Hook's Daughter

Present

David, Regina, Belle, Robin, Rumpelstiltskin, and I run to the sheriff's office.
"Zelena," David says when we rush inside. "She's gone."
"No, she was here when I left her," Regina says, confused.
"But if she escaped, that would explain the time portal," says Belle.
"That would be impossible," I interject. "Without her pendant, she's powerless. Right? How could she have escaped, let alone open a time portal without magic?"
Regina looks pointedly at Rumpelstiltskin. "Unless you did something to her," she says to him.
"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint, but no," Rumpelstiltskin says. Regina gave him a disapproving glare. "Well, even if I wanted to," he continued. "Belle has my dagger. She would certainly curb any homicidal tendencies."
"It's true," Belle says.
"Well, if she escaped, let's find out how," David says.
"Wonderful," Gold says. He sounds disappointed to me.
The tape rewinds and David presses play on the TV. An image of a confined Zelena shows up for one second, and is then blurred out.
"What?" Regina says. "What-what was that? What just happened?"
"We could use an upgrade," David admits as he tries to get the picture to show up again. "Ah, stupid Betamax. Oh, here we go," David says as the image comes onto the screen again.
In the past, Zelena stands at the back wall of her cell, seems to sigh, and waves her hand over herself. As her hand meets her body, her body turns into a glass looking statue, and then shatters.
"Well, it seems her great escape was of a more permanent nature," Gold says. "I won't ask for an apology."
"She must have had just enough residual magic to do herself in," Regina says, ignoring him. "And when she did, when she was gone, the magic in her pendant had no tether. It was set free. Her last wish fulfilled."
"So, how do we unfulfill it?" Robin asks.
"Excellent question," Rumpelstiltskin says. "But until we figure it out, no one should go near it. A trip to the past could have catastrophic repercussions."
David tries to call Emma, but she does not pick up.
"Emma's not picking up," he tells us. "Let's go back to Granny's and fill in Mary Margaret. We can figure out a game plan there."
No one objects to his suggestion, so we all go back to Granny's. David continues to try and call Emma every few minutes, and he discusses with Mary Margaret and Regina a way to close the portal. Just as they look somewhat defeated, Henry yells,
"It's gone!"
Everyone inside of Granny's looks outside the window to see that, indeed, the light coming from the portal has stopped. Emma runs in as everyone looks relieved, and she hugs David tightly.
"Emma," he says. "You weren't answering your cell. We were worried."
"I'm fine," she says, smiling. "I'm home."
"Do you mean that you're not leaving?" Mary Margaret asks.
"No, I'm not going anywhere," Emma tells them.
"We're staying in Storybrooke?" Henry grins.
Emma hugs him and says, "Yeah kid. This is where we belong. This is where our family is." She looks to Mary Margaret and David. "Mom...dad, I missed you." They all hug.
"The portal," David begins to ask, but Emma is already explaining.
"Hook and I, we went through it," she says.
"You what?" I ask.
"We went back in time, to the Enchanted Forest. And we got back, with the help of Rumpelstiltskin..."
Emma told all about her and Hook's adventures in the past. How they had seen David and Mary Margaret fall in love. They messed up their meeting, but quickly fixed it with few hiccups. And how Rumpelstiltskin sent them back here through a portal.
"...Wait, you're Princess Leia?" Mary Margaret laughs as Emma shows her pictures newly printed in Henry's storybook.
"Nice alias," Henry laughs and hugs Emma.
"I was in a pinch," Emma admits, turning the page to a picture of her in a beautiful red ball gown, dancing with Hook.
"Well, there you go," David says. "You're officially one of us."
"A fairy-tale princess at last," Mary Margaret smiles.
"Yeah, and as my first princess-y request," Emma says. "I would like to know the name of the baby."
"Right, that," David says, putting his hands on Mary Margaret's shoulders. "Ready?" he asks her and she nods. David walks to the center of the room. "Excuse me," he gets everyone's attention. "If I could have everyone's attention just for a moment...this coronation ceremony is something we've looked forward to for a long time. The arrival of our new son has been the cause of great joy for our family. And we hope you can share in it as we name him for a hero. Someone who saved every one of us. Who we loved and he loved back."
"People of Storybrooke," Mary Margaret says. "It is our great joy to introduce you to our son...Prince Neal."
Everyone clapped at the name. I smiled. Emma holds out her finger and touches Neal's hand.
"It is so nice to meet you, Neal," she says, smiling.
I leave the diner and walk outside to see Hook sitting by himself at a table.
"How was the past?" I ask him, sitting down.
"Nothing I couldn't handle," he replies. "I think I prefer this time more, though. I don't have to worry about changing the future too much."
"Yeah? Did you see your past self?" I ask.
"Yes, I did. I punched him, actually," he says. We both laugh. "I saw you, too," he blurts out.
"When?" I ask.
"Right after you left. I saw you leaving the Jolly Roger. I almost stopped you."
"Why didn't you?" I ask.
"Because even though it took many, many years, I like where we are right now. And if I had to go through everything again, I would. I'm glad to finally have my daughter back."
"I'm glad to finally have my dad back," I reply.
He smiles, and I smile back. And the present seems like a good place to be.

New update every Sunday.