Fairy Tale Land
In the tavern a group of men discuss tracking and killing a beast. Belle listens in and laughs. She is joined by Grumpy. He is happy to tell her that he has plans to run away with Nova. He then tells Belle that she needs some adventure. He encourages her to follow the men to the wagon to hunt the beast. Belle finally agrees but before she goes he gives her a pouch of fairy dust.
The wagon sets out to find the beast. Belle is the only woman and she is busy reading a book. One of the men taunts her that the book will be of no help in killing it. He snatches the book and says it is nothing but a bunch of squiggles. Belle tells him that the book is in another language and has information on how to find the beast. She tells him it should be by the lake. With this information the man laughs as he tosses Belle from the wagon and throws her book at her. Belle brushes herself off and smiles.
Belle gave the men false information. On her own she goes to the lair of the beast. Out comes a creature that looks like a wolf on fire. It almost catches Belle but she is saved by Mulan. The beast disappears and Mulan tells Belle she ruined her hunt. Belle offers her help but Mulan is not interested.
The men find Belle and punish her by repeatedly dunking her head in a well. She denies purposely misleading them. Mulan shows up to save her. Mulan fights off the men who quickly leave. She tells Belle she would like her help as she has realized that Belle is good at tracking.
During the journey Mulan’s leg is too injured to go on. She tells Belle that she wants her to kill the beast to save Mulan’s village. Belle does not believe herself to be capable but she is encouraged by Mulan. Mulan tells her that she has good instincts.
Belle finds the beast and encourages it to chase after her. She leads the beast to a trap where she douses it with water. The injured looking beast is on the ground and with its paw writes a word. Belle is able to understand that the creature is seeking her help. She remembers the fairy dust that Grumpy had given to her and sprinkles it on him. The beast transforms into a man. The man thanks her for breaking his curse. He explains that he has been trying to get to Princess Aurora and wake her from a sleeping spell. Malificent cursed him. He tells her that he is in her debt. Belle tells him she would like some help for her injured friend.
Belle introduces the man who is Prince Philip to Mulan. She explains that he was the beast and it was a curse that has been broken. She leaves the two explaining that she has a beast of her own to face. Belle looks out to the village. She smiles as she says aloud that she is going to Rumpelstiltskin. Her smile quickly fades as she realizes I am there with her. I have Belle captured thanks to the help of the men who are angry with her. Inside the wagon she screams out to me that I cannot stop her from being with him and she will always fight for him.
Storybrooke
Mr. Gold drives to the Storybrooke border. He has taken William Smee as his hostage. William is afraid to cross the border and lose his memory. Gold asks him about his red hat that he always wears. William tells him it is something his grandmother made for him. Gold pushes William over the border. William does not lose his memory. Gold is satisfied and lets him leave.
Storybrooke residents gather for the funeral of Archie Hopper. Mary gives a speech and the others listen. Marco goes to the coffin and tells what he thinks is his old friend that he will miss him.
Meanwhile on Hook’s ship the real Archie Hopper is being interrogated. Hook wants to know if Gold/Rumpel has told him where the dagger is. Archie is genuinely surprised and has no idea. Hook then tries to find another avenue and threatens Archie for information on a weakness of Gold.
Belle goes to see Gold at his shop. He tells her that he has created a potion that can make an item of choice into a talisman that makes it possible to cross the border without losing memory. He opens his safe and shows her Bae’s shawl. She wants to come with him but he sadly tells her that he only has enough potion for one object. This is his journey he must go on alone. She understands and embraces him.
Belle heads to work at the library. Hook is waiting for her. After a moment she recognizes him as the pirate who once visited her in prison looking for information on Rumpelstiltskin. She runs from him and manages to escape to another area in the library. Hook relentlessly tries to get in and she calls Gold. The phone signal is bad and he can’t make out what she is saying.
The door finally opens and Belle is relieved to see it is Gold.
Emma brings a depressed Henry a pop tart. He does not want to eat. Other Storybrooke residents are at the apartment after the funeral. Grumpy asks when they can return home to the Enchanted Forest. They are concerned an outsider will eventually come to Storybrooke and figure out things are different. Ruby agrees with Grumpy.
Belle tells Gold that the incident with Hook should be reported to the sheriff. He does not want her to do that. She cannot understand why Hook went after her and presses Gold for information. Finally Gold breaks down and tells her how Hook stole his wife which led to him cutting off Hook’s hand. He tells her that Milah is dead but makes it sound like it just happened. They return to the shop and find the place in shambles. Gold realizes that the shawl has been taken. They are being watched by Hook as William delivers the shawl.
Belle wants to help Gold. He tells her absolutely not. He tells Belle she must stay out of this and gives her a revolver for her own safety. She firmly asks Gold if all he wants is the shawl. He does not answer.
Belle pulls out a nautical book. With a little reading the clever woman figures out that Hook came here by ship.
William sneaks up on Gold who is aware he is there. Gold uses magic to pin him to the wall by his throat. After finding out what he needs he turns William into a rat.
Belle explores the dock. She cannot understand where Hook’s ship could be. She hears it but does not see it. Birds come and she watches them carefully as they appear to land on something midair. Belle grabs a handful of dirt and tosses it. She can now make out stairs. Belle decides to go on the ship alone. Once on the ship she hears someone call for help. She is shocked to find Archie Hopper alive. She releases him and tells him to leave. Archie is shocked she is not coming with him. She tells him to find Gold and tell him where she is.
Mary and David see Henry using the phone. Mary picks it up to see who he is calling. She hears Archie’s voicemail. David goes to Henry and tells him everything will be okay. Just then Emma comes in with Pongo. She tells Henry he will keep him and care for him. As she sends him outside she tells Mary and David that she knows the apartment is small for all of them but they will make it work. Mary surprises everyone when she suggests that she and David start looking for their own place.
Belle comes across a box on the ship. Once open she sees coins. Hook is behind her taunting her with the shawl. He gets his hands on her revolver and points it at her head. He tells her she should have stuck to books. Belle refuses to leave without the shawl. She insists that this feud between him and Rumpel must end and Rumpel needs that shawl to find his son. Hook suggests that Bae may not want to be found. They begin talking about Milah.
Hook explains that she came to him and that Rumpel killed her. At first Belle refuses to believe this but Hook goes into detail about how he ripped out her heart and crushed it to dust. Hook wants to know how she can defend such a man. Belle tells him that she sees good in Gold/Rumpel. With that she takes Hook by surprise and knocks him in the head. He is down and she runs off.
Hook finds Belle on the deck. Gold arrives and begins beating Hook with his walking stick. Belle shrieks that Gold must control himself as this is what Hook wants. Hook goads him and he continues beating him with the stick. Finally Gold listens to Belle. He stops hitting Hook and tells him to take his ship and leave.
Mary shows David pictures of houses she likes. He is not sharing her enthusiasm. He tells her that he does not want to die in Storybrooke. David agrees with the others that it is time to go home. Mary reminds him that Cora is running that land that was once home. He suggests that she can be defeated. Mary wonders if they still want the same things.
Henry draws pictures. He explains to Emma they are designs for Mary and David’s new house. He has even designed a room for weapons in case I try to take him. Henry is afraid of me. Just then there is a knock at the door. Pongo is excited. Emma opens the door and is stunned to see Archie standing there. He quickly explains that Cora was behind all of this. Henry is happy that I am innocent and wants me to know.
Gold and Belle drive to the border. In the car he tells Belle he can’t believe how she sticks by him. Once outside of the car they walk to the border. She places the shawl around his neck. He crosses over and still has his memory. Belle tells him that she will wait for him. Just then Hook fires a shot. The bullet hits Belle who topples over the border.
An injured Belle is confused and does know who Gold is. Hook is satisfied that if she lives she won’t remember Gold/Rumpel. Gold creates a ball of fire in his hand to toss at Hook. Suddenly a car comes through. Gold is able to grab Belle and keep them out of the way. The car hits Hook and spins into a tree.