Chapter Text
“He… he saved us.” Neal said in shock.
Belle wailed in agony at the man she loved being killed before her eyes. But Baelfire understood nothing but his shock.
“Hey. Bae.” Hook put his hand on his shoulder and came up behind him.
Neal turned. A look of shock still on his face. “I…I don’t understand… what does this mean?”
Killian put his arms around his son. “It’s ok Bae. It means he cared about you.”
“But why?!?” He pushed his father back. “Why would he spend his whole life torturing me only to save me now?!? Why would he sacrifice himself for me after everything he’s done!?!”
“Because he loved you!” Belle cried from her knees. “He regretted everything he ever did to hurt you. And he only wanted for you to see that.”
“How would you know?” Neal asked callously. “You’re just a naive girl who fell in love with a monster.”
“And you’re the son of a monster.” She looked him in the eyes.
She saw his eyes flash orange as he stepped up to her.
“Bae don’t!” Hook tried to hold back his shoulder.
To the surprise of everyone, Belle threw her arms around him, and held him in a tight hug.
“I know you’re confused Baelfire. I know you have a lot of questions for him. But please believe me. He loved you. He was a flawed man, but he died a hero.”
Neal sank to his knees, her arms still around him. He thought of his mother’s embrace, and heard Belle’s words as if they were Milah’s.
“Regina?” Asked Emma.
“What?” Regina demanded tearfully.
“We’re here for a reason.” Emma said. “Pans curse.”
“He’s dead.” She whispered.
“They’re still the matter of his curse.” Emma pressed.
“Can you stop it? Or should we start preparing our souls? Because mine is going to take some time.” Hook couldn’t resist a final quip as he faced his doom.
“Yes. Yes.” She said.
“They said there was a price.” Neal stood and wiped his cheeks. “What’s the price. What do we have to do?”
“It’s not ours. It’s mine. What I felt when I touched the scroll. I have to say goodbye to thing I love the most.”
“Henry?” Emma held her son, fearful of what the Queen would say.
“I can never see you again.” She said to her son. “I have no choice. I have to undo what I started. The town will blink out of existence. Like it was never here. We will all go back to the Enchanted forest where we’re from and Henry will remain, because he was born here.”
“Alone?!?” Emma asked in alarm.
“No. You can stay. You’re the savior. You were born to break this curse and you can escape it.”
******
They stood at the town line as the ominous green cloud approached. Henry and Emma said goodbyes to everyone. Henry lingered on Regina.
“You’re not a villain. You’re my mom.” He hugged her.
Emma closed her eyes and looked away.
“Emma…” Hook stopped her. “I…”
“Please.” Tears rolled down her face. “I can’t take another goodbye.”
He smiled. “Not a day will go by that I won’t think of you.” He brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes.
“Good.” She smiled back with determination.
“There’s something I haven’t told you yet. Nothing will be left behind by this curse. Not even your memories.” Regina said.
“These last years? What will happen to us?” Emma looked desperately at her loved ones.
“I can do what I did to everyone else in this town, and give you new ones.”
“You cursed them and they were miserable.” Emma sighed.
“They didn’t have to be.” Regina shrugged. “My gift to you.” She took Emma’s hand. “Is good memories. A good life for you and Henry. You’ll have always been together. When you cross that line, you’ll have everything you’ve ever wanted.”
“But it won’t be real.” Emma breathed.
“Your past won’t. But your future will. Now go.”
They all watched as the yellow bug drove over the line. The green smoke turned purple and everyone was overtaken, watching the last visage of the Volkswagen as they felt the gut turning sensation of being thrown into another realm.