01x18 - The Stable Boy

[bunniefuu]

–[Real World]–

(Regina is in her office fiddling with a ring. She holds it to her lips, when Mr. Gold enters.)

Mr. Gold: Remembrance of things past?

Regina: What do you want?

Mr. Gold: I need a favour.

(Text at the bottom displays ‘One Week Ago’.)

Regina: You need a favour from me?

Mr. Gold: Well, as you know, there are battery charges against me…pending. I really don’t relish the thought of spending any more time locked up in a cage. Now, someone with your influence can make the D.A. suddenly realize what a flimsy case they have. Isn’t that right… Your Majesty?

Regina: What do I get out of it?

Mr. Gold: Help, with your Mary Margaret problem. You see, I’ve noticed that no matter how hard you seem to try to stop them, she and her ‘charming’ friend just keep finding ways to be together.

Regina: What are you suggesting?

Mr. Gold: If you want to inflict pain… Then you must inflict pain. If something tragic were to happen to David’s wife, and if Mary Margaret should take the blame-

Regina: She’d be ruined.

Mr. Gold: And you’d have your victory, at last.

Regina: A trial could be very messy.

Mr. Gold: A trial? Who said anything about a trial? Now, once Miss Blanchard has been incarcerated, you can plant one of your lovely skeleton keys in her cell. And, once she tries to leave Storybrooke, well… We all know what happens to people who attempt to leave town.

Regina: Give me one good reason why I should trust you.

Mr. Gold: Because I always honour my agreements. Do we have a deal?

–[Fairy Tale World]–

(A younger version of the Evil Queen is practicing horseback riding as Henry I watches. She jumps over several barricades, and then comes to a stop near her father. She gets off and hugs him.)

Henry I: That’s beautiful, sweetheart.

Evil Queen: Thank you, daddy.

(Cora approaches them, while Daniel, who is holding a saddle, trails behind her.)

Cora: Beautiful? I’d hardly call that beautiful.

Evil Queen: You didn’t like it, mother?

Cora: You ride like a man. A lady should be graceful. You should use a saddle.

Evil Queen: I was just having fun.

Cora: Well, you’re getting a little old for fun. Who’s going to want to marry you when you behave like a commoner?

Henry I: Honey, please leave her alone.

Cora: Stop coddling her. She’s becoming an old maid. All the other girls her age are married. I had such high hopes.

Daniel: Milady, perhaps this saddle-

Evil Queen: I’m done riding for the day. And don’t ever interrupt me and my mother again.

(The Evil Queen hands over her horse to Daniel, who leads the horse away.)

Evil Queen: Why do you always have to criticize me?

Cora: I’m not criticizing you – I’m helping you.

(The Evil Queen goes to leave.)

Cora: Don’t you walk away from me.

(Cora uses her magic to lift the Evil Queen off of the ground and bring her closer.)

Evil Queen: Mother! You know I don’t like it when you use magic.

Cora: And I don’t like insolence. I’ll stop using magic, when you start being an obedient daughter.

Evil Queen: Why can’t I just be myself?

Cora: Oh, because you can be so much more. If you’d just let me help you…

Evil Queen: I don’t care about status. I just want to be-

(Cora magically wraps the reins around the Evil Queen, cutting off her air supply.)

Henry I: Cora, please.

Evil Queen: Please… I’ll be good.

Cora: Excellent. That’s all I wanted to hear.

———–

(In the stable, Daniel is brushing one of the horses. The Evil Queen enters after her encounter with her mother.)

Evil Queen: Daniel. I’m sorry I snapped at you.

Daniel: That’s alright. You’ll just have to find some way to make it up to me.

(They kiss.)

–[Real World]–

(Emma is leaving Granny’s Diner, when David calls out to her. The two of them talk as they walk to her car.)

David: Emma. Hey.

Emma: David, I don’t have time.

David: No, I-I understand. It’s Mary Margaret. How’s she doing?

Emma: How do you think she’s doing?

David: Well, I think the last time we spoke, she didn’t quite get what I meant.

Emma: Oh, you mean that you basically told her you thought she might be guilty?

David: Look, it’s this situation. It’s been confusing and horrible for everyone. But, Emma, I don’t think she’s guilty. I need her to know that. Can I see her?

Emma: She doesn’t want visitors.

David: You mean me. She doesn’t want to see me.

Emma: Honestly, David. I’m sure your heart is in the right place, but the last thing she needs right now is words of encouragement from you.

David: What does she need?

Emma: A miracle.

———–

(At the station, Mary Margaret is sleeping in her cell. When she wakes up, she sees Regina watching her.)

Regina: They say only the guilty sleep in prison.

MMB: What are you doing here? Where’s Emma?

Regina: She hasn’t arrived yet. I just wanted to stop by to offer you a chance. A chance to spare yourself and this town the messiness of a trial. The chance to confess.

MMB: But I didn’t k*ll Kathryn. Why won’t anyone believe me?

Regina: The m*rder w*apon was found in your apartment, your fingerprint was on the box containing Kathryn’s heart… Shall I go on? Why not, for once, make it easier on everyone? Because confession or not, you’re leaving Storybrooke.

MMB: And you like that. Why? Why do you take such pleasure in this? What did I ever do to you to make you hate me so much?

–[Fairy Tale World]–

(By horseback, the Evil Queen meets with Daniel in a field. She gets off to greet him.)

Daniel: I thought we could take a ride to Firefly Hill. We can make it by sundown, have a picnic-

Evil Queen: I can’t. I have to be back in an hour – tea time. A lady never misses her tea time.

Daniel: This is absurd. Stealing kisses between lunch and tea? When are you going to tell your parents about us?

Evil Queen: It’s not my parents. It’s her.

Daniel: I don’t understand. So, I work in the stables. She started out as the daughter of a miller. Wouldn’t she, of all people, understand?

Evil Queen: She does. But… But, she thinks one’s trajectory needs to keep moving up and…

Daniel: And I’m down.

Evil Queen: She believes that, Daniel. I know better.

Daniel: Regina, tell her. She’ll get over it. What can she do?

Evil Queen: Have you not seen her magic? Th-The real question is, what can’t she do?

Daniel: Who cares about magic? True love is the most powerful magic of all. It can overcome anything.

(A distressed voice calls out for help.)

Snow White: Help!

Evil Queen: Shh. Someone’s here.

(A younger Snow White flies past them on an out of control horse.)

Snow White: Somebody, help me!

(The Evil Queen gets on her horse and chases after Snow White.)

Snow White: Come on, please, stop! Help me! Help! Help me! Please help me!

(The Evil Queen eventually catches up with the runaway horse. She extends her hand to Snow White.)

Evil Queen: Give me your hand!

(Snow White takes the Evil Queen’s hand, who then pulls her onto her own horse. Snow White’s former horse continues to run, while the Evil Queen’s comes to a stop. Snow White tumbles off the horse and the Evil Queen goes to assist her.)

Evil Queen: It’s okay, dear. You’re safe.

Snow White: You saved my life.

Evil Queen: Are you alright?

Snow White: Yes. But I’ll never ride again.

Evil Queen: Nonsense. The only way to overcome fear is to face it. To get back on that horse as soon as possible.

Snow White: Thank you.

Evil Queen: Regina.

Snow White: I’m Snow. Snow White.

(Snow White hugs her.)

–[Real World]–

(At the station, Mary Margaret is sitting in her cell, while Emma and Mr. Gold argue.)

Emma: A pretrial interview with the prosecution? Explain to me how that is a good idea.

Mr. Gold: The D.A. merely wishes to ask Miss Blanchard a few questions.

Emma: She’s done answering questions. And why are we kissing up to the D.A.? Why aren’t we going after Regina? She’s the one who’s setting up Mary Margaret.

Mr. Gold: And what proof do we have of that, Sheriff? Just because you found the Mayor’s skeleton key in the cell, doesn’t mean we can prove she put it there.

Emma: So, what’s your plan?

Mr. Gold: I believe our best chance of winning this case is to employ our most valuable asset.

MMB: What’s that?

Mr. Gold: Well, that’s you, dear. A sweet, kind, elementary school teacher. Doesn’t exactly fit the prototype of a k*ller, now, does it?

Emma: That’s how you’re going to get her acquitted? By using her personality?

Mr. Gold: Perception is everything, Miss Swan – not just in the courtroom, but in life. As such, I’m sure you can imagine how the jury would perceive Miss Blanchard, if she agreed to cooperate with the District Attorney. These things engender trust. It shows the jury she’s at least trying-

(Sidney enters with a vase of flowers, and interrupts the conversation.)

Sidney: Emma? Oh, I’m sorry to interrupt. I just, uh, came by to drop these off. I thought they might brighten the place up.

(Sidney goes into Emma’s office to set the vase down. Emma joins him.)

Emma: What did you find?

Sidney: Nothing. I-I’m sorry, Emma. I tried, I really did. I looked into her phone records. I talked to the people at the Toll Bridge. But look, what can I say? Regina knows how to cover her tracks.

Emma: What about the m*rder w*apon? You find anything tying her to that?

Sidney: From what I can tell, she never bought or owned a hunting Kn*fe.

Emma: That’s all you were able to uncover?

Sidney: Don’t worry – I’m going to keep digging. And I won’t stop until I do find something.

(Sidney leaves and Emma returns to Mr. Gold and Mary Margaret.)

MMB: I’m going to do it. I’m going to talk to the D.A.

Emma: Are you sure?

MMB: Mr. Gold’s right. I know I have nothing to hide, but no one else does. I need to let people see me for who I am.

(The D.A., Albert Spencer, and Regina enter.)

Albert: Excellent decision, Miss Blanchard. My name is Spencer. I’m the District Attorney. Shall we begin?

MMB: Yeah.

———–

(Mary Margaret, Mr. Gold, and Albert are in an interrogation room. Regina and Emma watch from behind a large window. They listen to the conversation through a speaker.)

Albert: After she learned about your affair, Misses Nolan, the deceased, came to your school to confront you. Is that correct?

MMB: She was hurt, and she felt betrayed.

Albert: She struck you… In the face, was it?

MMB: Yes, but-

Albert: That must’ve made you angry.

Mr. Gold: You… You don’t have to answer that.

MMB: No, it’s okay. I was not angry. I was sorry for all the pain I had caused her.

Albert: Miss Blanchard, this is not a courtroom. I’m not here to judge you. You can be honest with me.

Mr. Gold: Shall we end this?

MMB: I am being honest with you.

Albert: The wife of the man you loved humiliated you in a public forum. Surely, you must have felt some anger towards Kathryn?

MMB: Yes, I was angry-

Albert: And did you ever think about acting upon that anger?

MMB: Of course not.

Albert: I have a hard time believing that.

MMB: Wh… Why?

Albert: Because you wanted Kathryn Nolan gone.

MMB: I never said that.

Mr. Gold: Alright. My client is answering no more questions for the day.

Albert: Your client agreed to this interview because she claimed she had nothing to hide.

MMB: I don’t have anything to hide.

Albert: Then, what is your answer? You wanted Kathryn gone, didn’t you?

MMB: No.

Albert: Even after she tried to keep you and David apart? After she slapped you in public? After she made you a pariah in your own town?

MMB: Yes, of course I wanted her gone. She was the only thing keeping us apart. So, yeah, I wanted her gone. Is that what you want to hear?

–[Fairy Tale World]–

(The Evil Queen is dressed in her usual riding outfit. She checks herself over in the mirror, when Cora enters.)

Cora: No, this won’t do.

(Cora magically engulfs the Evil Queen in a puff of purple smoke. When the smoke clears, her riding outfit has been transformed into a gown and her hair has been let down.)

Evil Queen: What are you doing?

Cora: We have a guest. He’ll be here any moment.

Evil Queen: I can’t. I have a riding lesson with Daniel.

Cora: Well, that’s been canceled. Now, smile. We don’t want to disappoint him.

Evil Queen: Disappoint who?

Cora: The King.

Evil Queen: The King? Why is the King coming?

Cora: Because you’ve finally done something right. That little girl you saved? Is the King’s daughter.

(Cora leads the Evil Queen to where Henry I, King Leopold, and his escorts are waiting.)

King Leopold: Is that her?

Henry I: Yes. Regina, honey, this is Snow White’s father.

(Cora bows. The Evil Queen starts to kneel, but King Leopold stops her.)

King Leopold: No. It is I who should bow to you. You saved my daughter’s life. There is no way to repay that debt. It is an honour to meet you.

Cora: Regina, dear, the King’s honored to meet you. Say something.

Evil Queen: The honour is mine.

King Leopold: You’re quite lucky to have a mother who looks out for you. My dear Snow has many things, but a mother is not one of them. We lost her years ago.

Evil Queen: I’m so sorry.

King Leopold: Since then, I have scoured the land looking for a wife. I’ve yet to find a woman with an interest in my daughter… Until now.

(King Leopold turns around and takes a ring from one of his guards. He goes down on one knee and proposes.)

King Leopold: Will you marry me, Regina?

(Henry I silently shakes his head, but Cora ignores him.)

Cora: Yes. Yes.

———–

(The Evil Queen abruptly enters the stables to find Daniel.)

Evil Queen: Daniel?

(Daniel appears.)

Evil Queen: Daniel!

Daniel: What is it?

Evil Queen: Marry me.

Daniel: Regina, what are you doing? What’s happened? Did you tell your mother?

Evil Queen: No. Now, I can never tell her. She won’t understand. That girl I saved…was the King’s daughter. And now, he’s proposed to me.

Daniel: What?

Evil Queen: My mother accepted! The only way out is to run. For us to leave this place, for us to be married, for us to never come back.

Daniel: Regina… Do you understand what that would mean? Life with a stable boy is a far cry from a life as Queen.

Evil Queen: Being Queen means nothing. Daniel… All I care about is you.

Daniel: Then, if I am to marry you, we must do this properly.

(Daniel goes over to one of the saddles and unclips a ring. He then puts in on her ring finger.)

Daniel: Here.

(They kiss, but break apart when a noise disturbs them. They see Snow White at the entrance to the stables.)

Evil Queen: Snow! Dear, what are you doing?

Snow White: You said to get back on the horse and… What are you doing with him?

Evil Queen: Snow, I can explain.

(Snow White takes off.)

Evil Queen: No, no, no. Snow! Snow!

(The Evil Queen chases after Snow White through the forest. Snow White trips and the Evil Queen catches up to her, who then tries to help her.)

Evil Queen: Snow! Snow! Wait! Snow! Snow! Are you okay?

Snow White: No. No. Why were you kissing that man in the stable? You’re to marry my father. You’re to be my mother.

Evil Queen: Oh, Snow, please. Listen to me. Hey. Your father, King Leopold, he’s a kind and fair man… But I don’t love him.

Snow White: I don’t understand. Why not?

Evil Queen: Love doesn’t work that way. Love, true love, is magic. And not just any magic – the most powerful magic of all. It creates happiness.

Snow White: And that man in the stables… You love him?

Evil Queen: With all my heart.

Snow White: Then you must marry him. I will go tell Father right away.

(Snow White goes to get up, but the Evil Queen stops her.)

Evil Queen: No, no, no, no. You can’t.

Snow White: Why not? Surely he’ll understand.

Evil Queen: Perhaps. But not everyone will. My mother, for one. She’ll stand in the way.

Snow White: That’s why you’re running.

Evil Queen: It’s the only way our love can survive. Snow, do you know what a secret is?

(Snow White nods.)

Evil Queen: If you really, truly want to help me…

Snow White: I do.

Evil Queen: Then, what you saw, what I told you – you must keep it a secret. Can you do that?

Snow White: I think so.

Evil Queen: I need you to be certain. You can never speak of this. And, above all, you mustn’t tell my mother. Will you do that for me?

Snow White: Yes, I promise.

–[Real World]–

(At the pier, Emma is sitting on a bench and reading through Henry’s book. August walks up to her.)

August: What you doing?

Emma: Grasping at straws.

August: Still trying to find a way to prove your friend’s been framed?

Emma: Every time I go down a path I think leads somewhere, it ends up being a dead end. I used to think I had these great instincts… Superpower. Ah, I don’t know.

August: It sounds like you got a case of writer’s block. Only without the whole writing part.

Emma: Maybe.

August: You know, when I get struck by a block, I usually reread what I’ve done, rather than plow ahead blindly. Sometimes, I find there’ll be a little nugget of inspiration left behind.

Emma: You mean start over?

August: I mean, when I start writing, I usually have one idea. And then, in the middle, I may get another idea, and things are different.

Emma: So, your perspective changes.

August: Exactly. When you started this investigation, what was it about?

Emma: A missing person. Then, it became a m*rder, and then a cover-up.

August: If you knew that then, maybe you would have approached things differently.

(Emma gets up.)

August: Where you going?

Emma: Scene of the crime.

August: I’ll drive.

(August follows her.)

Emma: No, I’m fine.

August: No, you’re not. You haven’t slept in days. And, let’s be honest – it was my idea.

———–

(August and Emma drive on August’s motorcycle to the Toll Bridge. The two of them walk down an incline to the spot under the bridge where the heart was found.)

Emma: Ruby found the box with the heart right over here, just by the shore.

(August grimaces in pain.)

Emma: What’s wrong?

August: Nothing.

Emma: It doesn’t seem like nothing. Here, let me look.

August: No, it’s okay. It’s just a shin splint. Just…let me walk it off. Sorry. I know this must be hard on you.

Emma: Yeah, that’s an understatement.

(Emma begins to clear rocks away from the heart site.)

August: I don’t know you that well, but, it seems to me, that aside from Henry, Mary Margaret’s the closest thing to family you’ve got. It’s okay to admit it.

Emma: August, look.

(Emma pulls a piece of metal out of the sand where the heart was buried.)

August: What is it?

Emma: It’s a shard. From a shovel. Must’ve broken off when it hit a rock. If we can find the shovel that it broke off of, we can prove that Mary Margaret didn’t bury the heart. We can prove that she’s innocent.

August: And I’m going to guess you know exactly whose shovel it is.

———–

(At Regina’s house, Regina checks on Henry, who is pretending to be asleep. When she gets in the shower, Henry grabs the walkie talkie from under his pillow. Emma and August are outside the house awaiting instructions.)

Henry: The eagle is in the nest, and the package is secure.

Emma: Henry. I left the code book at home.

Henry: She’s getting in the shower and the keys are under the mat.

(Emma takes the key from under the mat and the two of them enter the garage.)

Emma: Don’t touch a thing.

(Emma and August search Regina’s garage with flashlights. Emma comes to several shovels, one of which is missing a piece in the corner. Emma calls August over.)

Emma: Hey.

(Emma tests the shard they found, and it ends up being a perfect fit.)

Emma: We got her.

–[Fairy Tale World]–

(Snow White is staring at the flowers in the castle. She reaches out to touch one, but is stopped by Cora.)

Cora: Careful, sweetheart. A flower is a delicate thing. Be gentle. You want it to grow and not pluck it before its time.

Snow White: Sorry.

Cora: It’s alright. You needn’t fear me. I’m only trying to help. Perhaps, you can be the flower girl at the wedding. I can already see how close you and Regina have become. She’s going to make a fine mother for you.

(Cora leads the two of them to a couch to sit.)

Snow White: She is kind to me.

Cora: Indeed. It warms my heart how you two share everything… Already. Perhaps, you could share something with me. Why has she pulled away from me?

Snow White: What do you mean?

Cora: A mother knows her daughter. Regina’s pulled away. I love her so much, but she’s not letting me help her. And I… I know she’s unhappy. Has she said something? I’d do anything to make her happy.

Snow White: You’d do anything?

Cora: Of course, dear. You know, I talked to the King about your mother. He told me how much she loved you. Losing her must’ve been so hard.

Snow White: It was.

Cora: Hearing him, I realized he might as well have been talking about me and Regina. I don’t want us to lose each other. If only I could show her how I feel. That, no matter what, all I want is her happiness.

(Snow White abruptly stands up.)

Snow White: Then, don’t make her get married.

Cora: I’m sorry?

Snow White: She doesn’t love my father. She loves someone else. She made me promise not to tell… But she’ll lose you. She can’t lose her mother. No one should.

Cora: Oh, sweet Snow. It’s alright. She won’t lose me. You can tell me. You must tell me.

–[Real World]–

(Emma knocks on Regina’s door. Regina answers.)

Regina: Can I help you, Sheriff Swan?

Emma: Yes. I need you to unlock the garage for me.

Regina: And, why would I do that?

Emma: Because I have a search warrant that says that you have to.

(Emma hands Regina a piece of paper.)

Regina: On what grounds?

(Emma holds up a bag containing the metal shard.)

Emma: I found this near where the heart was buried. Figured whoever buried it might have left something behind. Then, I got an anonymous call from someone who said they saw you digging near the Toll Bridge the day the heart was found.

Regina: An anonymous call?

Emma: Yeah. Well, I can’t control the fact they didn’t leave a name. I suppose they didn’t want to risk pissing you off.

Regina: Hm.

Emma: Now, open the garage, or I’ll find a way to do it myself.

(Regina leads Emma to the garage. Emma goes over to where the broken shovel previously was, but instead finds a shovel that’s completely intact.)

Emma: Where is it?

Regina: Where is what, Sheriff?

Emma: You knew I was coming.

Regina: How on earth would I know that?

Emma: Mary Margaret is a good person. She doesn’t deserve this.

Regina: Miss Blanchard is a liar and a m*rder*r. No matter what accusations you throw my way, that won’t change. She’s going to pay for what she’s done. That woman has destroyed the last life she is ever going to destroy.

———–

(Emma knocks on the door of August’s room at the inn. August answers.)

August: Hey.

Emma: How could you do this? How could you do this to me? To Mary Margaret?

August: Whoa. Slow down. Do what?

Emma: The shovel was gone when I got there. Regina knew I was coming for it.

August: You… You think that I told her?

Emma: You were the only other person who knew about it.

August: I would hope that you would have enough faith to know that I would never betray you.

Emma: Why should I? How do I know you’re not lying about this? About everything?

August: I’m not a liar.

Emma: That is exactly what a liar would say.

———–

(Mary Margaret is sitting in her cell with her head in her hands. Regina enters.)

Regina: Having a bad day?

MMB: What are you doing here?

Regina: I wanted to see you while I can.

MMB: What does that mean?

Regina: Simply, that the trial starts tomorrow, and it be won’t a long one. And, you’ll be sent out of Storybrooke for good, and I will never have to see you again. Oh, I want to enjoy this while I still can.

MMB: Enjoy what?

Regina: Justice.

MMB: Justice? Watching an innocent suffer?

Regina: You’ve always seen yourself that way, haven’t you? Innocent.

MMB: I am innocent! I don’t know what this is about! I don’t know what I ever did to you, but whatever it was, Regina… I’m sorry. I truly am.

Regina: Apology not accepted.

MMB: Please. Don’t do this to me. I don’t deserve this. I did not k*ll Kathryn.

Regina: Oh, I know.

(Regina reaches through the bars to stroke the side of Mary Margaret’s face, and then grabs her chin.)

Regina: But you do deserve this.

–[Fairy Tale World]–

(The Evil Queen, with a bag in tow, meets Daniel at the stables.)

Daniel: Are you ready?

Evil Queen: Let’s go.

(They go to leave, but run into Cora at the entrance.)

Cora: You could’ve at least left a note.

(Cora produces a wave of magic and pushes the Evil Queen and Daniel back into the stable. She then proceeds to shut all of the doors and locks them in.)

Evil Queen: Mother, I-

Cora: Don’t. You sneak out of my house in the dead of night, and think I won’t notice? How dare you.

Evil Queen: You’re impossible to talk to. Stop with the magic and listen to me. I want to be with Daniel.

Cora: Oh, you don’t know what you want. But I do. I didn’t make the sacrifices I did in life, to get you to the cusp of greatness, so that you could end up the wife of a stable boy.

Evil Queen: But it’s my life.

Cora: You foolish girl. It’s mine. After what I had to do… The deals, I had to make to get us out of poverty, to get us this life, and you just want to toss it away?

Daniel: Stay strong, Regina.

Evil Queen: Your magic can’t keep us apart. I love him.

Daniel: And I love her.

Cora: And I love her, too.

Evil Queen: If you loved me, you wouldn’t try to keep us apart.

Cora: And if you loved me, you wouldn’t try to run away.

Evil Queen: I’m sorry, but this is my happiness. We’re going.

Cora: No, you’re not.

Evil Queen: So, what’s your plan? You’re going to keep us here forever? Because that’s what you’ll have to do. So, this is… Your decision? This will make you happy?

Evil Queen: It already has.

Cora: Then, who am I to stop you?

(The Evil Queen hugs Cora.)

Evil Queen: Thank you, mother.

(Cora takes Daniel aside to talk to him.)

Cora: Daniel. If you want to have a life together, a family… Then, there’s one important lesson I can impart on you. It’s what it means to be a parent. You always have to do what’s best for your children.

Daniel: Thank you. I understand. Because that’s what you’re doing now.

Cora: Yes. It is.

(Cora plunges her hand inside Daniel’s chest.)

Evil Queen: Mother!

(Cora rips out Daniel’s heart. He falls to the ground and the Evil Queen rushes over to him.)

Evil Queen: No! No! No, no, no.

(Cora crushes Daniel’s heart to dust.)

Evil Queen: Mother, why have you done this?

Cora: Because this is your happy ending.

Evil Queen: What?

Cora: Oh, you have to trust me, Regina. I know best. Love is weakness, Regina. It feels real now. At the start, it always does. But, it’s an illusion. It fades. And then, you’re left with nothing. But power, true power, endures. And then, you don’t have to rely on anyone to get what you want. I’ve saved you, my love.

Evil Queen: You’ve ruined everything. I loved him. I loved him!

Cora: Enough! I’ve endured this long enough. Now, clean yourself up, wipe away your tears, because now… You’re going to be Queen.

———–

(The Evil Queen is being fitted for her wedding dress in her chambers. Snow White enters.)

Snow White: Wow… You are most certainly the fairest of them all!

Evil Queen: Thank you, dear.

Snow White: I hope for my wedding day I will be as beautiful.

Evil Queen: I’m sure you will be.

Snow White: I know you and Daniel will be so happy together.

Evil Queen: What?

Snow White: Well, I just knew your mother would let you marry him. Once she knew how happy it’d make you, once she knew how much you love him. You have such a wonderful mother. She would do anything for your happiness.

Evil Queen: Snow… Did… Did you…tell her about me and Daniel?

Snow White: Yes.

Evil Queen: But I…told you…very specifically not to.

Snow White: I’m sorry. I just didn’t want you to lose your mother. Like I’ve lost mine. Are you mad?

Evil Queen: No. I’m not mad at all. You were just trying to help me. However, I’m not marrying Daniel. This dress is for your father.

Snow White: But… I thought… You were in love.

Evil Queen: So did I. But I was wrong. Daniel has run away. What I had with Daniel wasn’t real. It was an infatuation. You see, that’s the thing about love. It can come in the most unexpected places. Your father and I have something even more special, because it’s not just about the two of us. It’s about all of us. We’re going to be a family.

Snow White: We are?

Evil Queen: That’s right. I’m going to be your stepmother, and I couldn’t be happier.

Snow White: Me, too.

(Snow White hugs the Evil Queen. Cora enters.)

Cora: Snow. You need to go to your room and help with the packing. Your father wants you ready for the journey, and we’re heading to your castle first thing in the morning.

Snow White: You’re both going to love it there.

Cora: I know we will.

(Snow White leaves Cora and the Evil Queen alone.)

Cora: Well-played, dear. You’re learning.

Evil Queen: I should change. I wouldn’t want to ruin the dress before my big day.

Cora: I am so proud of you.

Evil Queen: You knew the King was traveling through our land, didn’t you? That steed with Snow on it… It didn’t go wild on its own, did it?

Cora: I have no idea what you’re saying.

(The Evil Queen begins to leave.)

Evil Queen: I should’ve let her die on that horse.

–[Real World]–

(Regina is, again, fiddling with the ring Daniel gave her. She holds it to her lips and whispers to herself.)

Regina: We got her, Daniel. We got her.

———–

(At the station, Mary Margaret is being handcuffed by the police. Emma and Mr. Gold watch.)

Emma: Mary Margaret…

(Mary Margaret is led out of the room.)

Emma: You told me you could fix this, that’s why I came to you. So that you could make sure Regina didn’t win.

Mr. Gold: She hasn’t, yet.

Emma: Well, she’s going to. And now, my friend is going to pay for me trusting you.

Mr. Gold: Look, Sheriff. I know this is emotional, but it’s also not over. You must have faith. There’s still time.

Emma: Time for what?

Mr. Gold: For me to work a little magic.

(Mr. Gold leaves and Emma goes into her office. She leans against her desk, and then picks up the vase of flowers that Sidney brought. She smashes it against the wall, but then notices a wire tap amongst the debris.)

———–

(Emma is waiting for August as he exits Granny’s Diner.)

Emma: Hey. I’m sorry.

August: For what?

Emma: For doubting you. I made a mistake.

(She hands him a bag containing the bug from the vase.)

August: What’s that?

Emma: Evidence. Evidence that proves that I’ve been trusting all the wrong people. I should have listened to you. This bug was from Sidney.

August: The newspaper guy?

Emma: I should’ve seen it.

August: Well, don’t b*at yourself up about it, Emma. Sometimes, it’s hard to see what’s right in front of us, but I knew you would.

Emma: I’m trying.

(Suddenly, a scream is heard from behind the diner. Emma and August go to investigate. They see Ruby walking in the opposite direction.)

Emma: Ruby! What’s going on?

Ruby: She… She… She’s in the alley.

Emma: Who, Ruby? What happened?

August: Hey, you alright?

(Emma goes around to the parking lot in the back of the diner. There is a body laying face down on the ground. Emma leans down to turn the body over, revealing a conscious and very alive Kathryn.)

–[End]–