged at Hook, and Hook managed to swipe Maleficent. That injury caused even more deafening screams from Maleficent, but the injury was healed as quickly as Maleficent was resurrected. Hook swiped at her again, and Maleficent flung Hook across her lair, unto the rocky terrain. The screams of Maleficent could even be heard up in the higher regions of the subterranean Storybrooke, where Regina was searching for the trigger. She found the that coffin once held a sleeping Snow White. Regina broke through the glass coffin and found a pouch containing what looked like a small brown diamond, but it is really the trigger capable of ending Storybrooke.
Aubree's POV:
Henry, Emma and I waited outside in Emma's car.
"Operation Cobra was about breaking the curse. This is about keeping Storybrooke secret. We need a new name," Henry said.
"Operation Tiger," Emma decided.
"Why?" Henry and I asked.
"I need a why? You two never need a why."
"We want something like the town, something that hides in plain sight," Henry decided. "Something like a praying mantis."
I frowned. "Ew. A bug? No. That's stupid."
"Praying mantises are cool."
"No they're not. They're bugs and they're gross."
Doorbells jingled in the distance and Emma cried, "Oh! Duck." We ducked. "Oh. No, it's not them."
"Stakeouts are fun," Henry and I said.
"Not usually. But this one? Yeah, kinda."
"I thought by now we'd be having adventures," Henry replied. "Over there, you know? Riding horses, shooting bow and arrows. This is cool, too."
"Is that still something you two want? I mean, if there was a way to... go back to the enchanted forest?"
"Is there?" Henry and I asked.
"No, don't be crazy."
Henry and I came to a realization and he said, "There is. A way back. The—a bean or something. The giant brought it, didn't he?"
"You are smart kids."
"That's awesome!" I exclaimed. "We could get, like, a castle—you, me, Henry, and Neal."
"Oh, hey, whoa. No way. That—we're not—that's not-"
"Duck!" Henry and I yelled.
We ducked as Tamara and Neal left the building.
"Operation Praying Mantis is on," Henry said.
"Stupid name," I argued.
"Bree, be quiet."
INN
Emma began picking the lock of Neal and Tamara's room. "Hang on. I almost got it."
"So once we find proof that Tamara's evil, I guess the wedding's off?" Henry asked.
"Henry, Aubree... Neal and I are not getting back together. You two know that, right?"
"I mean, once he's single, it could happen. Thrown together, moonlight, wine..." I trailed.
"Listen to me, Henry, Aubree. I am onto Tamara for other reasons, not because she's with Neal, okay?" She whispered, "Go. Go, go, go." The lock clicked. "Ah! Yes! Unh-unh! Unh-unh! You two gotta be the lookout."
"But—but what do we do? Whistle?" Henry asked.
"No, that's too obvious. You two gotta hit the door. You know, like, just like..." she thumped the door, "like, kick it like you're bored. Like..." She kicked the door twice. "Or, like, stumble into it." She thumped the door. "Like, oh, I'm... you know? Just hit the door, okay?"
"Hit the door," Henry and I said.
"Yeah."
"Got it. Now go."
Third Person POV:
Emma began sifting through Neal and Tamara's things in the room. After coming up empty handed after searching their closet and under their bed, Emma hoped that a creaky tile in the floor would yield some evidence. "Gotcha." Henry and Aubree saw Neal, so they kicked the door.
Neal frowned. "Uh? Hey, Henry. Hey, Aubree. What..."
"Uh..." the twins began.
"Oh, hell no. I taught her that. Emma! Mm." Neal, Aubree and Henry entered the room.
"So you weren't here, and the door was open, and we just..." Emma trailed, sighing.
"Emma, what's -- what's this about?"
"Tamara. I think she's playing you."
"She's playing me? How?"
"I think she's the "she" August was trying to warn us about. I didn't wanna tell you until I had proof."
"Oh." He chuckled. "Okay, yeah. Well, as long as you broke into our room to spare my feelings... Are you out of your mind?"
"He warned us about a woman."
"Yeah, which covers half the world. You roped the kids into this?"
"She lied to me. Remember I had that thing with lies?"
"You thought you had a thing with lies. I never bought it."
"Yeah, you did. Listen to me, Neal. She's got a list of fairy tale characters and who they are—whoever she's gonna give that to that could blow this whole town right open."
"Emma, I helped her make that list. It was to help her come to grips with this place. It's not easy, you know? I mean, she's trying to deal with it for me."
"Okay, I know what this looks like, but it isn't that. Do I look like a jealous ex? Okay, maybe I'm crazy. But let's find out. There's a floorboard loose. It shouldn't be. So let's look under it. If there's nothing there, fine. I back off."
"Okay. Yeah, sure. What the hell?"
"A little help?"
"Oh. Right." Neal and Emma removed the floorboard, which contained nothing.
"Oh."
"Listen. I know Tamara being here is a little awkward-"
"Don't. Henry, Aubree, let's go." Emma, Henry and Aubree left.
STORYBROOKE LIBRARY
Regina came back up with her trigger and without Hook, only to discover that he was waiting for her.
"How?" Regina asked.
"Startling, aren't I? Some people say "striking,"" Hook replied.
"You couldn't have survived that."
"Well, you should know by now the one thing I excel at is surviving. The amazing thing is, you almost had me. All that stuff about a fresh, clean start, just killing 'em and movin' on... it kinda touched me. For a moment there, I thought we had a real connection. And honestly, I almost put a stop to my plan."
"Your plan?"
"Well, their plan, but I fancied it. And they did save me from that wretched... whatever Maleficent is. Do you, uh, know these two?" Tamara and Greg entered. "Well, they have a way with magic. Or should I say, a way against magic."
"Enough of this." She tried magic, but it failed.
"Yeah, sorry. That's not gonna work. Not anymore," Greg told her.
BLANCHARD LOFT
Henry and Aubree were eating ice cream with Emma.
"You know, Bree and I believe you about Tamara," Henry said.
"You two should, 'cause I'm right," Emma replied.
Aubree smiled. "And when we prove it, we can all go back to the Enchanted Forest."
STORYBROOKE
David, Mary Margaret and Leroy drove out to where their magic beans were being grown.
"You know, when we get back, Leroy, we're going to need your help restoring the palace," David said.
"It's in pretty bad shape," Mary Margaret added.
"Cosmetic or a total teardown?" Leroy asked.
"Burn down."
They discovered the beans had been ravaged and David said, "No."
"What happened here?" Mary Margaret wondered.
"The beans—they're gone."
"Nobody steals from a dwarf," Leroy said.
"Who would do this?" Mary Margaret questioned.
STORYBROOKE LIBRARY
"The cuff. You gave me this," Regina told Hook.
"No, you rather insisted," Hook corrected.
"You knew I would want it."
"True. They rigged it with something that blocks your magic. It's impressive."
"So little bitty Owen does grown-up magic of his own now."
"It's not magic," Greg replied. "Actually, this is something much better—science. You—you can stop doing that. It's not gonna work. You might be able to get rid of the leather, but inside are the toughest metals and machinery known to man, and right now they're counteracting every magic bone in your body."
"Which one was she?" Tamara asked.
"Uh, she was the—the Queen. The Evil Queen."
"Yes. I was... the Queen," Regina confirmed.
"But now... here... you're nothing."
"And what are you?"
"I'm -- I'm just a man—a man on a mission."
"And all this just to try to find your father. I already told you, I don't know where-"
"Yes, you do. But that's not my mission."
"Then what is?"
"I'm not telling you. Bag her." Tamara put a bag over Regina's head.