- Emma tries to save two children from foster care by trying to find their birth father, as flashbacks show the Evil Queen coercing Hansel and Gretel into stealing an important artifact from a blind witch.
- Feeling their pain from having lived through the same experience, Emma desperately tries to help two homeless children find their birth father before they're separated and put into the foster care system. Meanwhile, back in the fairytale world that was, the Evil Queen coerces Hansel and Gretel into stealing an important artifact from a blind witch.—ABC Publicity
- We open on Henry meeting Eva, a girl from his school, at a store where he was reading a comic book. She introduces Henry to her brother Nicholas and they set off to hang out together. Before they leave the store, the store owner stops them and finds stolen stuff in Henry's bag. He's disappointed in the young boy, and asks the siblings, "Who do you think you are?" They say nothing.
Back in Fairy Tale Land, we see the fairy-tale version of Eva with her father (guest star Nicholas Lea), who cut down a tree to provide firewood. The father sends the girl and her brother off to collect kindling. Before they leave, he places his compass around his daughter's neck so she won't get lost. Out in the woods, we learn (as if we didn't already know) that the siblings are Hansel & Gretel. When they return to where they left their dad, he's gone. Soon enough, the Evil Queen confronts them and asks what they're doing in her forest.
Back in Storybrooke, the store owner tells Regina that Henry was shoplifting, but she says he doesn't eat candy and "knows better than to steal." Regina takes Henry and Emma shows up. She learns that their phone was disconnected because their parents couldn't pay the bill. Emma notices that among they items they were stealing was a tube of toothpaste. Eva asks Emma not to arrest them because it will just make things worse for their parents.
Back in Fairy Tale Land, Gretel begs the Queen's forgiveness because they've just lost their father. The Queen tells her guards to seize them. The siblings try to escape, but the Queen wraps them up with vines from the forest floor and tells them that trying to escape from her was foolish "but brave." She says their bravery might have saved their lives. She says she's going to find their father because they are gong to do something for her.
In Storybrooke, Emma drives the siblings home and Eva doesn't want Emma to come inside. Eva tells Emma their parents will be embarrassed if she comes in. Emma drops them off and leaves, and Eva and Nicholas then run off to their real house, a boarded-up place. Emma sneaks up on them and asks why they lied to her. She asks where their parents are and Eva responds, "We don't have any."
Emma talks to Mary Margaret about the kids, and admits that she hasn't reported the case to Social Services yet. Emma doesn't want to report them because of her own bad experiences in "the system." Their mother, Dory Zimmer, died a few years ago. Emma. says their father's whereabouts are unknown. Emma wants to look for their father. Eva begs Emma not to let them be separated.
Emma goes to find Dory Zimmer's death certificate and discovers they've been removed. She next meets with Regina, who says she's already called Social Services. There's a boys' home and a girls' home in Boston that's expecting them that night. Emma is stunned.
Back in Fairy Tale Land, Hansel and Gretel are following the Queen to the home of the blind witch. The Queen says she needs them to gets something back from the blind witch. The house its protected by magic, so she can't enter it herself. Children are protected from the spell. The Queen promises she'll find their father if they do this for her. She warns them the witch's house is "unique." She tells them that no matter how they're tempted, "Don't eat anything." She then moves some tree branches to reveal a magical gingerbread house.
Henry comes to Emma and says the siblings are Hansel & Gretel. He tells Emma that their father must be in Storybrooke, because no one else comes or goes. Henry suddenly asks Emma about his own father. She tells him she was "pretty young" and working in a diner off the interstate. She says Henry's dad was training to be a firefighter and came to the diner late a lot of nights. They spent a lot of time together, then his life got better and her life got worse. She went to jail, and when she got out she learned that Henry's father died saving a family from a fire. She tells Henry his father was a real hero. Henry asks if she has any pictures of him, and she says she doesn't. But then she leaves to see if Eva or Nicholas have anything they've hung onto from their father. Emma shows them a blanket made by her mother that she's kept with her throughout the years. Eva says she might have something. She hands over a compass. Eva says their mom kept it, saying it was their father's.
In Fairy Tale Land, Hansel & Gretel enter the blind witch's house, which is made of candy and has tones of sweets inside. The witch (guest star Emma Caulfield) is sleeping and the satchel the Queen wanted them to steal is hanging near her. Gretel goes to get the satchel and Hansel picks up a delicious-looking cupcake. Hansel takes a bite and the witch wakes up. The kids try to escape, but all the doors and windows slam shut. The witch exclaims, "I smell dinner!"
Emma pays a visit to Mr. Gold and shows him the compass, to see if he knows where it could have come from. It's crystal, he says, and it's an unusual piece. He says it was bought at his store. He checks his records and finds a card and asks "forgiveness" in exchange for the information on the buyer. She proposes "tolerance" instead, and Mr. Gold says that's a start. He tells her it was bought by a Michael Tillman. Emma leaves, and we see the card Mr. Gold was reading from was blank.
Emma finds Michael and he says it's "not possible," and that Dory was "a one-time thing." She tells him about the twins and that they're about to be shipped off to Boston. He doubts they're even his, but Emma shows him the compass. He says he lost it, and Emma guesses it was "12 years and 9 months ago." Emma gives Michael a passionate speech about how he'll have to answer to his children someday if he refuses to connect with them. He apologizes and tells her he doesn't know anything about being a dad.
Emma tells Mary Margaret that their father doesn't want the kids. Mary Margaret suggests Emma tell them the truth -- the way Emma did with Henry about his father. Emma admits she didn't tell Henry the truth -- "Henry's father was no hero, and trust me he doesn't have to know the real story." Regina walks up and tells Emma she's supposed to be on the interstate headed to Boston with the kids.
Back in the blind witch's house, Hansel & Gretel are trapped and she's preparing to roast them. With some quick thinking, and a bit of luck, Hansel and Gretel turn the tables on the witch, pushing her into the oven and escaping from the house while she screams for someone to let her out.
Hansel & Gretel return to the Evil Queen with the satchel, and Gretel hands it to her. She opens it and pulls out a beautiful, red apple. She explains to Hansel that it's not just an apple, "it's a weapon -- a weapon for a very particular and devious enemy, one who's still under the illusion that she's safe." Gretel asks the Queen to keep her promise and find their father. The Queen tells them they deserve more than a father who'll abandon them in the forest. She decides to reward them by having them live with her in the castle. Gretel instead demands that they get their father back. She says they wouldn't want to live with anyone as terrible as her, vowing to find their father with or without the Queen's help. "We'll see about that," the Queen says, sending up a swirl of purple dust around them.
In Storybrooke, Emma packs Eva and Nicholas into her car and prepares to head out for Boston. Henry warns her they can't leave Storybrooke because something bad will happen. Emma says, "Something bad has already happened," and drives off.
Heading out of town, Emma's car engine stalls and she calls for help.
In Fairy Tale Land, The Evil Queen sees in her mirror that Snow White is walking around with a group of dwarves and asks herself, "When did that happen?" Hansel & Gretel's father is brought to her. She tells him they're gone and she's told them he abandoned them. She wants to know why her children would have refused having everything they wanted from her, and he tells her it's because they're a family, and "family always finds one another." The Queen tells her guards to release him, and says they can all be together -- as soon as they all find one another. Hansel & Gretel wake up in the forest and realize the Queen has let them go.
In Storybrooke, Emma and the twins wait for help, and as a tow truck approaches, Eva sees that her compass is spinning. Michael shows up and sees the kids are in the car. At this point, he knows Emma's car is fine. She tells Michael that she was scared of coming to Storybrooke for Henry, too, and now she says she couldn't go back after having met him and gotten to know him. Michael asks Emma if she's taking them to Boston. She says she doesn't have to, and he tells her not to. Michael goes to the car to see them.
Emma gets home and tells Mary Margaret that the twins' dad showed up and changed his mind. This leads to a particularly insightful conversation in which Emma wonders what it'd be like to discover her parents. Mary Margaret tells her she might find out, but Emma thinks not looking is her best approach. Then Emma suddenly tells Mary Margaret about Henry's theory, that Emma was wrapped up in this blanket and placed in a magical wardrobe and sent to Storybrooke to save her from the destruction of Fairy Tale Land by her parents -- one of which is Mary Margaret. They both laugh and Mary Margaret says she thinks she'd remember having had a child. "You do kind of have my chin," Mary Margaret jokes. As Emma's leaving, she spots Emma's blanket and remarks on how pretty it is. Emma says thanks, and leaves. Mary Margaret holds the blanket close and smells it.
Emma finds Henry and is about to tell him the truth about his father -- then decides to continue the lie, saying she's glad she told him. Suddenly a man drives up on a motorcycle. He asks them if this is Storybrooke and whether they know of a place to stay. Emma suggests an inn up the road and after the man rides off, she reminds Henry that he said strangers don't come to Storybrooke
"They don't," he says.
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