— That’s when you decided to stay. When time started moving forward there again. I should have been there for you, but I wasn’t. And because I was halfway around the world, I got a painful reminder of how far I had strayed. — He got himself back up to his feet during this speech, and now he leaned down to the cuff of his pants. — If the tree won’t make you believe, Emma, maybe this will.
He pulled up the bottom of his trousers, showing Emma his hairy white shin.
— Are you still ready to deny it?
— All I see, — Emma said, — is your leg.
August looked down his eyes wide.
— You don’t see that? — he said loudly. — You don’t see that I’m turning back into wood?
It was confirmed. The man was crazy. And what did that make her? She was out here with him. She had reached for that tree, hoping to see something. Wanting to believe. But nothing good ever came from wanting to believe. All it meant was that you’d miss the truth.
— You just don’t want to believe it, — August said.
— That’s not true, — she said. — But either way, why is it so important to you that I do?
— Because the town — everyone — needs you, Emma. It’s your responsibility to save us.
— My responsibility? You’re telling me I’m responsible for everyone’s happiness? That’s crap. I didn’t ask for it and I don’t want it.
— Right now. Not so long ago, you didn’t want Henry. Then he came to you, and now you’re fighting like hell for him.
— For him, yes. Because that makes sense. He’s my son. And that’s all I can handle. I’m not even doing a good job of it. Now you want me to save everyone else?
August just stared back.
— Take me back, — she said. — I’m done.
It was dark by the time Emma returned to Storybrooke. She barely said good-bye to August when he dropped her off at her apartment, and after a moment’s consideration, she didn’t even go in to gather her things. She had her car, she had her keys, she had the clothes on her back. What else had she ever needed?
She drove the Bug to Regina’s mansion, parked on the street, and grabbed her walkie-talkie from the glove compartment.
— Code Red, — she said quietly. She took a breath and said it again, this time louder: — Code Red, Henry.
— Emma! — he cried. — What’s wrong?
The light was on in his room, and she smiled up at it, imagining him in his bed, excited to imagine another step in the plan unfolding. This would be hard.
— I need to talk to you, — she said. — I’m outside.
A second passed, and she saw his face in the window.
— It’s about you and me, — she said. — Can you come down?
— Sure.
He did, and when he got to the car, they sat in silence for a few moments.
— Henry, — she said finally. — Have you ever thought about what’s keeping us here?
— The curse, — he said immediately. — That’s what’s keeping everyone here.
She shook her head sadly.
— You once told me that I’m different. That I can leave.
He nodded.
— Then aren’t you different, too? — she asked. — Because you’re my kid?
— Yeah, — he said. — Why?
— I need to ask you something, then, — she said. — Okay?
He waited.
— Do you want to get away from Regina? Come live with me?
An enormous smile appeared on Henry’s face.
— More than anything, — he said.
This is right, Emma thought. This feels right.
— Good, — Emma said. — Then buckle up.
— Why? Where are we going?
Emma put the car into gear.
— We’re leaving Storybrooke.
CHAPTER 16
AN APPLE RED AS BLOOD
It had all happened so fast — snow, her memories of Charming erased, had been intent on finding the Evil Queen and killing her once and for all, and only moments after Charming had finally awoken her to her love, and to clarity, George’s soldiers hauled him away. It was as though they were doomed to be apart; forces conspired to keep them away from each other. Just when he found her, she lost him. She wasn’t going to let it happen again.
She had an army.
And this time, she was going to find him.
Her army was, admittedly, not of the traditional sort. She had the seven dwarfs, Red, and Granny. They had traveled to King George’s castle with the aim of rescuing the prince. They hunkered down to make their final preparations. Snow again scanned the gates with her spyglass, then pressed her back against the stone wall, behind which they were all gathered.
— There’s a half-dozen soldiers on each parapet, — she said.
— We’re going to need air support, — said Granny.
— Air? — said Grumpy. — I know just the person who can help us. Someone who owes me a favor.
Before Snow could ask him what he meant, they heard a rustling in the nearby trees. The dwarfs and Snow all drew their weapons, but were glad to see Red emerging from the forest.
— Don’t shoot, — she said. — It’s only me.
Snow saw a dried trickle of blood near her mouth and decided it was best not to ask whose it was.
— What did you learn? — she said.
— Your prince is still alive, — said Red. — And the Queen is here.
Snow felt elated by the news, but wary of the Queen’s presence. Storming a castle protected by King George’s men would have been hard enough. The Queen, and her magic, presented a new layer of difficulty.
— It’s a trap, — said Granny.
Snow nodded grimly.
— We can’t stop now. — She imagined him inside, chained up, at the mercy of two exceptionally cruel people. — But I’ll understand if any of you want to turn back, — she said. — I can’t ask you all to risk your lives.
She looked at the dwarfs, one by one. She looked at Granny and Red. No one moved.
— Okay then, — she said. — There’s no time to waste. — She turned to Grumpy. — Grumpy? That air support would be lovely.
He smiled. — Did I ever tell you about the time I fell in love with a fairy, and we made a plan to run away together? Man oh man, — he said. — It was something else. — He nodded at his friends, said, — We’ll be back, — and hustled off, into the woods.
— Why is the Queen doing this, do you think? — Red asked Snow, sitting beside her against the wall.
— Because of a mistake I made as a child, — Snow said. — My father was supposed to marry her, but she loved someone else. A stable boy named Daniel.
— What happened? — Red asked.
— They kept their love a secret, but I found out, — Snow said. — I broke her trust and let the secret out. And because of that… — Snow sighed. — Daniel had to run away and their chance of love was ruined.
— He left her?
Snow nodded sadly.
— She never saw him again.
— I guess I never thought of the Evil Queen as ever caring about love, — Red said.
— She did once, — Snow said. — And I destroyed her chance at happiness. Now she wants to destroy mine.
Emma and Henry sped through town and were nearing the edge of Storybrooke before Henry spoke up again.
— I don’t want to go, — he said. — What about — what about my stuff? — He looked in the backseat, saw Emma’s small bag. — Is that all you have?
— All I need. — Emma nodded. — We have to get away from here. From her, — she said.