Jiminy, a tiny sword drawn, was stabbing at George’s calf.
— Ha! — he cried, and stabbed again.
George attempted to slice downward, but Jiminy was too quick. He danced to the other calf and stabbed there. This time Snow cringed at the attack; she saw a small spurt of blood shoot out from George’s leg, and he crumpled to the ground.
Snow ran up.
— Good job, — she said, kicking George’s sword aside. — Come on.
«Snow!» came a cry. «Snow White!» It was Charming. His voice was coming from a chamber at the end of the hall.
— He’s here, — she said. — Go tell the others. — Jiminy nodded and hopped off, back toward the stairs.
Snow took another breath, then walked toward the sound of her beloved’s voice. The Evil Queen was still somewhere, and Snow was wary of a trap. Sword held high, she cautiously stepped into the room.
And she saw him.
He was standing in an alcove, his hands bound, looking at her with both hope and tear in his eyes.
She ran toward him.
— My love! — she cried. — Charming!
It was only after she’d approached, though, that she realized that they’d been had. The image of Charming was only that: an image. He was in a mirror. Which meant that he was not, in fact, here in this castle. The Evil Queen had taken him away, back to her own home. She put her hand on the glass of the mirror.
— The Queen took me to her palace, — he said sadly.
— But I’m rescuing you, — she said.
— Snow, — he said, shaking his head. They were both crying now.
— Is this going to be our life? — she asked. — We take turns finding each other?
— We will be together. I know it, — he said. — Have faith.
She heard the sound of the Evil Queen’s muted laughter and watched as green smoke filled the mirror, clouding over her love. The laughter become louder, and soon Snow was looking at a haughty, happy Regina.
— Let him go, — Snow said. — Your fight is with me. — She could not believe that the betrayal of Regina’s secret, so long ago, still drove the woman. She knew how powerful love could be, but she couldn’t imagine vengeance — this much vengeance — no matter what happened.
— Exactly my thought, old friend, — Regina said. — Have you ever heard of a parlay? We break off this messy fight and have a little talk, just you and me. Come unarmed.
— Fine, — Snow said. — Where do I meet you?
— Where it all began, — said Regina.
Snow knew exactly what she meant.
Emma had already gone to Archie’s office, only to find the out to lunch sign up on his door. Considering the town, that meant pretty much one option: Granny’s.
She found him alone in a booth, eating a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup.
— You got a minute? — she said, sliding in across from him.
He dabbed at his mouth.
— Of course, Emma, — he said. — Of course.
Emma told him the story of what Henry had done the night before, in the car. Archie listened attentively, and when she was through, he said, — He grabbed the wheel? — He shook his head. — He must not have considered the consequences.
— That’s just it, — she said. — I think he did. I think he would rather die than leave Storybrooke.
He nodded.
— Children like stability and structure. Change means no one’s going to be there to take care of them.
— I want to be there to take care of him, — she said. — But it’s easy to say it. Harder to do it.
— Let me ask you a question, — he said. — As this war between you and Regina rages on, who is really getting hurt?
She knew the answer; she didn’t need to say it out loud. How much of this could the kid take?
— But isn’t it good for him to be with me? — she asked.
— Emma, all personal feelings aside. And even professional feelings. I’m afraid you just don’t have a case for getting custody.
— I’m his mother.
— You are. So is Regina. And, well, the court’s gonna look at how he’s been doing since you came into his life.
— And he’s happier, isn’t he? — Emma said hopefully.
— Maybe, — he said. — But objectively? He’s skipped school. Stolen a credit card. Run away. Endangered himself. Repeatedly. So, in the eyes of the law…
— What about in your eyes? — she asked. — What do you think?
— You know, a while back I told you to engage him on his fantasy life, and perhaps… — He sighed. — Perhaps I was wrong. He’s been retreating further into it.
— So you think he’s better off with Regina, — she said.
— I didn’t say that.
— Do you think, — Emma asked, — that she would ever hurt him?
— No. Never, — Archie said. — Everyone else, sure. But not him. Her actions, right or wrong, have been defensive. I’m not judging here. But in many ways, Emma, your arrival woke a sleeping dragon.
She found it to be an odd choice of words.
— So tell me, — she said finally. — Honestly. Is Henry better off since I got here?
— I don’t think it’s a matter of being better off, — he said. — It’s a matter of this conflict needing to end. If you two are going to be in his life, you have to figure out the best way to do that. Plain and simple.
Yup, Emma thought. Plain and simple.
— Okay, — she said. — Thanks, Doc. — She slid out of the booth.
— Are you all right? — he asked her. — You look like you’re in pain.
— Not me, — she said. — Just my conscience.
She left the diner in a daze, oppressed by her own emotions. What had she done to Henry? What had she done? It all seemed so cocksure now, so bold and reckless. This was a boy, her son, who did not have the capacity to navigate this much conflict and change, and here she was, just inserting herself into his world. It turned out that she was the dragon of the past. In this case, she was the Evil Queen.
She stepped off the curb, transfixed by this horrible thought, and was almost run over by a pickup truck. It honked and hit the brakes, and Emma stumbled backward, still in a daze.
— Emma! — she heard from across the street. Mary Margaret was running toward her. — Are you okay?
Emma looked at her and nodded.
— I’m so sorry, — came another voice — the driver of the truck. — I didn’t see you!
Emma looked in his direction. It was David. Perfect.
— Are you okay? — he echoed, rushing up to her.
— It’s fine, — Emma said, snapping herself out of it. — I wasn’t looking. I’m totally fine.
She felt David and Mary Margaret flanking her on either side. David put an arm around her.
— We’ll take you to the hospital, — he said. — You’re not well.
— Does anything hurt? — said Mary Margaret.
— Guys. No. Seriously. — She shucked them off. — I'm okay.
She stormed away. She had to find Regina.
King George’s castle was theirs. King George himself was locked in the dungeon, and Snow, Granny, Red, Jiminy, and the dwarfs were together in George’s war room, planning their next step. That’s what they thought they were doing, at least — Snow didn’t need a plan. She knew her next move. She was going to meet with the Evil Queen, unarmed, and end this conflict once and for all.
Of course her companions didn’t want her to do it.
— You’re too noble for your own good, — Red said, watching Snow remove every hidden weapon and piece of armor from her body.