Storybrooke, Years Ago...
On the Jolly Roger, Hook trains Henry in swordfighting. Henry finally gets the upper hand, and Emma arrives and congratulates Henry. Hook disarms Henry, who figures that he'll never be good enough. Henry walks off and Emma figures that Henry is ready to walk off. Hook tells her that there's more to come, but she worries that she won't get a second chance. He offers her a magical bottle, and explains that she can put a message in it and it will find the person she seeks. They kiss and Hook says that Henry will be fine.
Another Realm, Years Later...
Henry rides through the forest with Tremaine and her soldiers in pursuit. They finally surround him and Tremaine says that Henry is the one who helped Cinderella kill the Prince. She demands to know where Henry is, and he refuses to tell her. Tremaine figures that Henry is in love with Cinderella and asks for the glass slipper. He puts a message in the bottle asking for help from Emma, Hook, and Regina, and tosses it into a water puddle before the soldiers can stop him.
Now
Rogers goes to Henry's apartment and asks to talk. Henry invites him and Rogers asks who Emma is in Henry's book. The writer says that she's a fictional character, and Rogers asks if she based Emma on someone real. Henry tells him that he made her up, and asks for his helping finding where some of his family is buried. Rogers says that he'll see what he can do, and tells him that Jacinda and Lucy aren't great.
Lucinda goes to Victoria's company and Ivy that Victoria was supposed to leave tickets for Lucy's ballet recital. Ivy tells her that it's now a charity event and Lucy has to pay. Victoria comes out of a meeting and Jacinda tells her that she just wants to see Lucy. The older woman says that second chances are earned, not given.
The Past
The soldiers take Henry to Cinderella's former quarters, and Tremaine tells him that it's as close as Henry will ever get to him. She then tells Druzilla to find where the slipper is and then kill Henry, and demands that she obey. Once Tremaine leaves, Henry tries to get through to Druzilla, saying that she's nicer than her mother. Druzilla says that she isn't and takes out a knife. Hook and Regina arrive and Hook kills the soldiers. Regina blasts Druzilla unconscious, and Hook frees Henry. Regina takes in the sight of her grown-up son, and Hook tells him that Emma is back in Storybrooke fighting tiny dragons.
Once Henry leaves, Regina wonders why Hook lied to Henry about Emma. Hook figures that if Henry knew what really happened, he'd drop everything and come back and Emma wants him to get on with his own life. Regina disagrees, and Hooks says that it's not her decision.
Now
Rogers returns to the station and finds Weaver waiting for him. Weaver says that he chose Rogers to be his partner, but refuses to say why.
At Roni's bar, Sabine meets with Jacinda and shows her an app for part-time jobs to raise enough money for the recital tickets. Henry comes in and Sabine quickly excuses herself. Henry apologizes to Jacinda for what he did, and offers to pay for the ticket. She insists that he shouldn't save her, and says that she'll earn her own money before walking out.
Victoria is looking at the hyacinths that grew in Hyperion Heights. When Weaver and Rogers come in, Victoria tells them that she needs them to make Henry go away. She says that Henry is a bad influence on her family, and asks if they have a problem with that. Rogers doesn't say anything, and when they leave Weaver tells Rogers that he works for him.
The Past
Regina casts a tracking spell on the slipper to locate Cinderella. It doesn't succeed, and Hook figures that since they're near the ocean, he can find pirates who saw her. Regina tells him to take Hook with them so that they can talk, but Hook insists on going alone.
Now
Weaver takes Rogers to the bar and asks if Henry was in there. She refuses to share secrets, and Weaver tells her that he always gets his answers. Rogers stays behind and Roni tells him to be careful around Weaver. She says that Weaver brings a lot of new partners in and they don't come back.
The Past
Hook goes into the town and the Hook from the wish dimension finds him. Other Hook asks if Hook is afraid of seeing what he'll become, and explains that Hook found love while he found misery and heartbreak. He wandered the realms trying to find Emma, and shows Hook the bottle with Emma's message. It sent Henry's message to both Hooks, and Other Hook demands to know where Emma is. He collapses, apparently drunk. When Hook helps him up, Other Hook says that he hasn't touched the rum in years, knocks Hook out, and tosses him in the back of a cart.
Now
Rogers leaves the bars and tells Weaver that he's not going to find Henry and they should focus on their job.
The Past
Other Hook finds Tremaine, who demands to know what he wants or she'll take his other hand. He says that he can make Henry go home so they both get what they want, but in return he wants Emma. Other Hook tells Victoria that he got some fresh blood from Hook, and wants Victoria to make him like his counterpart. Victoria takes out the fairy godmother's wand and agrees to Other Hook's deal. She enchants the blood and transforms Other Hook into Hook.
Now
Jacinda and Sabine walk down the street looking for jobs for Jacinda. A catering job at the recital comes up. They go to the bar and the head caterer, Remy, introduces them to the new bartender: Henry. Henry says that he's just trying to help, and convinced Remy that he needed a second bartender and someone to hire the servers. He insists that he's just trying to make up for separating Jacinda and Lucy, and tells her that after that night, she'll never have to see him again.
Rogers and Weaver break into Henry's apartment, and Weaver figures that Henry had a daughter at one point. He figures that they can use the daughter for leverage and notices that Rogers is familiar with the apartment. Weaver says that Rogers has to be loyal to him, and Hooks invites him to try him.
Lucy finds Jacinda and hugs her as people gather for the recital. The girl realizes that Henry helped her mother get in, while Sabine asks Henry if he's in love with Jacinda. Henry unconvincingly denies it, and Sabine says that it looks like a start. Meanwhile, Victoria sees Henry and calls Weaver, telling him to get him out of her life. Weaver tells Rogers to come with him. As they go, Hook sees a keychain and takes it.
The Past
Other Hook goes to the cabin where Henry and Regina are waiting for Hook. Henry asks Regina about his family and then wonders how she's doing. Regina admits that she misses him, and Henry asks what's going on with Emma. Avoiding comment, Regina asks how Henry's story has been. he wonders what Cinderella thinks of him, just as the disguised Other Hook comes in and claims that Cinderella left and wrote a note to Henry. He reads it and Other Hook says that it's time to head home. Disappointed, Henry agrees and figures that he's a failure. Regina assures him that he isn't, but Henry walks out and Regina tells Other Hook to go and give Henry a heart-to-heart.
Outside, Henry asks what's going on with Emma. Other Hook has no idea, and Henry wonders what's wrong with him. He demands to know if Emma is okay, just as Emma arrives. Henry hugs her and Emma assures him that she's fine and she wanted to tell Henry herself that she's pregnant. Her son tells her that she'll do fine, and a guilt-ridden Other Hook says that he's done something and has to fix it.
Now
When Weaver and Rogers arrive, Victoria tells Weaver to frame Henry. She takes a bracelet from him and leaves, and Weaver tells Rogers to plant the bracelet on Henry.
Lucy performs at the recital and waves briefly to a watching Jacinda. Rogers goes over to Henry and "accidentally" bumps into him, planting the bracelet on him.
The Past
Other Hook goes back to the cart and discovers that Hook is gone. Hook jumps him and figures that Other Hook is there to kill him. He tackles his counterpart and Other Hook falls on his knife. Other Hook says that he came there to free Hook, and tells Hook that he wouldn't get between a father and his child. He explains that he's trying to find his daughter.
Now
Once the recital ends, Victoria notices Jacinda applauding. Weaver goes up and says that Victoria's bracelet has gone missing. He tells all event employees to consent to a non-invasive search. When Jacinda objects, Henry comes to her rescue and Weaver elbows him in the face. Weaver tells him to turn out his pockets, and Henry does so. The keychain is in his pocket, but the bracelet isn't there.
The Past
Dying, Other Hook says that a vengeful witch trapped his daughter in prison. He snuck in to play chess with her, but was cursed so that he could never save her. Other Hook figured that True Love was the cure, and he thought that he could find it with Emma. Emma arrives and Hook tells her that Other Hook deserves a second chance. Other Hook gives them a chess piece that belonged to her, and asks Hook to give it to her. Hook asks Emma to heal his counterpart, and she tells Other Hook to believe. She says that she loves him and manages to heal his wound.
Now
As Rogers prepares to toss the bracelet into the harbor, Weaver stops him and says that he couldn't let an innocent man lose his daughter like he did. He asks if he's out of a partner or a job, and Weaver says that he saw a moral core in Hook and that's what he wanted.
Weaver takes the bracelet to Victoria and reminds her that she doesn't own or control him. He says that until now, their goals have allied.
At Roni's Jacinda tells Henry that Henry giving her the job was too much like a prince rescuing his princess. However, she gives him a second chance him for getting her to Lucy and taking an elbow to the head. Jacinda leaves for her shift.
The Past
Emma tells Henry that she and Hook are good, and Henry says that she has to go. He tells her that he wants to go back, but he still hasn't found his story. Emma says that he's not allowed to come home until he does, and says that she'll give him a chance just like he gave her a chance years ago. The two Hooks arrive and Other Hook says that it's time for him to find his daughter. Hook gives him the chess piece to give to her when he does, and Emma suggests that Other Hook and Henry team up. They agree, and Henry says goodbye to Regina. He suggests that they come with them, figuring that her story isn't over and maybe he needs her there. Regina agrees and they go to say goodbye to Hook and Emma. They hug and then the couple return to Storybrooke.
Now
Rogers goes to the bar and gives enry a list of all the cemeteries in Seattle as a place to start. Henry says that he thought he left the keychain at home, and explains that he drew the picture of Emma in his book. Rogers says that during his first year in the job, he went looking for a missing girl and got shot. A woman came from nowhere and told him to believe, and it was the woman from the book. Since then, he's been using his second chance to find the girl and almost lost himself. It's like someone with a lot of influence doesn't want him to find the girl, and now he realizes who has been interfering.
Roni comes over and Hook suggests that Victoria is the source of all their problems. He suggests that as a detective he do some digging and find out what Victoria is up to, and hopes somebody could write about it and someone could point him to the people Victoria is squeezing. Henry and Roni agree to help him and they share a toast.
Written by Gadfly on Oct 14, 2017