From 5.07 "Nimue", in Freya's basement, Freya walked toward the rock with Excalibur and her dagger in either of her hands, placing the dagger on the rock, looking at the sword.

Freya/Priscilla: (voice over) "Previously on Worlds Colliding (Once Upon a Time)."

Freya took out the ember of Prometheus, using her magic to ignite it in the air, making a bigger ball of flame with her hands, crushing it in her hands to make a powerful flame in the air, picking up the sword and blade, putting it into the flames to reunite Excalibur into one blade.

Lisa: (voice over from 5.07 Nimue) "There is a way to make Excalibur whole again."

Rose: (voice over from 5.07 Nimue) "A spark from mankind's original fire, the Flame of Prometheus. Its heat forged Excalibur, and that's what we'll need to put it back together."

From 5.07 "Nimue", at the round table, Zelena cast the spell on Excalibur. Merlin and Cyrus's names appeared on the blade of the sword.

Zelena: (voice over from 5.07 Nimue) "Quite an ingenious recipe for a tethering potion. It can control the world's greatest wizards."

Arthur held the sword, shouting. "Merlin! Cyrus!" Merlin and Cyrus were forced to appear. "How kind of you to come when called."

From 5.03 "Siege Perilous", at the Round Table, Guinevere looked at Arthur. "You lied to them. To David, Mathias and Derek."

"And it brought me no pleasure," Arthur told her. "They're good men, but I must think of my kingdom first."

ღღ

Day One

Storybrooke

Night - Woods

Emma, Ella, David and Mathias went to confront Arthur.

"That's Arthur's tent," David told them. "Mathias and I'll go in first. Emma, Ella, you two stand guard."

"And if our dishonest king should put up a fight?" Ella asked.

"We'll make him wish he hadn't," Emma answered.

David and Mathias walked into the tent.

"Arthur," Mathias told him.

"David, Mathias, good to see you, my friends," Arthur told them. "Come, sit, join us."

"Why don't you explain why you lied to us?" Mathias asked. "Why you tried to burn the Crimson Crown."

Arthur sighed. "So you found me out."

"Yeah, we found out, friend," David answered, calling him friend sarcastically.

"Now, that part was real," Arthur told them.

Mathias shook his head. "Ah, it doesn't matter. Not anymore. But we want answers."

"See, we helped Cyrus communicate with his father," David explained. "The message said there was only one person who could destroy the Dark One, named Nimue, who turns out to be Cyrus's mother. Now, Regina, Alcina, Cyrus, Rose, Henry, Axel, Grace, Lisa, Blake, Faye, Saphira and Tori are trying to figure out what Merlin meant by that."

"And you're going to tell us what you know about everything else," Mathias told him.

Arthur pushed over the table and bed to distract them, running out of the back of the tent.

David yelled out for his daughters to hear. "He's getting away!"

ღ

Woods

Emma and Ella were trying to chase Arthur but lost sight of him. Mathias went to Dragon form to try to find Arthur, but it was too dark to see through the thick woods at night.

By the road at the far end of the woods, Jefferson caught Arthur, slamming him down. "Somehow I knew you would come out this way. Kinda like magic."

Arthur tackled Jefferson back, making him drop his sword. "Look at that. Seems you brought nothing to a sword fight."

"Actually, I brought a sword, but I seem to have misplaced it," Jefferson told him sarcastically.

Arthur chuckled. "Shame. It's always the simple mistakes that get us killed." He went to stab Jefferson with the sword. Freya appeared, using Excalibur to block the move of the sword, making Jefferson and Arthur look at her in surprise, also making Arthur drop the sword. "Excalibur. It's whole."

Freya smirked, pointing the sword at Arthur's throat angrily. "Yes, it is. But it's not going to help you. This sword doesn't control anyone now."

Freya used magic to throw Arthur against a tree hard with a wave of her arm, making him fall unconscious.

Jefferson sighed in relief, standing. "I suppose I should say thank you."

Freya turned to face him, giving him an amused look. "You don't need to say anything. Just don't do that again."

"This is the first time I've seen you since you kidnapped Gold and sent Merida after Belle, Freya," Jefferson told her. "You were punishing your father for what he's done to me, your husband, by going after his wife. You may have lost your mind, you may be the Dark One, but you're more than that. You're still you. You saved me. That was Cilla."

"What do you want from me?" Freya asked. "To apologize for what I did to my father and Belle? Do you know it's taken this long to get a real apology from Papa?"

"I don't give a damn if you apologize to your father or not, Freya," Jefferson answered. "I haven't even forgiven Gold, so of course you wouldn't have. To be honest, Gold deserved it, Belle..." Freya had a brief flash of guilt on her face, looking down. "Not so much. But she was caught up in it because she chose to blame you for something he did. I don't blame you, Cilla. I just want to help you, and I need your help to do it. Why did Merlin tell Cyrus that Nimue, his mother, can defeat the darkness?"

"Nimue doesn't matter anymore," Freya told him. "This will all be over tomorrow."

"What will be over?" Jefferson asked. "And why do you need that damned sword?" They both seemed to be in mental pain, but fighting it, as they were both getting worse. Even though they were both becoming worse, Jefferson managed a chuckle of amusement. "Ah. All this power and we still can't get rid of the damn madness or darkness." Freya pursed her lips, thinking that what he said was ironic, turning to go. Jefferson was losing control of madness, his voice raising without him realizing. "Why do you need Excalibur? I know you're still in there, Cilla, and I know that despite everything, you always have your reasons!"

Freya stopped, her voice also raised without her meaning to. "You're right, I do!" She took a deep breath to calm down, turning to face him, speaking softly. "You want to know why I'm doing all of this? I'm doing it for you."

Jefferson looked at her in confusion. Freya disappeared in a whirl of black smoke.

ღ Worlds Colliding (Once Upon a Time) ღ

Three Weeks Ago

Camelot

Day - Granny's Diner - Outside

Freya, Lisa, Rose, Grace and Blake returned to see Henry and Axel waiting for them.

"Hey," Axel told them. "Did you do it? Did you find the spark of..."

"Prometheus," Grace finished. "Yes. Now we can use it to fix Excalibur."

"Finally some good news," Axel told them.

"That's great, guys," Henry told them. "Let's get that darkness out of you, Aunt Freya."

Lisa nodded in agreement. "Yes. Let's. Where's the sword?"

"We don't know," Henry told them. "No one's come back with it."

"Really?" Rose asked. "They should've been back hours ago. Have you seen Cyrus and Merlin?"

"We thought they were with you," Axel told them.

"They were," Blake answered. "But then they vanished. Something's wrong."

"I don't think we're safe here anymore," Freya told them. "Granny, let's close up shop."

Granny nodded. "One step ahead of you. Henry, Axel, lock the front and back."

Granny tossed keys to Henry and Axel, but the three of them were frozen by magic.

"Henry?" Grace asked. "Axel?"

Merlin and Cyrus had appeared.

"They'll be fine once we're done," Cyrus told them. "Sorry for the theatrics. It's not usually our style, but... we had to follow orders."

"Orders?" Rose repeated. "Who's orders?"

"Arthur's," Merlin answered. "Our wayward pupil has done something we did not foresee. He's tethered me and Cyrus to Excalibur. Arthur has ordered us to re-forge Excalibur into a whole sword, which means we will need Freya's dagger and the Promethean Flame."

Lisa was protective of Freya being in harm's way. "No."

"Then he will order me and Cyrus to kill your friends and family, and as much as we hate it, we will obey him," Merlin explained.

"Arthur has our friends and family?" Lisa asked worriedly.

"Yes," Cyrus answered. "Because of us. I'm sorry. He wants to make a trade in the heart of the Caledonian Forest in one hour. Their lives for the dagger and the flame."

"That's not enough time," Blake told them. "This isn't even a flame yet."

"We've seen the strength in you, Freya," Cyrus told her. "When you're ready to light the spark, it will burn, and Arthur will have what he wants. The sword will be whole once again."

"So, we're just supposed to give up without a fight?" Rose asked.

Merlin sighed. "Acceptance is a form of strength. I know the darkness lives in you, Freya, and I know Tori, Saphira, Mathias, Alcina, Lisa, Rose, Grace and Blake want to save you and Jefferson from it, but I beg all of you, please. Do not seek vengeance. Do not make the same mistakes as Nimue."

ღ

Now

Storybrooke

Night - Sheriff's Station

Arthur was in a cell. The others were there, except for the teens.

"What the hell happened back in Camelot?" Saphira asked.

"I wish I knew," Arthur told them. "The insane demon witch took my memory, same as yours."

For what he called Freya, Jefferson angrily, threateningly grabbed Arthur by the collar, pulling his face against the bars to hurt him.

Alcina pulled him back. "Jefferson. It's okay."

Tori looked at Arthur. "You say you don't remember anything. Then why destroy Cyrus's attempt to get Merlin's message? What aren't you bloody telling us?"

Jefferson turned to the cell again like he would do something to make Arthur talk.

Killian stopped Jefferson before he did something. "That's enough! He doesn't know anything. He's a king with no kingdom. As much as he hates it, he's not important anymore."

Alcina gave Jefferson a look. "Feel any better?"

Jefferson sighed. "I'll feel better when I have some answers. Freya said this whole thing was about me."

Regina chuckled. "Is the madness getting so bad that you actually believed that? She's manipulating you. That's what the Dark One does."

Jefferson shook his head. "No, this was Cilla talking."

"There may not be any Freya," Snow told him. "Not anymore."

Jefferson and Alcina looked at her incredulously.

"Snow, this is your best friend we're talking about here," Alcina told her. "My sister. You really have that little faith in her?"

"She's right," Emma told them. "The Dark One? She has Excalibur, and she is going to destroy all light magic."

"Freya," Jefferson corrected.

"And, that's what you think it's about?" Alcina asked. "A sword she hasn't actually used?"

"Well, obviously, she needs another ingredient to cast the spell," Ella told them. "So, we figure out what that is and stop her from getting it. And we get our Freya back."

"Look, we said it before," Saphira told them. "We'll say it again. Whatever happened with Freya back in Camelot, she would never do anything to hurt Lisa. And destroying all light magic could possibly kill her since she is the Light Bringer."

"Freya is not that far gone," Tori told them. "She's obviously up to something. But she wouldn't do this to her."

"They're right," Mathias told them.

Alcina looked at the three Matthews. "Thank you." She looked at the Charmings, Regina and Killian in annoyance. "At least they still believe in Freya even at her darkest."

Regina sighed. "Ally..."

"You can all look at magic spells till you're blue in the face," Jefferson told them. "But something happened between me and Cilla in Camelot. The only way to help her is to find out what the hell it was."

ღ

Granny's Diner

Axel and Blake were in a booth.

Axel was looking at the cake in front of them. "So what did you say this was?"

"It's triple chocolate ice cream cake with oreos and sprinkles," Blake answered, eating his cake.

"Got it," Axel told him.

"Go on, taste it," Blake told him.

Axel looked around. "I thought we were waiting for Henry and Cyrus."

"We are, but I'm bored, so come on, Axel," Blake told him.

Axel sighed. "Okay." He ate some, amazed, in shock. "This is amazing. There are so many flavors."

Blake smirked. "I know, right? It's the best."

Cyrus and Henry ran inside.

"Are we too late?" Henry asked. "Did we miss it?"

Blake pointed at Axel. "I'm afraid so."

Axel didn't say anything, too busy eating his cake.

Cyrus sighed, sitting down. "Damn."

"Too bad," Henry told them.

"Yeah, but don't worry, we still have a lot of stuff to educate Jacob over there," Blake told them.

Cyrus was uncomfortable.

"What's wrong?" Henry asked.

Cyrus sighed. "I just keep thinking, why did my father say that my mother was the key to defeating the darkness when she was the first Dark One? Or maybe he just said that to throw someone off, because right at the end of the message, he said the Dark One found him." Henry and Blake looked down sadly. "Plus, my back just hurts, and I don't know what you people heard, but after being in a stone for centuries, sleeping in a bed in camp is not very comfortable."

Axel nodded. "Yeah, tell me about it. Those beds are hard as rocks."

Blake looked at them, smirking as if getting an idea.

Faye appeared in a cloud of green/blue smoke. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the mischief circle."

"Mischief circle?" Henry repeated.

"Yeah," Faye answered. "You're all besties and always hang out, so I decided to call you the mischief circle, because all of you are always getting into trouble or causing, you know, mischief. Duh."

"Really, lollipop?" Blake asked.

Faye smiled sarcastically. "Let's go. There is a problem, and as always, they need us."

"But I'm not done with my cake," Axel told them.

"You can eat it later," Cyrus told him.

Faye, Cyrus and Axel stood, leaving the diner. Blake grabbed Henry by the arm.

"What?" Henry asked.

"I have an idea and I need your help," Blake answered.

"Is it gonna get us in trouble?" Henry asked.

"Yep," Blake answered.

"Do I have a choice?" Henry asked.

Blake smirked. "Nope."

Henry sighed. "All right, let's do it."

ღ

Gold's Pawnshop

Jefferson, Grace, Lisa, Alcina, Tori, Saphira and Mathias walked in to talk to Belle and Gold.

"Rumple, we need to talk," Lisa told him.

"Didn't you hear?" Gold asked. "I'm not that man anymore. Belle, you can, uh..."

Belle lowered a crossbow she had pointed at them. "Yeah. Sorry, I thought you might be Freya."

"It's a good thing we're not," Grace told her. "A crossbow wouldn't do you much good."

"Well, best we could manage," Gold replied. "I did have some squid ink set aside for a rainy day, but, uh, unfortunately, she found it."

"Dark Ones are clever like that," Saphira told him. "Clever enough to make everyone believe that they've really changed."

"We need to know what's going on inside Freya's head now," Alcina told him. "She said she's doing all this because of Jefferson."

"This isn't about what what he did," Gold told them. "It's about what's happening to both of them."

"You're sure of that?" Tori asked.

Gold nodded. "I've been around both Freya and Jefferson since all of this started, and they've completely changed. I'm sure you're all well aware of that. Cilla is worse than ever right now. I saw it when she had me. She was fighting off darkness and madness and taking it out on me because of what I did that brought her to that point, and I think I know why. She was seeing a version of me inside her head that was driving her to do these things. What have you been seeing, Jefferson?"

"I've been fighting off demons inside my head for all of my life," Jefferson told them. "Cilla's been fighting them off ever since she took some of the madness into her. With the darkness, there's too much more."

"Then figure out what you're both seeing," Tori told him.

"Maybe you can help her fight it," Saphira told him. "Maybe you can bring her back."

"And how does he do that?" Lisa asked. "We've been looking all over for her. She doesn't want to be found."

Mathias sighed. "Then you have to give her a reason to find you, Jefferson."

ღღ

Street

Jefferson walked alone, calling out. "Cilla! What happened back there? What the hell is happening to us now?"

ღ

Three Weeks Ago

Camelot

Day - Woods

Freya was trying to light the ember, but she couldn't.

Rumplestiltskin appeared, making her jump. "I wouldn't light that if I were you, which as a matter of fact, I am. If Arthur uses that to forge Excalibur, he will kill you, and that's bad news for those of us in your head."

"I don't have a choice," Freya told him. "I need to ignite this spark to save my family and friends. I can't risk their lives." She sighed. "What the hell's wrong with this?"

"Wrong with it, or wrong with you?" Rumplestiltskin asked, sitting beside Freya. "Merlin and Cyrus said you can only light that when you're ready to let go of the darkness, so perhaps, you're not."

Freya glared at him. "You're wrong."

"Well, then prove it then, dearie," Rumplestiltskin told her. "Light the flame. Go on, do it. Just do it." He yelled in Freya's face. "Just--just light it!"

Freya held her head in pain from all the voices and everything else. "I'm trying!"

Rose walked closer. "Hey."

Freya stood worriedly. "Rose. You weren't supposed to see that."

"What were you trying to do?" Rose asked.

"Get this flame lit," Freya answered.

"Well, what do the voices say?" Rose asked.

"That I can't do it because I don't want to give up the darkness," Freya answered. "Maybe it's right. I don't want to give up the darkness. Not yet."

"What?" Rose asked.

Freya sighed worriedly. "I need to use it one last time."

ღ

Woods

Freya, Lisa, Rose, Grace and Blake went to save everyone else from Arthur and Zelena. Everyone was tied or chained to trees, except for Faye. The ones with magic couldn't use magic to get free because of Merlin and Cyrus being under Arthur's control and they were strong enough to make sure no one could use their magic or change from.

"We brought the dagger and the flame," Grace told them. "But you don't get it until you free them."

Arthur shook his head. "No, you will hand it over now, or I unleash Cyrus and Merlin."

"Please," Merlin told them. "We don't want to fight you."

Zelena approached. "No, but I do. So, now that mommy's got her magic back, tell me, Faye, who should I kill first?"

Faye glared at Zelena but couldn't use her powers or change form.

ღ

Now

Storybrooke

Night - Sorcerer's Mansion

Blake, Axel, Henry and Cyrus arrived at the mansion.

"What are we doing here?" Cyrus asked.

"Yeah, and what is this place?" Axel asked.

"This is the Sorcerer's mansion," Henry answered.

Cyrus looked at them. "Wait, the Sorcerer, as in my father?"

"Yep," Henry answered. "It got here with the last Curse, but since you and your father weren't here, nobody uses it."

Blake tossed keys to Cyrus. "Until now."

"What's this for?" Axel asked.

"The keys of the mansion, of course," Blake answered.

"Wait, you're giving us this mansion?" Cyrus asked.

"Oh, we're not giving you anything," Henry answered. "It's yours. And since you said yourself you need a better place to live than that camp, and so does Axel. So we made the mansion ready, making the keys for Axel to have an extra pair, and its yours now."

"So you got Cyrus a mansion?" Axel asked.

"Actually, they got us this place," Cyrus answered. "It's really big, and being here alone is not something I want, so what do you say, Axel? Would you like to move in?"

Axel looked around in awe, smiling, nodding. "Okay, fine. I want a big room."

"Of course," Cyrus told him. "But that's not all, Axel."

"What do you mean?" Blake asked.

"You made it ready for me and Axel, so now that we are living in it, and like you said, it's my father's, and I own it, so by definition, I can change it," Cyrus told them.

"Change it how?" Henry asked.

"It's no longer the Sorcerer's mansion, it's our own group mansion," Cyrus answered. "Henry, Blake, you both could have a room here now, for whatever you want, just like Axel."

"Seriously?" Henry asked.

"Yep," Cyrus answered.

"All right then, but it needs a cooler name," Blake told them.

Axel chuckled. "Yeah."

"How about the Circle Mansion?" Blake asked.

"Wait, circle, like what Faye called us earlier?" Henry asked.

"No, Faye called us the circle of mischief, and she's the only one who can call us that now," Blake corrected. "So for everyone else, and for each other, we're the circle, and this is the Circle Mansion."

Cyrus waved his hand on the keys, making two more appear, sending them to Henry and Blake.

"Perfect," Blake told him.

Henry smiled. "Yay."

"One more thing," Blake told them, waving his hand, making four couches appear in the room with four different designs.

"Seriously?" Axel asked, amused, going to his chair that had a wolf symbol on it, sitting down.

Cyrus went to his chair, that had a wand on it because of him being a wizard. Henry walked over to his chair, seeing that the symbol on it was the Author's quill.

Blake walked over to his pure black chair that had snow flakes on it to memorialize his mother, and the yin and yang symbol to memorialize the necklace his father left for him. "Well, if this is our mansion, I would like something that represents us, obviously."

Cyrus smirked. "I like it."

Henry smiled. "Me, too."

Axel chuckled. "Let's do it."

Henry looked at Blake. "It is so weird to hear someone other than Tori, Saphira and Mathias say that."

Blake chuckled, nodding in agreement, putting out his hand. The other three put their hands on top. "One, two, three. Circle."

They put their hands up.

ღ

Mills House - Living Room

Robin was sitting with Roland, reading him a bedtime story, as Alcina was nearby, watching. "And then the witch opened the oven, stoked the flames, ready to put Gretel inside."

Alcina felt a kick, holding her belly. "Oh, felt that one. You must be as excited for the blind witch to get what she deserves as much as your mother."

Robin chuckled, standing, walking closer. "It's quite all right, Alcina. I'm sure that your nerves about what is going on with Freya and Jefferson are just putting you under too much stress."

Alcina sighed. "Right, and doesn't help that we both know I'm due to give birth any day now."

Robin nodded in agreement. Alcina held her side in pain.

Robin held her steady, worried and concerned. "Alcina? Okay, steady on. I think 'any day' is today. Let's get you to the hospital."

Alcina nodded in agreement, breathing heavily.

ღ

Outside

Freya was outside the house, seeing Robin drive Alcina off to the hospital, knowing she was going into labor naturally, and knowing she could now do a spell, not to Alcina, but to Faye now.

ღ

Street

The four Matthews were walking with Derek.

Faye had to stop due to Freya's spell, holding her stomach in pain. "Wait. Something's wrong. Something's wrong!"

They turned to her worriedly. "Faye? Faye!"

"What's wrong?" Derek asked. "What's happening?"

Regina ran up to them. "Matthews. Derek. We should get to the hospital now. Alcina's going into labor."

"Aunt Ally's not the only one, Aunt Gina," Faye told her. Everyone watched in shock as Faye's stomach was growing faster as her baby's age and growth was accelerated. "Well, don't just stare! Help me!"

"How--how has this happened?" Derek asked. "You're only two months pregnant."

"Well, how do you think?" Tori asked. "Dark magic."

Regina frowned. "Who's dark magic?"

"Who's do you think?" Saphira replied.

Mathias sighed. "Freya."

ღ

Rooftop

On the same rooftop that Freya had brought Jefferson to in 5.03 for their date, he was standing, calling out for her. "Freya Gold! Freya Gold! Freya Gold! I guess we'll have to do this the hard way. Damn it, Priscilla."

Jefferson jumped from the roof.

Freya magically transported him safely to the ground. "Like I said before, Jefferson, these days you only call me Priscilla when we're about to have a serious conversation or if one of us is about to die. You tried to kill yourself, and now we're about to have a serious conversation."

"It's not technically a suicide attempt when I knew that you were going to save me," Jefferson pointed out.

"And you decided to jump off the roof just to get my attention," Freya told him.

Jefferson shrugged. "Well, I'm either optimistic, desperate, mad, or all of the above. Pretty sure I'm all of the above. I need to know what happened between us in Camelot. Just tell me."

"It's not that easy," Freya told him.

"It can be," Jefferson told her. "Whatever you did, whatever is happening to us, I'm not gonna turn my back on you when you need me and my help. I know you said you're trying to help me, more than once, so come clean. I assure you, it can't get any crazier than this."

Freya scoffed. "Oh, it can always get crazier, Jefferson. And this is the craziest."

"I don't care," Jefferson told her. "I love you, Cilla, no matter what is going on, no matter what you've done."

"So, you really want to know the truth no matter how awful?" Freya asked.

"I do," Jefferson answered.

Freya sighed. "Then there's something I need to show you."

ღღ

Freya's House - Living Room

Freya and Jefferson walked in.

"I've already seen this place, Cilla," Jefferson told her. "Why are we here? You promised me the truth, not a damn tour of a house that's not even your home."

"The truth is tricky," Freya told him. "You have to look for it."

Jefferson sighed. "All right, I'll play your game." He walked over to the telescope that used to be in the Hatter House, during the Curse. "That's the telescope that we had in the mansion during the first Curse when we were keeping an eye on Grace when she was with her Curse family. I wondered where it went. Why do you have it here?"

"So I could keep an eye on my entire family," Freya answered. "We both know the madness and darkness is pushing us to do things we ourselves wouldn't want to do. I was trying to stop it before it got out of hand, but it's already out of hand. I just need a few more things before I can stop it forever."

"So I guess this is the moment that you tell me the truth, if you're telling me that much already," Jefferson told her.

Freya chuckled. "Almost there. Almost." She kissed Jefferson. They continued to kiss passionately. "I can't tell you everything that happened between us until it's all over."

"Why not?" Jefferson asked.

"Because if you knew what I was really after, you'd do everything in your power to stop me," Freya answered.

Jefferson was affected by a spell that weakened him, groaning, as Freya held him standing. "What did you do?"

ღ

Storybrooke General Hospital - Emergency Room

Alcina was already there, in the process of giving birth while Robin and Regina were by her side. The Matthews brought Faye inside in a wheelchair.

Derek followed. "You have to stay calm and breathe."

Faye groaned in pain. "Shut up! I know the drill."

"Faye?" Saphira asked. "Why would Freya do this?"

"I have no idea," Faye told them.

"Are you sure it was her?" Tori asked.

Faye held her stomach in pain, groaning. "Let's just say when the Dark One offers you onion rings, don't eat them!"

As they brought Faye into the room, Whale walked in. "Someone scream for a doctor?"

"There is an angry Dragon/Siren baby inside of me," Faye told him. "Get it out!"

"You know, the last time I delivered a baby, you and your other mother tried to steal it," Whale told her. "But why try to steal one when making one is so much more fun, right?" He shook her hand. "Dr. Whale."

Mathias rolled his eyes. "We really need another doctor in this town."

Tori looked at Whale. "And what's with the dye job?"

"Oh, so--so Freya changes her hair and no one makes a fuss, but I get ridiculed?" Whale asked. "Yeah? Come on, you know you like it."

Faye screamed. "Oh, my God, stop talking! Didn't I kill you the last time I was here?"

"No, you just threw me across the room," Whale answered. "I hope that doesn't happen again this time. Okay, all business today, got it. Uh, let's get those vitals going, get that baby out of you. Another doctor is with Alcina, and she's already well on her way to giving birth as well."

ღ

Waiting Room

Cyrus, Blake, Axel, Henry, Emma, Ella, Regina, Snow, David, Lisa, Rose, Grace, and Killian were talking. Zelena was up here with the cuff on because of Faye giving birth.

"Everybody get ready," Snow told them. "We have to protect those babies from Freya."

"She's here?" David asked.

"She will be soon," Emma answered. "Cyrus? Go ahead. Tell them."

"Tell us what?" Ella asked. "What's going on? Cyrus."

Cyrus sighed. "The spell to destroy light magic. The only thing she needs other than Excalibur is the cries of newborn children."

"That's why she waited to make Faye give birth until Alcina went into labor," Lisa realized.

"But I should tell you that the cries of newborn children is also key to destroying the dark magic," Cyrus explained.

"Well, she's not taking these babies," Snow told them. "Not while we're all here."

Zelena turned to her sister. "Regina. Take this cuff off so I can defend Faye."

"You are far from trustworthy, especially after what you did to Faye and Derek," Regina told her. "Not to mention Freya and Alcina's brother, slash Henry and Rose's father. But worry not. We'll protect Faye, Alcina and the babies."

"Cyrus didn't say that Mama needed the babies," Grace told them. "He just said that she needed their cries. Does that mean she won't take them?"

"Grace..." Axel trailed off.

"No, I want to know, Axel," Grace told him.

"She shouldn't need to take them, no," Cyrus answered. "She would just need to use magic to capture the sound of their cries."

"Wait a minute," Killian told them. "Wait. Where the bloody hell is Jefferson?"

ღ

Three Weeks Ago

Camelot

Day - Woods

The confrontation continued.

"So, Faye, who should I execute first, hmm?" Zelena asked. "Mathias, Saphira, Tori, or Derek?"

"Mother!" Faye complained.

"You can have the flame," Rose told them.

"Zelena, make sure that's real," Arthur told her.

Zelena took the box from Freya. Rose used her Enchantress powers to conjure ropes around Zelena, tying her to a tree. Ella and Regina smirked proudly.

"Now you want to give us our family and friends?" Lisa asked. "Or keep fighting?"

"Merlin," Arthur commanded. "Cyrus."

"Please, give him the flame," Merlin told them. "This is a battle you cannot win."

"Together we can," Rose told them.

Arthur held the point of Excalibur to Jefferson. "Not if you want to save your loved ones."

Freya glared at Arthur furiously, sending a burst of her power at him to make him fly away from Jefferson, but Arthur managed to keep hold of the sword. Grace and Rose used magic to break Mathias, Saphira, Emma and Ella free so they could help them. Merlin and Cyrus were forced to use magic against them, but Mathias, Saphira, Emma, Ella, Lisa, Blake, Rose, Grace and Freya used magic in return. A Dragon, Dragon/Siren, the Protector, Savior, Light Bringer, Dark Being, Enchantress, Illusionist and Dark One could overpower Merlin and Cyrus together, causing them to fly back.

"Cyrus, kill the mother," Arthur instructed.

Cyrus, fighting the control for as long as he could, had to use magic to conjure a vine that snaked around Snow's neck, making her gasp for breath.

David struggled worriedly. "Mary Margaret!"

"It's no good," Derek told them. "They're too strong."

"Keep trying," Emma told them.

"Cyrus, you have to fight it," Rose told him.

Cyrus was trying. "I can't!"

"You are one of the greatest sorcerers that have ever lived, alongside your father," Rose told him. "If you cannot fight off the darkness, no one can."

After a long moment of struggle, Cyrus was finally able to break free slightly from the control, temporarily, releasing Snow from the vine. Merlin was fighting, too.

Arthur raised the sword. "I said kill her! By the sword, I command you, kill her!"

Merlin was struggling. "We can't hold him off much longer."

Mathias, Saphira, Emma, Ella, Freya, Lisa, Blake, Rose and Grace continued to use their power to hold off Merlin and Cyrus. Axel was nearby the trees behind Arthur, using his bracelet to control his shift into a wolf.

Arthur glared at Cyrus and Merlin as they fought off the others with magic. "You will kill her."

Wolf!Axel lunged at Arthur, tackling him to the ground, slashing and biting into him to make him let go of the sword, making it fall, turning back to human, punching Arthur in the face. "Not today." He stepped on Arthur's hand to keep him from picking the sword up. "I know someone else who needs that."

Axel picked up Excalibur, tossing it to Grace. Grace caught it, smiling in relief and gratitude.

Arthur ran toward Zelena, cutting her free. "Get us out of here."

Zelena waved her hand to make herself and Arthur disappear in a whirl of green smoke. Now that Cyrus and Merlin were no longer under Arthur's control, they could release everyone else from their magical restraints. Emma, Ella and David ran to check on Snow. Mathias and Saphira broke Tori and Faye free, embracing them. Saphira and Derek embraced, while Killian and Ella also embraced, and Emma and Regina.

Grace walked up to Axel. "Thank you, Axel."

Axel chuckled. "That was easy, Grace. It should be me thanking you."

Rose ran up to embrace Snow, David, Emma, Regina and Ella. Freya, Grace, Lisa and Blake ran up to Jefferson and Alcina, who embraced them all in relief.

"Easy, guys," Alcina told them. "We're fine."

Lisa made sure Alcina was okay, making sure the babies were okay. "Shh. Hold still."

"Thank you," Alcina told her. "We're fine."

Derek picked up Excalibur. "Look at that. There's a sword that can win any battle."

Saphira smiled. "Derek, they did it. Now all Freya has to do is light the spark. Then we can get the darkness out."

"Well, then let's do it," Mathias told them. "Then we can go home."

ღღ

Granny's Diner

Everyone was here now with Henry, except for Freya, Emma, Ella and Regina.

"Axel really went full wolf to take down Arthur?" Henry asked. "Awesome."

"Axel gave him a run for his money," Tori told him. "If you know what I mean."

"Well, the woods are clear," Ella told them. "Zelena and Arthur must have retreated somewhere far from here."

"I'm afraid Merlin and Cyrus won't be much help," Derek told them. "Resisting Excalibur has taken its toll on them."

"And Freya?" Killian asked. "How's she doing with the spark?"

Snow sighed. "Well, she said she needed some time alone. She took it outside. Regina, Ella and Emma followed her out."

Blake noticed Faye was sitting at the counter, depressed, walking closer. "Faye, you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Faye asked sarcastically. "My mother just betrayed all of us and used me as leverage against everyone here. I'm fine. You know, I just need a moment alone."

Faye walked away. Blake sighed, watching her go. Axel and Henry walked closer.

"You know, you and Faye are so different but at the same time, so the same," Axel told him. "No wonder you're dating."

Blake choked out a little with air in surprise. Henry covered his mouth to keep from laughing.

"What?" Blake asked. "God, no, don't be ridiculous. Me and lollipop over there are not dating."

"It's true, Axel, they're not, but they are crazy for each other," Henry told him.

Blake sighed. "Exactly." He realized what Henry said. "Wait, what?" Axel and Henry laughed. Blake was about to reply, but they heard Cyrus walking in behind them. "Look, stone boy is alive, yay, so let's talk about that."

Lisa, Rose and Grace had heard them from nearby, walking closer.

"Don't change the subject, Blake," Lisa told him.

"I'm not changing anything, I'm just worried about our resident teen wizard over here," Blake told them.

"Hey, Cyrus," Rose told him. "You okay?"

Cyrus sighed. "Fine."

Axel scoffed. "Yeah, sure."

"What are you talking about?" Cyrus asked. "What subject is he changing?"

"Like the way you're changing the subject from the fact that you said you're okay when you're clearly not?" Rose asked sarcastically. "Liar."

"And we're just talking about Blake and Faye," Grace answered. "They're crazy for each other. They should just date."

The boys laughed. Lisa and Rose smiled.

Lisa smiled. "Right. The undeniable love of Faye and Blake. You guys act like little kids with crushes on each other when you're fighting. You know the 'if you like someone, you're mean to them' sort of thing."

Blake sighed. "Okay, that's it, if anybody else mentions this again, I'm going full on Divine Being on them."

"You know..." Rose trailed off. "I wonder what your ship name would be."

"What's a ship name?" Axel asked.

"It's a combination of both names of a couple," Grace answered. "Pretty much everyone has one. Blake started it."

"Really?" Axel asked.

"Yeah," Lisa answered. "And they're all amazing. But Blake can keep on denying what he has with Faye all he wants. We're not buying it."

"I think it would be something like Fablake," Grace told them. "They always have to have fabulous."

Everyone was enjoying Blake's embarrassed reaction to all of this.

"No," Rose told them. "More like Fatale Dark."

"Or Fayeblake," Lisa told them.

"Blaye?" Grace suggested.

"Okay, okay, first of all, all those are the worst ship names that I've ever heard, and second, I'm the shipper over here, so I give them, and in any case, it would be Dark Fatale," Blake told them.

They laughed.

"So you are a ship," Rose told him. "See? You already have a name and everything."

Blake realized what he did. "Wait, no, that's not what I meant."

Grace laughed. "Yeah, sure."

They all laughed. Blake started to walk away.

"Gotta go be Dark Fatale a little bit more," Axel called mockingly.

"Screw you all," Blake told them, leaving the diner.

The others laughed.

ღ

Outside

Freya was trying to light the ember. Ella, Regina and Emma approached her.

"Need a light?" Ella asked.

Freya sighed. "Regina. Emma. Ella."

"We thought you could use some friends," Ella told her. "Jefferson's inside with the teens. Alcina's being taken care of by Robin after the little confrontation earlier."

Freya was completely overwhelmed, holding her head. "He's playing with me. He said I can't light it because I'm not ready to let go of the darkness."

"Are you?" Ella asked.

"Ella..." Freya trailed off.

"Hey," Regina told her. "No one knows the lure of darkness better than I do. You can lie to your family. You can lie to yourself. But you can't lie to me."

Freya looked confused. "I don't know."

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Emma asked. "Indulging every impulse. Wielding great power. Doing whatever you want."

"Yes," Freya answered. "Yes, it does. Is that wrong?"

Emma sighed. "Of course it is. But it's also human. Look, we know you, Freya. And you're not as weak as your father was. So if you're clinging to the darkness, you have good reason, and it's beyond temptation, so what is it?"

"I don't know," Freya told them.

"There's a difference between not knowing something and not wanting to admit it," Regina told her. "Those walls you put up, Freya, it's time they came down."

Regina grabbed the Dark One dagger.

Ella gave her a look. "What are you doing?"

"Helping her break the walls," Regina answered. "As your friend, from half-sister to your half-sister, I command you, Dark One, tell us, why are you so afraid to give up the darkness?"

Freya was clearly in pain. "Once I let it go, I won't be able to protect my family."

"Your family is more than capable of protecting themselves," Emma told her. "That's another wall, Freya."

"Stop," Ella told them, reaching for the dagger, but Regina kept it out of her reach. "Enough. You could send her over the edge."

"Not until we get the truth," Regina told them.

"It is," Freya told her.

"Regina, please," Ella told her.

Emma looked at Freya. "No, it's not. You just have to be brave enough to knock all those walls inside your head. The dagger can make you look, but you... you have to choose to see."

"Now come on," Regina told her. "Come on, Freya. See, tell us what you're really afraid of!"

Freya held her head, trying to back away, but the control of the dagger kept her in place while in Regina's hand, and it took its toll on her already weakened mind state. Jefferson, Alcina, Snow and David walked closer.

"Regina?" David asked. "What are you doing?"

"She's trying to get answers," Ella answered.

"By controlling her?" Alcina asked, using magic to take the blade from Regina. "That's enough." She put the dagger down, looking at Freya in concern. "Are you all right?"

Freya didn't answer, taking her stuff, including the dagger, walking away to be alone. Giving a glare to Regina, Jefferson walked after Freya to make sure she was okay.

Snow looked at Regina. "You really think you're helping her by being cruel? By putting her mind at risk? Her sanity?"

"I wasn't cruel," Regina told them. "I've been cruel, and trust me, you'd know it."

"You damaging Freya's mind is cruel," Snow told her.

"She was getting the truth," Emma told them. "It's not our fault that it's painful."

ღ

Now

Storybrooke

Night - General Hospital - Faye's Room

Faye managed to calm down after a moment, breathing heavily.

Blake was checking on her, trying to make her feel better. "So I guess the little lollipop is finally coming."

Faye managed a little laugh. "Little lollipop, really?"

Blake shrugged. "Well, yeah. I mean, it has to have a nickname, of course."

"Blake, there is something you should know in case I don't survive this," Faye told him. "I mean, Freya made a deal with my mother to ensure I would survive, but I don't know if my mother accepted the deal, so I could die."

Blake walked closer worriedly. "Hey, don't talk like that. You're going to make it through this, and you're going to hug your child and you and Derek are gonna be there for her, and you will tell her that you love her."

Blake took her hand.

Faye was breathing heavily. "Thanks, Blake, but let's be honest. I might not make it through this. I don't think I'm strong enough."

Blake shook his head, sure she was going to survive, in denial of the fact she could die. "Hey, look at me. You are sensational, Faye, and if anybody is going to make it through this, it's you, so stop acting like a failure, okay? You can't die like this."

"Why?" Faye asked.

"Because your family needs you," Blake answered. "Derek, Tori, Saphira, Mathias. Any child Tori and Mathias have in the future. Derek needs your help to raise your baby together."

Faye sighed. "I--"

"Fine," Blake told her. "Then do it because I need you. Okay, I don't know why, but I need you, okay? I already lost so much, and I don't want to lose you, too." Faye looked at him in surprise, both with tears in their eyes. "I will do everything in my power to make sure you survive this."

"Blake..." Faye trailed off.

"Shh," Blake told her. "I'm here. You're gonna be okay, and you're gonna be happy."

Faye tilted her head back, trying to speak. "Blake--"

Blake kept on. "And you're gonna grow old, and you're gonna see your baby grow up and be a badass just like you, Tori, Saphira, Mathias and Derek."

Annoyed by the fact he wouldn't stop talking long enough for her to, Faye grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him into a passionate kiss, surprising them both into shock as they pulled away.

Faye was even more shocked by what she had done than he was. "I..."

They looked at each other for a moment, kissing once more, pulling away.

"Why did you do that?" Blake asked.

Faye shook her head slowly. "I don't know. I guess, since I might die, why the hell not? Why did you do that?"

Blake sighed. "I don't know."

Faye nodded, sarcastic and nervous. "Great."

They laughed a little. Faye screamed as she went more into labor. Blake backed away in surprise. Doctors came to help.

"Boy, you need to leave now," Whale told him.

"No, I'm not going anywhere," Blake told them, in denial.

"You need to leave now, Blake," Whale told him. "It's not a choice."

Blake looked at Faye worriedly before disappearing in his cloud of black smoke.

ღ

Hallway

Blake appeared in the hallway.

Lisa ran up to him. "Blake? I've been looking everywhere for you. Are you okay? What about Faye?" Blake didn't answer, just looking at her. Lisa saw how worried he was, walking closer in concern. "Blake..."

Lisa embraced Blake. Blake had tears in his eyes, returning the embrace, worried about everything.

ღ

Alcina's Room

Alcina was giving birth to the second twin, groaning in agony.

"You're almost there," Robin told her. "You're doing great. One more push." Alcina finished. The two twins were crying. Robin was stunned, relieved and ecstatic to have the two babies. "It's a boy and a girl."

Regina walked in after hearing the babies were born, seeing Alcina and Robin with their babies, as they were holding them and smiling happily, happy for them. "Alcina..."

Alcina looked up, smiling slightly, exhausted. "They're okay. We're okay."

Freya appeared nearby. "Glad to hear that, Alcina. Congrats. I'm sure you're thrilled, sister."

They looked at her in worry.

"Cilla..." Alcina trailed off. "Don't do this. Please, Freya."

"Don't worry," Freya told her, using a bottle to magically trap the cries of the babies inside without harming anyone. "I don't need anything from you besides this. See you later."

Freya disappeared. The others exchanged a look.

ღ

Faye's Room

Tori, Saphira, Mathias, Zelena and Derek were all there for Faye behind glass until the birth of her and Derek's child, and when the baby was born, and Faye was fine, they walked in to join her in relief.

"Faye?" Tori asked in relief.

"Faye?" Mathias asked. "Are you okay?"

"Are you all right?" Derek asked. "The baby?"

Faye smiled with tears in her eyes, nodding. "We're fine. We're both fine."

In absolute relief, her family embraced her, near tears.

Saphira sighed in utter relief. "Derek. Faye. You have a daughter."

Faye chuckled. "It worked. The deal Mother made with Freya to make sure I survived worked. Mama, what did you promise in return?"

Freya appeared, holding the bottle that was glowing, magically trapping the sounds of the baby crying without harm. "She promised she would come with me, though she doesn't know why I need her. Derek, Faye, congrats. I already gave my congratulations to Alcina and Robin."

They looked at her in surprise.

"I will not let you take this baby," Derek told her.

"Not without a fight," Tori agreed. "Come on, Freya. This isn't you. You know it."

"Don't worry, Tori, it's not the baby I'm after," Freya told her. "Not after any babies, actually. Just needed their cries. Zelena, you know the deal. I saved Faye, and Faye and Derek's baby, and now you come with me."

Freya disappeared with Zelena.

ღღ

Freya's House - Basement

Jefferson was waking up, finding his leg chained to the floor, sighing, looking up to see Zelena chained up nearby. "Zelena? Why are you here?"

"Your insane wife sped up Faye's pregnancy, made sure she survived, and in exchange, I had to come with her," Zelena answered. "And they say Faye and I are wicked."

"Why would she do that?" Jefferson asked. "What does she need you for?"

Zelena sighed. "From the looks of things, she's casting a spell to steal my magic."

"Why does she need more dark magic?" Jefferson asked.

Freya appeared. "I don't. I'm not taking Zelena's magic. I'm giving her mine instead."

"What?" Zelena asked.

"Jefferson, you were right," Freya told him. "So were Alcina, Tori, Saphira and Mathias. My plan is not to destroy light magic. It's been to destroy dark magic. The dark magic that's inside of me, and Blake."

"If that were true, why keep it secret from me or everyone else?" Jefferson asked.

"Because I knew you would never let me do what was necessary to get the job done," Freya answered.

Zelena pointed at herself. "And that's where I come in."

"Yes," Freya answered. "The darkness needs to be contained in a vessel, you."

"Freya, what are you going to do?" Jefferson asked.

Freya showed them Excalibur. "What needs to be done. I'm going to cut her down with Excalibur's enchanted blade, and the darkness will be vanquished forever. I don't want anyone to get hurt who doesn't have to. There are limits."

Jefferson gave her a look. "You call those limits, Cilla? You're still talking about cold-blooded murder."

"Jefferson, she killed Bae and Clarissa," Freya pointed out. "She raised Faye to want to kill all of us and destroy all our lives. She gambled Faye's life just to punish her, Saphira and Derek, by having her have Derek's child the same way she had Faye. Given time, she will kill you and our family like she planned back then."

"After today, you can be certain," Zelena told her.

"I know you want revenge for Neal, Freya," Jefferson told her. "But this is about you. We went to Camelot for Cyrus and Merlin's help. Cyrus is sure Merlin has a solution to the darkness that doesn't require this."

"Merlin can't help us or Cyrus anymore," Freya told him.

"Why not?" Jefferson asked. "What happened there? Why are you really doing this?"

ღ

Three Weeks Ago

Camelot

Day - Granny's - Outside

Freya was sitting alone.

Jefferson approached her. "There you are. Been looking everywhere for you. Are you okay?"

Freya sighed. "Dagger's right there. Regina was using it on me. Why not you?"

"What she did was wrong," Jefferson told her. "I'm sorry it happened."

Freya shook her head. "It's funny. I'm not."

"She could have driven you out of your mind," Jefferson told her. "I could feel it in my head. She almost did."

"But she was right," Freya told him. "I realized why I'm scared to let go of the darkness because of her."

"What are you so afraid of, Cilla?" Jefferson asked.

"If we felt that inside our heads just by Regina trying to control me with the dagger, trying to control the darkness..." Freya trailed off, sighing painfully. "That nearly drove us insane. What will happen if we try to rip the darkness out of me?"

Jefferson realized what she meant, and knew that she had a point. "You're worried about the darkness destroying our minds forever if you rip it out." Freya nodded. Jefferson took her hands in his. "I know you're worried about that. I am, too. But whether or not we take it out of you, we're basically screwed." Freya couldn't help but chuckle at the way he said it. "If we leave the darkness in you, it will ruin us both slowly over a period of time, no matter how long it takes because of it always, always feeding on the madness. We can feel it doing that every day. But if we take it out of you right now, then we have a chance of our minds remaining in tact, and no one else having to get hurt."

"So we're gambling," Freya told him. "I don't like leaving things to chance."

"I don't either, but this time we have no choice," Jefferson pointed out. "If we leave the darkness in you, it will drive you mad, and it will drive you to do things that you would normally never do."

"And it could do the same to you," Freya told him.

Jefferson nodded in agreement. "And if we take it out... yes, we're risking it shattering our minds. But we can't let that hold us back from trying to do the right thing by us, and by our family. Lisa, Blake and Grace need us, Cilla. The real us. No matter what shape we're in. Okay?"

Freya was reassured, and though she was still nervous, she knew he was right, nodding. "Okay."

Freya was ready to let go of the darkness, and the Promethean flame ignited in her hand when she was.

Jefferson smiled in relief. "See?"

They looked at each other, kissing slowly and passionately.

ღ

Now

Storybrooke

Night - Freya's House - Outside

The Charmings, Cyrus, Alcina, Regina, Lisa, Grace, Blake and the Matthews walked up to the house.

'I don't understand," David admitted. "How can Freya destroy light magic using Zelena?"

"She can't," Cyrus answered.

"What is she planning?" Snow asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Mathias told them. "Cyrus? Surely you know something we don't know."

"Pretty sure she took Zelena to use her as a vessel for the darkness so she can get rid of it," Cyrus answered. "Freya is trying to put her darkness into Zelena to kill her and be rid of the darkness forever."

"Wait," Rose told him. "All the darkness?"

"Mama's trying to put all the darkness from her and Blake into Zelena?" Grace asked. "Then she would have to kill her just to be rid of it."

"All I know is no one hurts my sisters but me," Regina told them.

"What are you planning to do once you find Freya?" Saphira asked.

"Oh, it's simple," Regina told them. "I'm going to show the Dark Witch what dark magic really looks like."

ღ

Inside - Basement

Zelena and Jefferson were still chained up.

"Do you hear Freya pacing around up there?" Zelena asked. "You're her boy toy. What do you think she's up to?"

Jefferson rolled his eyes. "I'm no one's toy."

"Right, husband," Zelena corrected. "One that she chained up to keep out of her way. Has to be a reason why, because I think everyone knows she wouldn't want to hurt you even at her darkest and insanest."

Jefferson was very dark now, nearly completely dark and insane as well. "Considering you killed her brother, my brother-in-law, I can't exactly blame her for trying to kill you."

"Seems she's not the only one that's losing her mind," Zelena told him. "Madness sharing can be a bitch when your wife's the Dark One, can't it?"

Jefferson tried to ignore her, looking around. "We need to find a way to get rid of these iron shackles before Freya gets back."

Zelena showed him the anti-magic cuff on her wrist. "Those shackles aren't the problem, this one is. When Faye, Regina and Alcina put it back on, they enchanted my wrist, and I can't cut it off. Without magic, we're never gonna get out of here alive."

Jefferson used his chains to knock over magic from the table nearby, making it fall into his reach so he could get to it. "Well, it's a good thing I happen to have some now."

"Well, go on, then," Zelena told him. "What are you waiting for?"

"Any time you say you'll help us, you betray us," Jefferson told her. "You killed Neal. How do I know I can trust you now?"

"You don't," Zelena answered. "But you also don't have a choice."

Jefferson sighed. "Fair point. Well, then, here's to not trust."

Jefferson used the magic from the table to take off the cuff from Zelena's wrist.

Zelena sighed in relief, using magic to tear off her chains and change herself into Wicked Witch clothes. "Oh, it feels so good to be back. Now, about that deal we made." She used magic to break Jefferson free. "Shall we get out of here?"

They walked away.

ღ

Outside

Everyone was talking.

"Regina, she's still my sister," Alcina told her.

"We can't go to war with her," Grace told her. "She's my mother."

"She's Rose and Henry's aunt," Mathias told her. "Do you really want to be the reason why they lose their last connection to their father?"

"If you don't have the stomach for this..." Regina trailed off.

"We're not going to hurt her," David told her.

"This is exactly why she gave me the dagger," Regina told them. "She knew I'm the only one who could do what has to be done."

"She saved Faye's life," Blake told her.

"If you try to kill her, all the madness inside her head goes to Jefferson," Lisa told her. "We don't know what will happen to the darkness."

"We're not killing her," Cyrus told them. Everyone looked at him. "Whatever happened, it's not just the darkness. It's madness. You've saved Freya and Jefferson from madness before. We can save them from this now."

Freya walked outside. "I don't need saving. You're gonna have to trust me. By the time I'm done with Zelena, you'll all be thanking me, especially Regina and Alcina."

"And why would we thank you?" Alcina asked.

"You don't remember this, Regina, but back in Camelot, you helped me admit some things about myself, and now I'm ready to repay the favor, because deep down, we both know you'll be happier when Zelena is gone," Freya told her. "Alcina, you can't deny that you won't be happier either, not after what she did to our brother."

"Gone?" Alcina asked. "Yes, she killed our brother. But this is not the way, Priscilla, and you know it."

Freya chuckled in amusement. "Priscilla? Calling me by my full name for the first time in a long time, like an older sister getting onto her younger one."

"Well, start behaving like my less insane sister and we'll talk," Alcina replied.

"None of you remember that some of you have a hand in making me this way," Freya told them. "Emma, Regina, Ella, Faye, Zelena, Snow, David. I'm going to do what none of you could."

Freya thrusted Excalibur into the sidewalk, which put up a magical barrier around the house, freezing everyone so they couldn't move or speak.

ღ

Inside - Living Room

Zelena and Jefferson were making their way upstairs, seeing the flash of light outside.

"Good, she's busy," Zelena told him. "We'll have to sneak out the back."

"I'm not coming with you," Jefferson told her.

"Are you joking?" Zelena asked. "I actually keep my word, and you decide to go down with the ship."

"If I don't stop Freya, she'll just find somebody else to put the darkness into, and if I leave now, I may never get the answers I need," Jefferson told her.

"And how are you going to get them?" Zelena asked. "I don't think she's in a sharing mood."

"Freya stole squid ink from Gold's shop," Jefferson explained. "If I can find it, then I can get her to tell me what I want."

"Well, then, you better hope she doesn't find you first," Zelena told him. "She may not hurt you, but she most certainly can stop you. Ta-ta."

Zelena disappeared in a wave of green smoke.

ღღ

Jefferson was searching, knowing Freya better than almost anyone else, knowing where she would hide something like this, removing a painting from a wall.

Freya walked in, somewhat amused. "Really? I was trying to help you."

Jefferson was nervous. "Cilla..." He saw the squid ink taped to the back of the picture, throwing the contents of the bottle at Freya to paralyze her in place. "I'm sorry. You've left me no choice. You are out of your mind, and you won't let anyone help you, but now I am going to, and to do that, you're gonna have to tell me exactly what happened in Camelot to make you this way."

Freya sighed. "How are you going to make me do that?"

Zelena reappeared. "I've got some ideas. I see you found the squid ink, Jefferson."

Jefferson rolled his eyes in annoyance and anger. "Zelena, why the hell did you come back?"

"I thought about how you said you couldn't run until you got some answers, and I realized I couldn't either," Zelena told him. "Not without making the Dark One pay for what she tried to do to me."

"I saved Faye's life when you left it in jeopardy because of her and Derek's child," Freya replied. "And you killed my brother."

"True," Zelena agreed. "But I don't play to get even, darling, I play to win."

Freya glared at her. "Whatever you think you're doing..." Zelena pulled out a knife. "No! No!"

Zelena stabbed Jefferson in the chest with the knife, making him groan in pain, laughing. "I bet you didn't see that coming, did you? Of course, that's nothing compared to the surprise that you're feeling right now. You're saying to yourself, 'I just got stabbed in the chest. Why shouldn't it hurt more? Why am I not dead'?"

"What the hell is happening?" Jefferson asked. He raised his voice to a yell at Zelena with hatred, anger and insanity. "Answer me, witch!"

Zelena showed him a dreamcatcher. "Well, you could take my word, or you could return the memories that the Dark One stole. See for yourself. I found this outside."

"I can explain everything, Jefferson," Freya told him.

Jefferson was breathing heavily. "Do it."

ღ

Three Weeks Ago

Camelot

Day - Granny's Diner

Everyone was gathered.

"Are you ready?" Killian asked.

"Yes," Freya answered.

"Then it's time to destroy the darkness once and for all," Killian told them.

Freya and Jefferson looked at each other worriedly, nodding. Lisa, Blake and Grace nodded encouragingly. Freya used her magic to levitate the Flame of Prometheus, making it grow larger in size, picking up the dagger and Excalibur, trying to forge it through the flame, but both Freya and Jefferson gasped in agony, making Freya drop the dagger and sword.

"Freya?" Snow asked. "Jefferson? What's wrong?"

"What's going on?" David asked worriedly.

Freya and Jefferson fell to their knees.

Grace ran to their side. "Mama? Papa?"

Lisa ran to help. "No."

"What's happening?" Saphira asked. "What's going on with you two?"

"It's Excalibur," Lisa told them. "It's the madness and darkness. Freya was scared earlier that destroying the darkness would destroy their sanity."

"It would appear she's right," Tori told them worriedly, horrified. "Freya? Jefferson?"

"What?" Derek asked. "There has to be something we can do. That she can do. We have to get rid of the darkness. But we can't let them suffer for it."

Cyrus shook his head. "Even Lisa and Blake's power isn't strong enough to keep them safe if the darkness is destroyed along with their sanity. Or Freya, Grace or Rose's."

"Or mine or Cyrus's," Merlin agreed.

"Freya, you have to keep going," David told her. "I know it hurts. But if you stop now..."

"I could destroy both of us," Freya told them.

"What do you think will happen if you don't go through with this?" Ella asked.

"Aunt Freya, Uncle Jefferson, you have to hold on," Rose told them. "It's all right. It'll be all right."

Freya had to stop the spell, but the flame went on. "I can't. It hurts too much."

"Freya..." Ella trailed off.

"I could destroy us both," Freya told them. "The flame released Cyrus and Merlin from their tether. What's it going to do to us?"

"Freya, if you don't destroy the darkness now, it will take control over you," Snow told her. "It could make you do unspeakable things with the madness inside your head. Inside Jefferson's head."

"And if I keep going, I could shatter both of our minds or kill us both," Freya replied.

"The darkness is using your madness to multiply itself so that it cannot be destroyed," Merlin told her. "Not without you paying the steepest of prices. It can and will use you to get to Jefferson as well."

"I don't care what happens to me," Freya told them. "I just can't let this happen to Jefferson. I can't destroy us both."

"Freya, come on," David told her. "Please."

Freya was completely overwhelmed with her friends telling, commanding her to go on with it, and everything else inside her head, even when they knew it could destroy her and Jefferson, hearing all of the Dark Ones in her head as they fought inside her head against the madness, holding her head in absolute pain as Jefferson felt the same things she did. "Stop!"

"It's too much to them for her to go on," Cyrus told them. "She's right. It could destroy them both."

"If she doesn't, the darkness will get to Jefferson and create another Dark One," Merlin told them.

Everyone looked at him in shock with how he had bluntly said it for everyone to understand what this could lead to.

"Freya, you have to go on," David told her.

"They're right," Regina told her.

Grace looked at Regina and Alcina. "If you could've saved Daniel or Rave..." She looked at the Charmings and Regina. "Look how far you were willing to go, how far you pushed Mama to save Emma. Or how hard you pushed her to release Cyrus and Merlin. Everything all of you pushed her to do led to this. It's leading to them losing control. To Papa..."

Jefferson was on his knees in front of Freya, holding her arms. "Freya..."

Freya was trying to finish the spell, but it was causing both her and Jefferson agony as the madness was put under so much pain just so they could try to get rid of the darkness, clearly close enough to destroy them both, dropping the sword and dagger. She and Jefferson were both weakened and nearly completely overtaken by madness and darkness. The darkness was leaking from Freya into Jefferson as well since the spell she had just tried to complete had strengthened the link between their minds, and the darkness started to surround them both. Everyone backed away in shock.

"What's happening?" Killian asked.

"It's too late," Mathias answered.

The darkness surrounded Jefferson completely, making him disappear, leaving everyone in shock. Jefferson's name appeared on Excalibur. Freya's appearance changed to the Dark One she was from the present.

ღ

Vault of the Dark One

Darkness was released from the vault, forming into Jefferson, in a black robe.

ღ

Now

Storybrooke

Night - Freya's House - Living Room

Freya was still paralyzed from squid ink. Zelena had just finished showing Jefferson his memories.

"I'm so sorry, Jefferson," Freya told him. "I tried to get rid of the darkness before it could get to you. I couldn't."

"No, no, no," Jefferson told them. "No, there has to be some other explanation."

Zelena smirked. "Aw, are you finding the truth hard to swallow?" She took Excalibur from Freya. "Here, have a look at the sword." She removed a glamour spell on the sword to reveal Jefferson's name. "A glamour spell." She chuckled. "It was there the whole time right under your nose, and you didn't even see it." She laughed, looking between Freya and Jefferson. "Ooh, I suppose it's not the Dark One anymore, is it? More like the Dark Ones."

Jefferson looked at Freya. "So that's why you saved my life twice tonight. I was never in any danger. You just wanted to keep me from the truth."

Freya and Jefferson were both in pain from darkness and madness.

Freya was also in emotional pain from all of this. "I wanted to fix it first. Something else happened back in Camelot. I was trying to protect you and other people. Trying to fix it."

"By killing me?" Zelena asked. "How sweet."

Freya glared at Zelena. "It was the only way to destroy the darkness in both of us and free Blake. Everything I've done since we got back to Storybrooke was to try to save Jefferson and Blake."

"When you needed saving, too, you still put us first," Jefferson told her, scoffing a laugh in amusement. "And to get revenge against Gold for doing this to us in the first place. Well done, Freya. I lost control back in Camelot, didn't I? Did something that made you erase everyone's memories."

"We both lost control," Freya answered. "I was trying to make up for it."

Zelena chuckled. "How adorable. But see, let's see how dark and insane the Dark Ones really can be. The Dark Witch and Mad Hatter as Dark Ones? This town is in some serious trouble. And I'm happy to help the process along. Who wants to know what happens when you both really go dark?"