We open in Fairy Tale Land, King George graciously greets Princess Abigail as she exits her carriage on the road to the palace. He tells her it’s an honor to have her join his family. Meanwhile, a group of his soldiers are rushing about in the background. Abigail asks if everything is okay. King George’s face tightens but he covers, telling her they’re simply ensuring the safety of their guests.Then he steps up to one of his soldiers, all business now , “Find him.”
Somewhere in the forest, we find Charming, his face a mask of determination as he races on his horse. He’s attempting to outrun King George’s men but it’s a losing battle as they continue to gain ground. Charming is far enough ahead that when he rounds a corner and comes to a fork in the road, he is able to hide in the forest with his horse undetected. The king’s men come up to the fork and split up. Charming thinks he’s home free but right as he turns around two hooded, robed men grab him and throw a hood over his head.
In Storybrooke, David is in the middle of a quiet dinner with Kathryn. She surprises him by revealing she got into law school in Boston. David’s taken aback, he never knew she wanted to go. Kathryn says she knows things between them have been hard, “But maybe a fresh start is what we need. Maybe we’ve just been fighting too hard to recapture old memories when we should have been making new ones instead.” David’s speechless.
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Back in Fairy Tale Land, the two hooded, robed men pull the hood off Charming’s head. Charming is livid but shocked when the men cut him loose and Abigail walks up. She knows the truth that he loves Snow White and has no intention of marrying her. When Charming confirms that is the truth, she surprises Charming telling him that she’s there to help him because she doesn’t want to marry him either.
Mary Margaret walks down the street in Storybrooke with David. She wants them to come clean and stop lying about their relationship but David doesn’t know if he can. Mary Margaret says if they can’t be honest with other people how can they be honest with each other. She tells David he has to make a choice. He agrees and Mary Margaret smiles, “Then it’s time to tell Kathryn.”
Outside Granny’s diner, Emma runs into the Stranger. He persists in asking about when they’re going to go out for a drink. Emma says it’s not going to happen, she doesn’t go out with guys who won’t tell her their name. She walks away and starts into Granny’s. But before she gets inside, he gives in and tells her his name, “It’s August. August W. Booth.” Then he tells her now she doesn’t have a reason for not meeting him there after work. He jumps on his bike and heads off, as Emma enters Granny’s and sits down at a table with Mary Margaret. Mary Margaret leans in and in a conspiratorial tone tells Emma that she didn’t stop seeing David after Emma had told her to stop. Emma just smiles at her and whispers “I know.” Mary Margaret is taken aback, she thought she had been discreet and asks why Emma didn’t say anything. Emma smiles at Mary Margaret, she knew she’d come to her when it was time. Mary Margaret tells Emma that David is telling Kathryn everything.
At their home, David tells Kathryn that he can’t go with her to Boston. She asks, “Can’t or won’t?” He’s at a loss of what to say and she asks for the truth. Then she looks him in the eye, “David, is there something going on that I don’t know about?” It’s the moment of truth, the perfect chance to come clean but instead he lies, “No.” He tells her that there is something to preventing him from connecting with her, “You’re right. You need a fresh start. It’s just not with me.” Kathryn’s devastated.
In Fairy Tale Land, Abigail leads Charming to the safety of her father’s realm. They dismount and she tries to give him provisions to run. He protests and wants to know the real reason why she is helping him. Abigail tells him it’s not about him, she doesn’t want to marry him because her heart belongs to another. She was to marry a man named Frederick but alludes to a tragedy that prevented it. Abigail thought reuniting Charming with his love would bring her some measure of consolation. When he tells Abigail his tragedy is that Snow White doesn’t want her to find him, Abigail takes him to the golden statue of her love, Frederick. He was turned to gold when he touched her father, King Midas, while defending him. Charming asks if there is anything he can do. Abigail tells him of the legend of Lake Nostos, “Its waters are said to have magical properties that can return to you something that was once lost.” The lake is guarded by a ghastly creature that drowns its victims and none that has faced it has succeeded. Charming tells her not to give up hope, he’ll face the guardian and return with the water that will help her get Frederick back.
Back in Storybrooke, August is in a non-descript workspace working on what looks like a counterfeiting operation. But instead of money, he’s working on new pages for Henry’s storybook. He’s painstakingly aging the new pages to make them match old ones, then adding them to the book.
At her office, Regina gives Henry an improtu gift but he’s skeptical and wants to know what’s the occasion. Regina looks at him with genuine affection, “The occasion is I love you.” He opens it revealing a portable video game. She tells him she didn’t mean to destroy his book when she tore down the playground. Henry says it’s not just the book, it’s Emma, he wants to see her. And that’s like a punch to the gut. Regina tries to remain stoic. That’s when Kathryn strides in. Regina sends Henry home and that’s when Kathryn tells her David is leaving her. Regina shakes her head, “That little home-wrecker.” Kathryn’s confused and asks what she means. Regina says Mary Margaret has been having an affair with David. Kathryn’s pissed and wants to know how she knows. Regina shows her the pictures Sidney took of Mary Margaret and David kissing. Kathryn’s upset that Regina didn’t tell her and storms out.
In Fairy Tale Land, Abigail leads Charming to Lake Nostos when they come upon a shrine to the Guardian of the Lake. Charming tells her that he goes the rest of the way alone but she protests and wants to go with him. He tells her that the only life he wants in his hands is his own and continues on alone.
Back in Storybrooke, David is at home when Mary Margaret calls him from school. She wants to know if he told Kathryn the truth. He lies and said he did. Mary Margaret smiles, thinking all is right. Then Kathryn storms down the hallway bumping aside a Gym Teacher as she heads straight for Mary Margaret, who’s eyes widen when she sees her approach. With a hallway full of children and parents, Mary Margaret starts to apologize when Kathryn walks right up and slaps her across the face. The students and parents gawk as Kathryn rips into Mary Margaret about lying and cheating with David. It becomes clear to Mary Margaret that David didn’t tell Kathryn the truth. Mary Margaret tries again to apologize but Kathryn dismisses it, “Good luck making it work. You two deserve each other.” And with that Kathryn turns on her heels and goes.
Charming is now at the edge of Lake Nostos and starts to fill up an empty water skin when the placid waters begin to churn. He yells for the beast to show itself as he draws his sword. Then he steels himself as his opponent rises out of the water to reveal not a ghastly creature at all -- but a beautiful and sexy looking woman. It’s a siren -- a creature that seduces men and lures them to their doom. The siren smiles at Charming, “Here I am.”
At Granny’s diner, August pulls up on his bike to find Emma waiting for him. He tells her to hop on so they can go get a drink, but she is reluctant. Emma thought he meant they would get a drink at Granny’s but August says he knows of a good watering hole. She tries to convince him to let her drive but he’s not having it. It takes some coaxing from Granny but she finally gets on and they ride off. A little while latter they pull up to a well out in the woods. He pulls out two cups as he tells her about the legend of the well and how it’s fed by an underground lake that has magical properties. August, “So this legend, it says that if you drink the water from the well, something lost will be returned to you.” Emma is skeptical as usual. He tells her that if she needs evidence for everything she’ll be stuck in one place for a long time. It’s a relaxed stand off between the believer and the skeptic. They both smile and share a drink of the water.
In town, Mary Margaret is walking down the street when she notices people are staring and whispering as she passes by. News has spread. Then she accidently runs into Granny who tells her she that should be ashamed of herself. Mary Margaret feels horrible.
Back in Fairy Tale Land, the Siren approaches Charming purring seductively and tells him she can be anyone he wants. He stands fast, holding his sword out until she transforms into Snow White. Now he’s wavering as she kisses him. Charming comes to his senses and pushes the Siren away, “No. This is not real love. I’ve felt it. And this isn’t it. I know the difference.” The Siren gives him a malevolent smile, “Congratulations, Prince Charming. You’re the first.” Then with sudden superhuman strength, she shoves Charming below the surface and pulls him deeper underwater. He breaks her grip and tries to get away but gets tangled up in some kelp. He spots a dagger on the lake’s bottom. When the Siren swims up to Charming, he feigns like he’s already drowned. She begins to kiss him, but is surprised when stabs her. The Siren is mortally wounded and sinks to the bottom. As she sinks, she transform from looking like Snow White back to her original Siren form. Charming gets untangled and launches towards the surface. He gasps for air as he breaks the surface.
In Storybrooke, David’s hand emerges from a pail of soapy water holding a brush. “TRAMP” has been painted on Mary Margaret’s car and David is furiously trying to scrub it off with the brush. Mary Margaret walks up and asks who did it. He doesn’t know how any of this happened and apologizes. Mary Margaret gets upset with him. He lied and didn’t tell Kathryn the truth. Now because of that, everyone is calling her a tramp. She tells him they had an understanding and an agreement, he not only lied to Kathryn but to her. He says if they want to see if what they have is love, they have to pick up the pieces and move on. Mary Margaret shakes her head as the tears roll down her face, “David, this isn’t love. What we have is something else entirely. What we have is destructive and it has to stop.” When David reaches out to comfort her but she pulls her head away, “What are you saying?” Mary Margaret gathers her strength, “That we shouldn’t be together.” This hits David hard as a tear rolls down his face.
It’s a new day and Emma is cleaning leaves off of her yellow bug which is surrounded by a large puddle of water that is running along the curb. As she looks down, Emma spots a familiar looking case behind the rear tire. It looks like the case that kept Henry’s storybook protected. She leans down and cracks the case open. Inside is Henry’s storybook. The wishing well and August’s words, “Something lost will be returned to you” have her flabbergasted. Down the street, August sits on his bike watching from a distance.
In the Mayor’s office Regina is watering some plants when Kathryn walks in. She’s come to apologize to Regina and tells her that she realizes her marriage to David seemed like it was all an illusion. Regina watches as Kathryn looks at the picture of David gazing lovingly at Mary Margaret. She tells Regina that David never looked at her like that, but that what she wants for herself and she’s going to go find it. Regina asks what she’s talking about. Kathryn smiles, “I’m sticking to my plan and moving to Boston. Alone. If I stay here, I’ll never be happy.” When Regina asks what about David, Kathryn says she wrote him a letter telling him that he and Mary Margaret should be together. Regina is shocked, “I’m sorry -- you did what?” Kathryn hugs Regina, tells her she’s been a good friend and that she is going to miss her. Regina does not look pleased and asks if she’s really going. Kathryn smiles, “It’s funny -- I’ve always had this irrational fear of leaving Storybrooke… like something’s just holding me back. Is that crazy?” Regina gives her a smile and tells her maybe she’ll find what she’s looking for.
Back in Fairy Tale Land, Charming presents Abigail with the waterskin bulging with the magical water he got from Lake Nostos. She goes to the statue of Frederick and pours the water onto it. Suddenly, the gold begins to crack, like ice. When the gold breaks apart, Frederick falls to the ground -- he has returned to his human form. An emotional Abigail pulls off Frederick’s helmet. As we see him for the first time, we realize he’s the Fairy Tale version of the Gym Teacher that was bumped into by Kathryn. They kiss and share a look that we know means immediately that the love between them is true. Abigail asks Charming where he’ll go. He smiles, “To find Snow White.” She tells him to make haste because once King George discovers that the union of the kingdoms has been ruined he’ll come after Charming.
In Storybrooke, Regina uses her ring of skeleton keys, the same keys we saw Emma find in her desk in Episode 111, and opens the door to David and Kathryn’s house. Regina walks up to the dining room table to find a letter labeled “David”. It’s the letter Kathryn wrote to him and Mary Margaret that gives them her blessing. She picks up the letter and drops it into her purse.
Emma finds Henry outside his school waiting for Regina to pick him up. She gives him his storybook back. He’s ecstatic and asks her how she found it. Emma says she found it in a gutter, “It must have fallen off the dump truck on the way to the junk yard and got tossed around in the rain and then somehow made its way to me.” Henry thinks that’s crazy and Emma says what other explanation can there be. She tells him whatever happened, it came back to her. The discovery of the storybook has Henry thinking their luck has changed, “Operation Cobra is back on. It’s a sign. Things are gonna be better.” Emma hopes he’s right and walks off, leaving Henry beaming.
In Fairy Tale Land, Charming looks for Snow White at the cabin but instead runs into Red. She tells him that Snow left to break up his wedding because she’s in love with him. That’s when he realizes King George must have interfered and that Snow didn’t mean a word of anything she said to him in Episode 110. Just then King George and his soldiers appear in the distance, they’re after Charming. He pulls Red up onto his horse and they flee.
Back in Storybrooke, Mary Margaret is lying in bed clutching a pillow in her apartment. Her eyes are red and she’s heartbroken. Emma approaches the side of the bed, “Feel like talking about it, yet?” Mary Margaret doesn’t even turn over, “Nope.” Emma asks if she wants to be alone and Mary Margaret continues to lie there, “Nope.” Emma lies down next to Mary Margaret on the bed, her presence silently comforting her.
At her office, Regina pulls out Kathryn’s letter and starts to burn it with a lighter. Meanwhile, Kathryn is in her car and begins to leave town. Once the letter is fully engulfed in flame, Regina smiles and throws it on top of some burning logs in the fireplace. Next, we see the gym teacher from earlier (Frederick in FTL) find Kathryn’s car on the side of the road that leads out town with the air bags deployed. There is no sign of Kathryn. Back with Regina as she watches the letter burn in her fireplace with a malevolent look in her eye as we’re left to wonder -- what happened to Kathryn.
Written by FreakZilla on Oct 17, 2014