The Enchanted Forest
Robert returns to the cottage and his wife Ruth asks what happened. He says that he couldn't get the money for medicine for their two baby sons, David and James. Rumplestiltskin appears and tosses the medicine on a table, and says that he can help. When Will tells him that they have no way to repay him, Rumplestiltskin tells them the "story" of how King George has no son and they have two. Ruth refuses to sell one son, but Rumplestiltskin points out that if they don't then both sons will die. Robert tells his wife that they must do it because they have no choice, and Rumplestiltskin offers Robert a coin to flip to choose which son goes. James "wins" and Rumplestiltskin tells them that the deal must stay secret, and teleports away.
Now
David, Regina, Henry Hook, and Emma meet at Emma's kitchen and David offers a toast to family after Emma defeated Gideon. Afterward, Emma asks David if he's okay, and he wishes that Mary Margaret was there as well. Emma promises to find a way to break the curse.
Later, David goes outside and looks at a photo of Mary Margaret. The image of Robert appears to him, his hands covered in blood, and David collapses unconscious as the image disappears. Hook comes out and finds him, and wakes him up. David insists that he's fine and irritably says that he isn't interested in a pirate's opinion. Hook goes back inside and David finds a coin on the sidewalk.
The next morning at the mayor's home, Regina finds the new Robin dealing with an alarm clock. She turns it off and offers Robin some clean clothes. She leaves and goes downstairs to where Mary Margaret is waiting. Over coffee Regina explains why she brought Robin to the real world. Mary Margaret warns that just because he looks like Regina's Robin doesn't make him the same person. Regina hopes that there's a part of her Robin in the new Robin, but admits that she's worried.
Hook visits Archie and explains that he's worried that David still sees him as a pirate. He warns that it's going to get more complicated and shows Archie his engagement ring for Emma. Hook wonders how to ask for David's blessing, and Archie tells Hook that he's listening to his conscience now. The psychiatrist tells Hook not to wait because life is too precious, and he should just ask David what he thinks of him.
That night, Mary Margaret is sleeping under the curse. David checks her video message to him, and Robert appears in the nursery and says that family is everything. When David confronts him, Robert tells him that he's forgotten his father. David angrily says that he was 6 when a drunken Robert died in a wagon accident, and holds up the coin. He asks what Robert wants, and Robert says "the truth."
The Enchanted Forest
Robert goes to a tavern and buys a drink, and the owner says that he should be spending it on his family. When he asks how old David is, Robert says that he's 6 and a good lad who deserves better than him. King George and his guard come in and George says that his son James has been abducted. He promises a reward to anyone that gives him information on his son's location, and then leaves.
Back at home, Robert tells Ruth that he's going to rescue James. Ruth warns that James won't want to come back to a broken farm and a drunken father, and Robert says that he has to try. Young David watches from upstairs as Robert tells Ruth that it's a way to fix himself. The boy comes down and asks if Robert will be better when he comes back. Robert says that he will when he comes back in two weeks, and will never touch a drop of drink again. Young David asks him to take his lucky coin to keep him safe, and Robert accepts it.
Now
Hook comes to the loft and David says that he needs his help. He shows Hook all of the information he's gathered on Robert's death, and explains that he saw his father's ghost. David says that Robert deserves justice and asks if Hook will help him. Hook suggests that Emma help since she's the sheriff, but David doesn't want to worry her or Mary Margaret, and they might not approve of what he has to do. He tells Hook that he's a pirate and a pirate is what he needs, and Hook goes with him.
Regina shows Robin the Storybook and explains how they live in Storybrooke. He wonders how they got there and suggests that Regina tell him. The doorbell rings and Regina answers it. It's Zelena, who demands to see Robin. She realizes that Regina hasn't told Robin that he has a daughter, and insists that Regina tell Robin that he has no rights to his daughter. Regina tells her to go home, and Zelena teleports away. When Regina goes back inside, she discovers that Robin has slipped out the window. The Storybook is open to a picture of the Sheriff of Nottingham capturing Robin.
Keith--Storybrooke's Sheriff--is walking down the street and Robin prepares to shoot him. He knocks the coffee cup out of Keith's hand, pinning the sleeve to a telephone pole, and walks over. Keith insists that he's not Robin's Sheriff, and Robin punches him and draws a knife, explaining that he wanted to kill Keith personally. Regina arrives and tells Robin that it isn't him. He says that it isn't her Robin but it is him, and Regina teleports Keith away. She tells Robin that one day he would have regretted killing Keith, and makes him promise that he'll stop running away and kill people.
David and Hook go to Emma's house after she takes Henry on an all-day canoeing trip. As they go inside, David explains that he's going to take a few of the potions that Regina gave Emma and use them to learn what happened to Robert. Hook asks if he has any qualms about stealing from his own daughter, and David complains that Hook is suddenly getting cold feet. The pirate tells him that he's trying not to be that man anymore, but David tells him that he needs the key to the shed and a lookout. Hook gives him the key and stands watch.
The Enchanted Forest
Robert goes to Rumplestiltskin's castle and says that he needs his help to find James. He figures that Rumplestiltskin owes him and says that he'd do anything to find his son and tell him that he's sorry. Rumplestiltskin agrees to help him for one hair off of his head, and Robert agrees. The Dark One then casts a spell to confirm that James ran away, and tells Robert that he doesn't want to follow. However, he offers Robert a ticket and takes the hair in return. Rumplestiltskin then tells him that their deal is complete. Once Robert leaves, Rumplestiltskin tosses the hair away and says that one day they may all be reunited with their selves.
Now
As David searches the shed for the potions, Emma pulls up. Hook calls a warning and then goes to greet Emma. She says that Henry forgot the life jackets and goes to the shed to get it. Hook says that he can't let her in because he desperately needs to kiss her, but she says that she knows he's lying. She asks what he's hiding from her, and Hook tells her that he talk to Archie about her. He explains that he thought she was going to die and it changed how he thinks about them, and Archie told him to share his feelings. Emma kisses him and then goes to the shed. Hook meets David, who has slipped out with the potions, and David congratulates him on doing the job.
Regina takes Robin to her mausoleum to wrap his hand after he hit Keith, but says that they need to talk. She asks if he was going to kill Keith, and Robin points out that she created the curse and has the hearts of her enemies in the mausoleum. Regina admits that she sounds like a hypocrite but she's changed, and heals his hand with magic. She then tells Robin that the other Robin had an infant daughter with her sister. When Robin points out that everything in Storybrooke is complicated, Regina explains that she hoped to be part of his fresh start. Robin figures that she wants a fresh start as well, and Regina suggests that they give themselves a chance. After a moment, Robin kisses her. Regina then offers to show him more of Storybrooke and they go.
At the loft, David prepares a potion to show them where the coin was on the day Robert died. He dips the coin in the potion and puts it on the map, and it rolls to a small island. Hook says that it's Pleasure Island.
The Enchanted Forest
Robert goes to Pleasure Island, which is filled with rides and games. A vendor offers Robert a drink, but he refuses and continues looking for James. When Robert sits down, Pinocchio notices the coin on a chain around his wrist and asks if it's worth something. Robert says that it's a gift from his son David and Pinocchio figures that the boy ran away. He suggests that Robert check the Sugar Pit but claims that he hasn't talked to any boy saying that he was a prince. Pinocchio's nose grows, and Robert realizes that it means Pinocchio is lying.
After Pinocchio tells him the truth, Robert goes to the Sugar Pit and finds James asleep on the floor. James says that he doesn't want to go home because his father wants to him to be a knight, and James doesn't want to kill things. Robert describes his home and how James would have a brother to play with, and James agrees to go. Pinocchio is watching and Robert thanks him for his help. The vendors come after Robert, and Pinocchio tells Robert to run.
Now
David and Hook show August the coin and he confirms that Robert had it when he last saw him. David realizes that Robert was trying to fix their family, and August assures him that Robert was sober. August then says that he took the pages out of the Storybook about the time on Pleasure Island, but offers to look for them and see if there's anything more about Robert.
As Hook and David leave, David realizes that Hook doesn't want him to go after Robert. The pirate admits that he'd stop anyone seeking vengeance if he could, and David handcuffs him to a bike rack and drives off.
The Enchanted Forest
Robert brings James back from Pleasure Island, and finds George and his men waiting for them. George offers Robert a reward, but Robert refuses and says that James doesn't want to be with George. The king realizes that Robert is the wretch who sold his own flesh and blood and figures that Robert's conscience is bothering him. Robert says that he made a mistake but he's making it right, and refuses to hand James over. James asks Robert to not let George take him, and Robert says that he'll protect the boy now. The guards pull him away and George tells them that the reward is theirs if they kill Robert and make it look like an accident. They drag him off as he calls to James.
Now
David goes to the cell where Albert is locked up and drags him out, and accuses him of killing Robert. Albert admits that he ordered him killed, and admits that Robert was a good man in the end. David tosses him a knife and draws his own, and tells Albert to fight for his life. Albert picks up the knife and the two men fight. David easily subdues the older man and holds his knife to Albert's throat, but Hook runs in and shoves Albert back into his cell. David vows that he'll never forgive Hook, and Hook points out that Albert told David about Robert's final moments. Shocked, David backs away and says that Robert did the right thing and it still wasn’t enough, and wonders what happens if he isn't strong enough and keeps losing everything that matters to him. Hook tells him to kill Albert if he thinks it will make him feel stronger, and asks him what Robert would think of him if he did. After a moment, David drops to his knees and Hook gently takes his knife and tosses it away, then hugs David.
The Enchanted Forest
The two guards tie Robert to the wheel of a cart and pour wine on him to make him appear drunk. They then prepare to kill him in case he survives the fall.
Now
At the dock, David looks at the coin and then tosses it into the harbor. His father's ghost watches and disappears with the coin, and Hook asks David if he's okay. David apologizes and says that Hook is the noble one, not him. He tells Hook that he's done the hardest thing that anyone can do: he's changed and saved David from making a terrible mistake. When David wonders how he can pay him back, Hook says that he has an idea. He asks David for his blessing to ask for Emma's hand in marriage, and David smile and says, "Of course." They agree not to tell Mary Margaret the news until it's official and leave together.
The next morning, Mary Margaret and David switch. Regina comes to the loft and explains that she told Robin about the baby. She admits that there was a kiss but it was nothing. Regina admits that Robin isn't her Robin, and Mary Margaret was right. She says that it's fault because she wanted to believe, and wonders what the reason is that Robin made it through the portal if it's not her. Mary Margaret says that it may just be who Robin is, and Regina wonders who he is and what he wants.
Robin goes to the mausoleum and breaks open a chest to remove one of Regina's magical artifacts.
As Hook walks to Emma's house, August pulls up and gives him the Storybook pages to give to David. As Hook goes in, he looks at the pages.
The Enchanted Forest
As the guard prepares to kill Robert, Hook arrives and kills the guard. He kills the other guard as well when the man flees, and Robert thanks Hook for saving his life. Hook says that he has no intention of saving Robert after he saw Hook kill the King's men. Robert insists that he has no love for George and swears on his son's life to remain silent. Unimpressed, Hook kills him and tells his crew to find somewhere to hide the cart and Robert's body
Now
Emma comes out and Hook pockets the pages. She invites him in and Hook says that he'll be in in a minute. Once he's alone, Hook takes out the engagement ring and looks at it contemplatively.
Written by Gadfly on Mar 14, 2017