–[Fairy Tale World]–

(A human Rumpelstiltskin is spinning straw in a crude looking house. His son frantically rushes inside.)

Baelfire: Papa! Papa! They’ve come for Morraine.

(Rumpelstiltskin and his son go outside. They live in a village. They watch from a distance as several knights drag away a young girl from her screaming parents.)

Mother: No!

Father: No! Please, please!

Mother: No! No, don’t take her! No! No, you can’t take her! She’s my baby! Don’t take my baby!

Hordor: Nonsense. She’s a fine, strong girl. She’ll make a fine soldier.

Father: It’s a mistake – she’s turning fourteen. Only fourteen!

Hordor: Orders of the Duke! The Ogre Wars have taken their toll this season. More troops will turn the tide.

Baelfire: They lowered the age again, Papa.

Rumpelstiltskin: I know.

Hordor: Take her.

(The other knights grab the girl.)

Hordor: She’ll ride with me.

(The girl is shoved onto the back of his horse.)

Mother: No!

Father: You can’t have her!

(The woman draws a knife and lunges towards the knight. Suddenly, she and the man are stopped by some invisible force. In the field behind them, there is a cloaked figure on a black horse, who appears to be the one that’s controlling them. The man and the woman wither on the ground.)

Hordor: The Dark One seems to think I can.

(The dark figure relents and the Hordor, the knights and the girl ride off.)

Baelfire: My birthday’s in three days. They’ll come for me in three days!

Rumpelstiltskin: We’ll find a way. We’ll… We’ll find a way.

–[Real World]–

(Mr. Gold is covering a piece of cloth with lanolin in the back room of his pawn shop. Emma enters through the front door and calls out for him.)

Emma: Gold! In here?

Mr. Gold: Well, it is my shop.

(Emma enters the back room.)

Emma: Whoa! What is that?

Mr. Gold: Oh, this is lanolin – used for waterproofing.

Emma: It smells like livestock.

Mr. Gold: Well, it is the reason why sheep’s wool repels water.

Emma: It stinks. Um, if there was a reason you called the Sheriff’s Department… If you want to talk about that quickly-

Mr. Gold: Yes.

Emma: Or outside…

Mr. Gold: I just wanted to, uh, express my condolences, really. The Sheriff was a good man. You’re still wearing the Deputy’s badge. Well, he’s been gone two weeks, now, and I believe that after two weeks of acting as Sheriff, the job becomes yours. You’ll have to wear the real badge.

Emma: Yeah, I guess. I’m just not in a hurry. So, um, thank you for the kind words.

(Emma goes to leave and exits to the main part of the shop. Mr. Gold follows her.)

Mr. Gold: I have his things.

Emma: What?

(He walks over to a box on the counter.)

Mr. Gold: The Sheriff. He rented an apartment that I own. Another reason for my call, really. I wanted to offer you a keepsake.

Emma: I don’t need anything.

Mr. Gold: As you wish. Well, give them to Mayor Mills. Seems like she was the closest thing he had to family.

Emma: I’m not sure about that.

Mr. Gold: No love lost there, I see. Look, I feel that all of this stuff is headed for the trash bin – you really should take something. Look – his jacket.

Emma: No.

Mr. Gold: Well, look. Your boy might like these, don’t you think? You could play together.

(He holds up a pair of walkie talkies.)

Emma: I don’t-

Mr. Gold: No, please. They… They grow up so fast.

Emma: Thanks.

Mr. Gold: You enjoy these with your boy. Your time together is precious, you know? That’s the thing about children – before you know it, you lose them.

———–

(Emma meets Henry at his playground castle, bringing the two walkie talkies with her. She sits down next to him and hands him one.)

Emma: Brought you something. Thought we could use them together for Operation Cobra.

Henry: Thanks.

Emma: Oh, come on! What’s up? You’ve been ducking me for weeks.

Henry: I think we should stop Cobra stuff for a while. You don’t play with the curse. Look what happened to Graham.

Emma: Henry, I told you they did an autopsy. It was totally natural causes.

Henry: Okay, whatever. You don’t believe – good. That should keep you from messing with it. And getting killed.

Emma: You’re worried about me?

Henry: She killed Graham because he was good – and you’re good.

Emma: Henry…

Henry: Good loses – good always loses. Because good has to play fair – evil doesn’t. She’s evil. This is probably best. I don’t want to upset her anymore.

(Henry gives Emma back the walkie talkie and leaves.)

———–

(Emma throws her keys on her desk at the station. The Sheriff’s badge is there. She goes to put it on, when Regina enters.)

Regina: Oh, I’m sorry. That’s not for you.

Emma: It’s been two weeks – promotion’s automatic.

Regina: Unless the Mayor appoints someone else within the time period, which I’m doing today.

Emma: So, who’s it going to be?

Regina: After due reflection – Sidney Glass.

Emma: Sidney from the newspaper? How does that even make sense?

Regina: Well, he’s covered the Sheriff’s Office for as long as anyone can remember.

Emma: And he’ll do whatever you want him to. You just cannot stand the fact that things have been getting better around here, can you?

Regina: Better? Are you referring to Graham’s death as ‘better’?

Emma: No.

Regina: He was a good man, Miss Swan. He made this town safe, and forgive me for saying it, but you have not earned the right to wear his badge.

Emma: Graham picked me to be Deputy.

Regina: He was wrong.

Emma: No. He knew what he was doing. He freed this office from your leash. You’re not getting it back.

Regina: Actually, I just did. Miss Swan, you’re fired.

(Regina takes the Sheriff’s badge off the desk and leaves.)

———–

(At Mary Margaret’s apartment, Emma is trying to pry open a toaster with a knife. She has the music blaring and there is a half empty bottle of whiskey on the table. Mary Margaret comes home and sees what Emma is doing. She turns off the music.)

MMB: Toaster broken?

Emma: It wasn’t when I started with it. Pretty sure it is now. Just needed to hit something.

MMB: What’s going on?

Emma: Regina fired me so she could put one of her own puppets in as Sheriff. It’s my job.

MMB: I never heard you so passionate about it before. What happened?

Emma: I don’t know, I just… I know I want it back.

MMB: There must be a reason.

(There’s a knock on the door.)

Emma: Maybe I just want to beat her.

(Emma answers the door and it turns out to be Mr. Gold. He has a large binder under his arm.)

Mr. Gold: Good evening, Miss Swan. Sorry for the intrusion. There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.

MMB: I’ll let you two talk.

(Mary Margaret leaves the room.)

Emma: Come on in.

Mr. Gold: Thank you. I, uh… I heard about what happened. Such an injustice.

Emma: Yeah, well, what’s done is done.

Mr. Gold: Spoken like a true fighter.

Emma: I don’t know what chance I have. She’s Mayor and I’m, well, me.

Mr. Gold: Miss Swan, two people with a common goal can accomplish many things. Two people with a common enemy can accomplish even more. How would you like a benefactor?

Emma: A benefactor?

Mr. Gold: You mind?

(He gestures to the table and both he and Emma sit down. He puts the binder on the table and opens it.)

Mr. Gold: You know, it really is quite shocking how few people study the town charter.

Emma: The town charter?

Mr. Gold: Well, it’s quite comprehensive. And the Mayor’s authority? Well, maybe she’s not quite as powerful as she seems.

–[Fairy Tale World]–

(Rumpelstiltskin approaches his sleeping son and tries to wake him up.)

Rumpelstiltskin: Bae. Bae. Waken up, son. Come on. Waken up, son. We’re going now. We’re going now! Come on. Come on!

(Baelfire wakes up and the two of them leave the house.)

———–

(Rumpelstiltskin and Baelfire are walking through the woods with their things.)

Baelfire: It feels wrong to run away.

Rumpelstiltskin: It’s worse to die, son. I’m not having you taken away to the Ogres’ war.

(They encounter a beggar along the path.)

Beggar: Alms for the poor? Alms for the poor?

Rumpelstiltskin: Yes.

(Rumpelstiltskin gives the beggar a few coins.)

Beggar: Oh! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

(The two continue on through the woods.)

Baelfire: Are we sure there’s no other way?

Rumpelstiltskin: Oh, I can’t lose you, Bae. You’re all I’ve got left, son. You don’t understand what war is like – what they do to you.

(The sound of approaching horses is heard in the background.)

Rumpelstiltskin: Quick – hide! In the ditch – hide! Go, go! Go!

Hordor: Stop right there!

(Hordor and several knights on horseback surround Rumpelstiltskin and his son.)

Hordor: What are you doing on the King’s realm?

Rumpelstiltskin: We have some wool to sell at the fair at Longbourne.

Hordor: I know you, don’t I?

(Hordor gets off his horse and walks up to Rumpelstiltskin.)

Hordor: What was your name? Hm? Spindleshanks? Threadwhistle? Hobblefoot?

Baelfire: His name’s Rumpelstiltskin.

Rumpelstiltskin: Hush, boy!

Hordor: Rumpel- Ah, the man who ran. Is this your boy? How old is he? What’s your name?

Baelfire: I’m Baelfire and I’m thirteen.

Hordor: When’s your birthday?

Baelfire: In two days time.

Rumpelstiltskin: Hush, boy!

Hordor: Did you teach him how to run as well, Rumpelstiltskin? Did he tell you? Did he tell you how he ran and the ogres turned the tide of the battle, and all the others were killed, and he returned home to a wife who could not bear the sight of him?

Rumpelstiltskin: Please…

Hordor: You see, women do not like to be married to cowards.

Rumpelstiltskin: Please don’t speak to my boy like that.

Hordor: It’s treason to avoid service. Take the boy now.

Rumpelstiltskin: No, no, no, no! What do you want?

Hordor: What do I want? You have no money, no influence, no land, no title, no power. The truth is, all you really have is fealty. Kiss my boot.

Rumpelstiltskin: I don’t understand-

Hordor: You asked my price. Kiss my boot.

Rumpelstiltskin: Not in front of my boy.

Hordor: Kiss my boot!

(Rumpelstiltskin gets on the ground and kisses Hordor’s boot. Hordor, along with the other knights, laugh as he does so. Hordor then kicks Rumpelstiltskin in the stomach and he falls to the ground.)

Baelfire: Papa!

(Hordor returns to his horse and the group leaves. Suddenly, someone is heard coming towards Rumpelstiltskin and Baelfire. It turns out to be the beggar from earlier.)

Beggar: No, no, no! No! It’s okay. Let me help you. Let me help you home.

Baelfire: Thank you, old man.

(The beggar helps Rumpelstiltskin up.)

Rumpelstiltskin: I don’t have any money to pay you.

Beggar: I can think of another way. You just leave me whatever you can spare, and I’ll find a way to be your benefactor. Come.

–[Real World]–

(Regina, Sidney, and several news reporters are gathered in Regina’s office.)

Regina: Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own homes. That’s why Sidney Glass is my choice for post of Sheriff. This man has put the needs of Storybrooke above his own for as long as any of us can remember as chief editor of the Storybrooke Daily Mirror. Please welcome your new Sheriff!

(Regina goes to pin the Sheriff’s badge on Sidney, when Emma enters.)

Emma: Hang on a second.

Regina: Oh, Miss Swan, this is not appropriate.

Emma: The only thing not appropriate is this ceremony. She does not have the power to appoint him.

Regina: The town charter clearly states the Mayor shall appoint-

Emma: A candidate. You could appoint a candidate. It calls for an election.

Regina: The term ‘candidate’ is applied loosely.

Emma: No, it’s not. It requires a vote. And guess what, Madam Mayor? I’m running.

Regina: Fine. So is Sidney.

Sidney: I am?

(Regina turns around and gives Sidney a look.)

Sidney: I am.

Regina: With my full support. I guess we’ll learn a little something about the will of the people.

Emma: I guess we will.

–[Fairy Tale World]–

(Rumpelstiltskin and the beggar are sitting by the fire eating stew. Baelfire is asleep.)

Rumpelstiltskin: Another day gone. There’ll be no fleeing, now.

Beggar: No. You need to find another way. You need to choose a different path.

Rumpelstiltskin: Choose? What choice do I have?

Beggar: Everyone has a choice.

Rumpelstiltskin: I’m the town coward. The only choice I have is which corner to hide in. I’m lame, friendless… The only thing I’ve got is my boy. And they’re going to take him away from me. If they take him away, I would truly, truly become dust.

Beggar: Not if you have power.

Rumpelstiltskin: You may as well say diamonds.

Beggar: Get a hold of yourself! Think. Why do you think that someone as powerful as the Dark One would work for a useless fool like the Duke of the Frontlands?

Rumpelstiltskin: Tell me.

Beggar: The Duke has the Dark One in thrall. He’s enslaved him with the power of a mystical dagger and on the blade is written a name – the true name of the Dark One. If you steal the dagger, then you would control the Dark One yourself. And then no one would be able to take your son away from you.

Rumpelstiltskin: To keep a man like the Dark One as a slave? No, I… I-I can’t. I’d be terrified.

Beggar: Then, perhaps, instead of controlling the power, you need to take it.

–[Real World]–

(Mr. Gold is sitting in his pawn shop staring at the flame from a lighter. Regina enters and he puts the flame out.)

Mr. Gold: Regina.

(She flips the sign on the door to the ‘closed’ side.)

Mr. Gold: Shall I move some things? Make a bit of space for your rage?

Regina: You found that loophole in the town charter.

Mr. Gold: Legal documents – contracts, if you like. Always been a fascination of mine.

Regina: Yes, you love to trifle with technicalities.

Mr. Gold: I like small weapons, you see. The needle, the pen, the fine point of a deal. Subtlety – not your style, I know.

Regina: You’re a bastard.

Mr. Gold: I think your grief’s getting the better of you, Regina. Shame what happened to Graham.

Regina: Don’t you talk about him. You know nothing.

Mr. Gold: What is there to know? He died.

Regina: Are you really going up against me?

Mr. Gold: Not directly. We are, after all, both invested in the common good. We’re just picking different sides.

Regina: Well, I think you picked a really slow horse this time. It’s not like you to back a loser.

Mr. Gold: She hasn’t lost yet.

Regina: She will.

Mr. Gold: Never underestimate someone who’s acting for their child.

Regina: He’s not her child. Not legally.

Mr. Gold: Oh, now who’s trifling with technicalities?

———–

(Henry is sitting at a booth in Granny’s Diner and reading a newspaper. Emma enters and sits down next to him.)

Emma: How was school?

Henry: Okay.

Emma: You’re reading that paper pretty hard.

Henry: Sidney wrote it.

(Henry passes Emma the paper. On the front page, there’s an article titled ‘Ex-Jailbird – Emma Swan birthed babe behind bars’.)

Henry: Is it a lie?

Emma: No.

Henry: I was born in jail?

Emma: Yes. These records were supposed to be sealed. Tell me you’re not scarred for life.

Henry: I’m not. Well, not by this.

Emma: Good. Then, let’s throw this out and we will get our news from something more reliable. Like the internet.

Henry: This is what I’ve been trying to tell you – good can’t be evil, because good doesn’t do this kind of thing. My mom plays dirty – that’s why you can’t beat her. Ever.

Emma: I have a new ally. Mr. Gold said he’s going to help.

Henry: Mr. Gold? He’s even worse than she is. You already owe him one favour. You don’t want to owe him any more. Don’t do this.

———–

(Emma enters Regina’s office at the Town Hall with the newspaper in hand.)

Emma: This was a juvie record. This was sealed by court order. I don’t know how you got it, but that’s abuse of power and illegal.

Regina: Oh, I’m sorry. You didn’t want people to know you cut his cord with a shiv?

Emma: I don’t care what people know, but this hurts Henry.

Regina: He would’ve learned eventually. We all lose our heroes at some point.

(Emma and Regina exit the office and walk through the building.)

Emma: He doesn’t need to lose anything more. He’s depressed, Madam Mayor. He doesn’t have any… Any hope. Don’t you see that?

Regina: He’s fine.

Emma: He’s not fine. I mean, think about it. Watching his adoptive mother throw an illegal smear campaign against his birth mother? You don’t think that would be upsetting?

Regina: All I did was expose him to the truth. And as for the legality – I did nothing wrong. But you and Sidney will have a chance to get into all that at the debate.

Emma: Debate?

Regina: Yes, Miss Swan, there’s a debate. You two can talk about jail time and juvie records and maybe even your new association with Mr. Gold. He’s a snake, Miss Swan. You need to be careful who you get into bed with.

Emma: I’m not getting into bed with anyone. I’m just fighting fire with-

(Regina opens the door and an explosion is set off, setting the next room on fire. Emma and Regina are thrown back from the blast. Regina’s ankle is crushed by a piece of debris and is immobilized. Emma frees Regina.)

Emma: Alright, come on – let’s go! We got to get out of here.

Regina: I can’t move! You have to get me out. Help me!

–[Fairy Tale World]–

(Rumpelstiltskin and Baelfire are outside making what look to be torches using wool.)

Rumpelstiltskin: Keep that fire good and stoked, Bae. The sheep’s fat needs to be liquid and get that wool good and soaked.

Baelfire: Why are we doing this, Papa? This is good wool. We can spin and sell-

Rumpelstiltskin: These are our keys to the castle, son. And once I’m inside – something I have to take.

Baelfire: What do you need to take?

Rumpelstiltskin: That old beggar? He told me a fine tale – about the Duke and his magical dagger.

Baelfire: What does it do?

Rumpelstiltskin: If I own that dagger, I control the Dark One. If I kill the Dark One with the dagger, I take his powers.

Baelfire: By god’s name.

Rumpelstiltskin: Imagine me with those powers. Can you imagine me with those powers, Bae? I could get to redeem myself. I could turn it towards good. I’ll save all the children of the Frontlands – not just you, my boy.

Baelfire: I’d love to see that, but if the law says I’m to fight, I… I can fight.

Rumpelstiltskin: No, no, no! The law doesn’t want you to fight, son. The law wants you to die. That’s not battle – that’s sacrifice, son. You look at that red in the sky. That’s not the… The fires of the battlefields – that’s the blood of our people, son. It’s the blood of children. The blood of children like you. I mean, what sane person would want to get involved with that?

Baelfire: So, it’s true.

Rumpelstiltskin: What?

Baelfire: It’s true. It’s true you ran.

Rumpelstiltskin: I had no choice, son.

Baelfire: And Mother? Did she leave you like the knight said? You told me she was dead.

Rumpelstiltskin: She is dead.

Baelfire: So, what do we need to do?

Rumpelstiltskin: The Duke’s castle is made of stone, but the floors and the rafters are made of wood.

Baelfire: Why does that matter?

Rumpelstiltskin: Because wood burns.

–[Real World]–

(Regina and Emma are still in the burning Town Hall. Emma goes to leave, but Regina grabs her arm and stops her.)

Regina: You’re going to leave me, aren’t you?

(Emma breaks free of Regina’s grasp and leaves into the next room that’s on fire. Regina tries to get up on her own, but Emma comes back with a fire extinguisher. She gets the fire under control and clears the way to the exit. Regina puts her arm around Emma’s shoulder and the two leave the building. Outside, a reporter takes a picture of them leaving and sirens are heard in the background.)

Regina: Oh, ow, ow! My ankle! Set me down gently!

Emma: Seriously? You’re complaining about how I saved your life?

Regina: The firemen are here. It’s not like we were really in danger.

Emma: Fine. Next time I’ll just… I’ll just… Ah, you know what? Next time, I’ll do the same thing. And the time after that because that is what decent human beings do. That’s what good people do.

(Emma walks away from Regina. By the fire truck, Henry is talking with a firefighter.)

Henry: Did Emma really rescue my mom?

(Regina is on a stretcher with an oxygen mask. She overhears Henry and throws off the mask in anger.)

Regina: Enough!

Paramedic: Regina.

Regina: I’m fine.

(Sidney runs up to Regina with a camera and takes a picture.)

Sidney: Nice shot of the victim?

Regina: Sidney? What the hell are you doing? Are you trying to hand this election to her?

Sidney: But it’s news.

Regina: She’s the competition, you fool.

(Emma and various people from town are talking in a group.)

MMB: Did you really rescue Regina?

Henry: She did! The fireman said it. They saw it.

Ruby: You are a hero.

MMB: We should see if they have a picture of the rescue.

Granny: We could make campaign posters.

Archie: Oh, people would love that! That’s a great idea. Wait, so…

(The group walks away, leaving Emma and Henry alone.)

Emma: This is how good wins. You do something good and people see it, and then they want to help you.

Henry: Maybe you’re right.

Emma: You see, Henry? We don’t have to fight dirty.

(In the pile of debris, Emma notices the same fabric that Mr. Gold was preparing in his shop when she spoke with him.)

———–

(Mr. Gold is wiping off his hands with a rag when Emma enters the pawn shop. She has the fabric from the fire with her.)

Mr. Gold: Loads of visitors today. Do hope you’re not going to break my little bell.

Emma: You set the fire.

Mr. Gold: I’ve been right here, Miss Swan.

Emma: Take a whiff. It smells like your sheep crap oil. Turns out it’s flammable.

Mr. Gold: Oh. Are you sure? There’s some construction working on at City Hall at the moment. There’s loads of flammable solvents used in construction.

Emma: Why did you do it?

Mr. Gold: ‘If’ I did it. If I did it, that would be because you cannot win without something big. Something like, uh… Oh, I don’t know. Being the hero in a fire?

Emma: How could you even know I’d be there at the right time?

Mr. Gold: Maybe Regina’s not the only one with eyes and ears in this town. Or maybe…I’m just intuitive – were I involved.

Emma: I could’ve run and left her there.

Mr. Gold: Not the type.

Emma: I can’t go along with this.

Mr. Gold: You just did. This is just the price of election, Miss Swan.

Emma: A price I’m not willing to pay. Find another sucker.

Mr. Gold: Okay, go ahead – expose me. But if you do, just think about what you’ll be exposing and what you’ll be walking away from.

(Emma heads for the door.)

Mr. Gold: Oh, yes. And, um… Who you might be disappointing.

–[Fairy Tale World]–

(Rumpelstiltskin and Baelfire are at the base of the Duke’s castle. They set one of the torches they made on fire and place it in a pile of straw. The fire spreads up the castle walls, burning the parts made of wood. Inside, the ceiling and rafters are falling apart. Rumpelstiltskin enters a room with several large flags in the wall. He pulls one aside, revealing the dagger hanging behind it. Rumpelstiltskin takes the dagger and sees the name ‘Zoso’ written on it. He quickly leaves the burning room.)

–[Real World]–

(People are outside of the Town Hall. Above the entrance, there’s a banner that reads ‘Debate today – Sheriff’s election’. Mary Margaret is stapling posters promoting Emma on the bulletin board. She runs into David, who is also putting up posters.)

MMB: David! Hi.

David: Mary Margaret. Hi.

MMB: I was just, uh…

David: Yeah, yeah. Me too.

MMB: How are things?

David: Okay. Oh, I got a job. Yeah, I’m working at the animal shelter.

MMB: Really?

David: Yeah.

MMB: So. Sidney.

(She nods to the poster David is handing up.)

David: My wife is friends with Regina, so…

MMB: Oh, right. How is Kathryn?

David: Good. She’s meeting me here later.

MMB: That’s wonderful. Well, I’m all out of posters. I’m going to go get some more.

———–

(Behind the scenes, Sidney is getting ready for the debate. Archie is there practicing his opening speech.)

Archie: Citizens of Storybrooke. Uh, we welcome you to, uh… Welcome, citizens of Storybrooke, uh… Uh, we welcome you, citizens of Storybrooke. Welcome, uh…

(Emma is waiting at the podium. Mary Margaret comes up to her and hands her a piece of paper and a bottle of water.)

Emma: I’m not going to win.

MMB: What are you talking about? Everyone’s talking about what you did in the fire.

Emma: No, Henry’s right – I can’t beat Regina at this. Not the way she fights. Watch and see.

MMB: Is this really just about beating Regina.

Emma: It’s just…

MMB: Henry.

Emma: I want to show him that good can actually win.

MMB: That’s why you want to win it for him, but why do you want to win the election for yourself?

Emma: That is why. I want to show him that a hero can win. And if I’m not… If I’m not a hero and I’m not the saviour, then what part do I have in his life? Okay. There it is.

MMB: There it is.

–[Fairy Tale World]–

(Baelfire is sitting behind a tree in the forest when Rumpelstiltskin returns from the castle.)

Baelfire: Papa!

Rumpelstiltskin: Oh, Bae.

Baelfire: I was so worried for you. Are… Are you burned? The castle-

Rumpelstiltskin: I’m fine, son. I’m fine. I need you to go home and wait for me there.

Baelfire: Come with me – please. I have a bad feeling.

Rumpelstiltskin: Bae, this is something I have to do on my own. Go home, son! Go home and wait for me, Bae. I’ll be back. You go.

(Baelfire leaves. Once he is gone, Rumpelstiltskin pulls out the dagger. He holds it up in the air and chants the name.)

Rumpelstiltskin: Zoso. Zoso. I summon thee!

(Nothing appears to happen and Rumpelstiltskin lowers the dagger. When he turns around, he comes face to face with the Dark One. He stumbles backwards.)

Zoso: You were asking for me?

Rumpelstiltskin: Submit, O Dark One! I control you!

Zoso: Yes, you do. Wield the power wisely. You can wield at any time now. It’s almost dawn. That means it’s your son’s birthday. I bet Hordor and his men are already on their way to your house.

Rumpelstiltskin: No, they can’t take him.

Zoso: You don’t control them – you control me. Have you ever wondered – was he really your child at all? Unlike you, he’s not a coward and yearns to fight and die in glory.

Rumpelstiltskin: No…

Zoso: What a poor bargain that would be – to lay down your soul to save your bastard son. So, I ask you – what would you have me do?

Rumpelstiltskin: Die.

(Rumpelstiltskin stabs the Dark One with the dagger. They fall to the ground and the Dark One’s face morphs into the face of the beggar. He laughs.)

Rumpelstiltskin: It’s you. You’re the beggar.

Zoso: Looks like you made a deal you didn’t understand. I don’t think you’re going to do that again.

Rumpelstiltskin: You told me to kill you.

Zoso: My life was such a burden. You’ll see. Magic always comes with a price and now, it’s yours to pay.

Rumpelstiltskin: Why me? Why me?

Zoso: I know how to recognize a desperate soul.

(The Dark One stops talking and appears to be dead.)

Rumpelstiltskin: No! No! Stay! You have to tell me what to do! Tell me what to do!

(Rumpelstiltskin’s hand begins to change colour. He pulls out the dagger and sees that the name has changed to ‘Rumplestiltskin’(sic).)

–[Real World]–

(Archie is giving his opening speech to the audience. Emma and Sidney are sitting on either side of him.)

Archie: Tragedy has brought us here, but we are faced with this decision. And now, we ask only that you listen with an open mind and to please vote your conscience. So, without further ado, I’d like to introduce you to the candidates – Sidney Glass and Emma Swan. Glass. Swan. Sounds like something that a decorator would make you buy. Wow, crickets. Okay, uh… Uh, Mr. Glass – your opening statement.

(Sidney walks up to the podium.)

Sidney: I just want to say, that if elected, I want to serve as a reflection of the best qualities of Storybrooke. Honesty, neighbourliness, and strength. Thank you.

(Sidney sits back down and Archie calls upon Emma.)

Archie: And Emma Swan.

(Emma walks up to the podium.)

Emma: You guys all know I have what they call a, uh… Troubled past. But, you’ve been able to overlook it because of the, um… Hero thing. But here’s the thing – the fire was a setup. Mr. Gold agreed to support me in this race, but I didn’t know that that meant he was going to set a fire. I don’t have definitive evidence, but I’m sure. And the worst part of all this was – the worst part of all this is – I let you all think it was real. And I can’t win that way. I’m sorry.

(Mr. Gold gets up from the audience and leaves.)

———–

(Emma is finishing off a drink at Granny’s Dinner. Ruby is behind the counter.)

Ruby: Another?

Emma: Oh, hell yes.

(Ruby goes to get another drink and Henry enters the dinner. He sits next to Emma.)

Emma: Hey, Henry.

(He pulls a walkie talkie out of his book bag and hands it to Emma.)

Emma: What’s this for?

Henry: You stood up to Mr. Gold. It’s pretty amazing.

Emma: Well, he did something illegal.

Henry: That’s what heroes do – expose stuff like that. I shouldn’t have given up on Operation Cobra.

(Regina and Sidney enter the dinner.)

Regina: I thought I might find you here. With a drink. And my son.

Emma: Here to card me, officer?

Sidney: Well, not at all. In fact, I think I’ll join you.

Emma: Here? I don’t know. I think they’re setting up a back room for the victory party.

Sidney: Oh, well, you’ll have to tell me what that’s like.

Regina: Congratulations. …Sheriff Swan.

(Regina pulls out the Sheriff’s badge and places it on the counter.)

Henry: Wait, what?

(The people from Storybrooke start to file into the dinner.)

Regina: It was a very close vote, but people really seem to like the idea of a Sheriff brave enough to stand up to Mr. Gold.

Emma: Are you joking?

Sidney: She doesn’t joke.

Regina: You didn’t pick a great friend in Mr. Gold, Miss Swan, but he does make a superlative enemy. Enjoy that.

–[Fairy Tale World]–

(Hordor and the group of knights are at Rumpelstiltskin’s house. They have Baelfire.)

Hordor: Everyone’s watching from behind their curtains today.

(One of the guards suddenly falls to the ground. Rumpelstiltskin is shown behind him with the dagger. He no longer looks human. Hordor kneels.)

Hordor: Dark One.

(Rumpelstiltskin walks towards him.)

Hordor: No… Who are you?

Rumpelstiltskin: Have you forgotten me already? What was it you used to call me again? Spindleshanks? Hobblefoot.

Baelfire: Papa?

Hordor: Rumpelstiltskin.

Rumpelstiltskin: Wonderful. And now, you shall know me as the new Dark One. How about a little fealty? Kiss my boot.

(When Hordor bends over, Rumpelstiltskin grabs him, and then stabs him.)

Baelfire: No, Papa!

(Rumpelstiltskin kills the rest of the knights with the dagger.)

Baelfire: Papa? What has happened to you?

Rumpelstiltskin: You’re safe, Bae. Do you feel safe, son?

Baelfire: No. I’m frightened.

Rumpelstiltskin: I’m not. I protected what belongs to me and I’m not scared of anything.

–[Real World]–

(Emma is at the station. She enters the Sheriff’s office and notices a jacket hanging on the coat rack. Mr. Gold then walks in.)

Mr. Gold: The Sheriff’s jacket – I thought you might want it after all.

Emma: You do know I’m armed, right?

Mr. Gold: It’s all part of the act, my dear. Political theatre in an actual theatre. I knew no one was going to vote for you unless we gave you some kind of extraordinary quality, and I’m afraid saving old Regina’s arse from the fire just wasn’t going to do that. We had to give you a higher form of bravery. They had to see you defy me – and they did.

Emma: No way. There’s no way you planned that.

Mr. Gold: Everyone’s afraid of Regina, but they’re more afraid of me. By standing up to me, you won them over. It was the only way.

Emma: You knew I’d agree.

Mr. Gold: Oh, yeah. I know how to recognize a desperate soul.

Emma: Why did you do this?

Mr. Gold: We made a deal some time back, Miss Swan. We established that you owed me a favour. I know that can be a bad feeling – owing someone. Now that you’re Sheriff, I’m sure we’ll find some way for you to pay back what you owe me. Congratulations.

–[End]–