Once Upon A Fan

Recap by Amy Taylor

We begin this episode in Storybrook with Henry talking to the stranger in front of his house.  Henry asks a bunch of questions, if he's staying, what he is doing, and what is in his box.  The stranger evades all answers and drives away on his motorcycle.  

Mary Margaret is running around the apartment getting ready for work.  She tells Emma she is running late for school, but she is really going to the diner to see David.  She gets there a few minutes before 7:15, sits in a booth, and acts like she's been there awhile.  David comes in and orders his coffee, stops by Mary's booth, they have small talk, she giggles, and he leaves.  Emma arrives at the diner and accuses Mary of being a stalker.  At first she denies it but then she starts thinking about it, and finally admits that she can't get him out of her head.  

Snow is at her home in the forest, fixing to kill a bird, when something scares it away.  It's Red bringing her a basket of fruit.  Snow thanks her, and asks her about James.  Red tells her that he is marrying Midas' daughter in two days. Snow admits that she is still unable to get him out of her head.  Red then tells Snow about Rumple.  

Snow travels in her boat to find him.  He compliments her boat, and says "you really are the fairest of them all."  Snow tells him that she needs a cure for a broken heart.  He makes a potion for her to drink, saying that once she drinks it, she will no longer remember her love.  She asks him his price, he plucks a hair out of her head, and says this is all.  Snow asks him why he wants her hair, and he replies that it is of no use to her now, so she agrees. Mary Margaret is at the grocery store and bumps into Kathryn.  They both drop their baskets and Mary notices a pregnancy test in Kathryn's shopping.  

In fairytale land we find a party going on at Prince James castle.  His father brings him a crown that King Midas has sent as a gift.  The king tells his son to honor his wishes and give Abigail his heart, he must forget Snow.  He tells his son that he plucked him out of poverty and to be thankful for it.  He tells him to do whatever it takes to get snow out of his head because nothing is going to stop the wedding.  Prince James decides to write snow a letter declaring his love for her. He ties it to the foot of a dove and tells the dove to find Snow.  

Mary Margaret is taking a walk in the woods and finds a bird that has gotten trapped.  She frees it and takes it to the animal shelter.  The Dr. says that it's fine, just dehydrated. He informs Mary that the bird is a North Atlantic dove and very unique.  He tells her that it has to get back to it's flock or it will never be happy.  Mary Margaret takes the bird back to the woods to find its flock, knowing that bad weather is on the way.  David offers to go with her but she refuses his help.

Emma is loading her trunk up with supplies when the mayor asks her to look into the new stranger.  Regina doesn't like the way he was hanging around Henry and wants to know why he is there.  Emma says she will look into it, as we see Mary driving into the forest to free the dove.

Snow is holding up the bottle of potion gazing at it when a dove lands on her hand.  She sees the note inside the birds foot and pulls it out.  The note is from James and she is thrilled that he still loves her.

Mary comes to a road closed sign and decides to take the bird and go into the woods on foot.  

Quickly we are back at the castle.  Snow is seen with a basket of flowers, and tells the guard that they are from King Midas for the wedding.  The guard tells her to use the service stairs.  Once inside the castle she hides, sees James, and is then captured by one of the guards and  thrown into the dungeon.  She tries to find a way out, but the person in the next cell, Grumpy (who is humming hi ho, hi, ho...lol moment) tells her there is no way out.  He then proceeds to tell her his story.  He was working at the mines, and was trading all of his wages for a diamond for his love.  He finally gets his diamond, only to find out that it was stolen.  The guards arrest him, accusing him of theft.  As Grumpy is finishing his story, his friend Stealthy arrives to break him out.  He tells them that he used laughing gas on all of the guards and they are all passed out.  Snow then tells Grumpy that she hopes he finds his love again, and Grumpy lets her out as well.  

  Mary is still out in the woods looking for the flock.  She is scared by a crash of lightning and falls down a hill.  She grabs a limb, and is holding on for dear life.  Out of nowhere, David shows up and pulls her up to safety.  He tries to embrace her, telling her there was no way he was letting her go out there alone.  She quickly let's go and starts to go look for the flock again.  David finally convinces her that it is not safe.

Snow, Grumpy, and Sleathy are all leaving the dungeon.  Snow tells them that it would be safer to use the stairs, but Stealthy insists that they leave through the courtyard.  Grumpy agrees with him, and they leave.  As they are escaping, King George shows up.  Sleathy tells Grumpy to run, and he is killed by an arrow.  King George asks Grumpy were the girl is, but he refuses to answer.  The king tells the guard to kill him.  Just as the guard is pulling out his sword, Snow shows up with a torch.  She tells the king to let Grumpy go or the castle would burn.  The king lets Grumpy go, and then the guards capture Snow.

The storm is getting worse as Mary and David are looking for shelter.  They finally find an abandoned cabin in the woods and break in.  David finds a blanket and wraps it around Mary, once again trying to embrace her.  Once again she pushes him away.  She finally admits to him that she still has feelings for him.  She tells him that she goes to Granny's at 7:15 every morning just to see him.  She explains to him that being around him is just too painful because he chose Kathryn over her.  He then admits to her that he goes to granny's every morning to see her.  They share a look of passion, and almost kiss, but she pulls away.  She tells him about bumping into Kathryn and how she thinks she is pregnant.  He tells her that he had no idea.  

At granny's, Emma sees the stranger.  She talks to him about  being suspicious.  She asks him what he was doing talking to Henry, and he says the boy was being curious.  Emma asks him what was in the box.  He berates her for a few minutes, and then tells her that if she agrees to go have a drink with him he will show her what was in the box.  She agrees to the drink.  He pulls out the box, and opens it, only to reveal a typewriter.   He tells Emma that he thought Storybrook provided inspiration for a writer.  Emma then asks him if he has been to Storybrooke before, but he doesn't answer.

Mary and David are still in the cabin when she hears the rain stop.  He is still trying to talk to her but she tells him to be quiet and listen.  She sees the flock flying away, and let's the dove out.  David tries to hold her hand as they watch the birds fly away, but she let's go and says its too painful.  He tells her he has two conflicting lives.  One with memories of Kathryn and one with real feelings for her.  She tells him they are just going to have to forget about each other and walks away.  

Back inside the castle we see King George talking to Snow.  He tells her that she must go to James and tell him that she doesn't love him, so that it will break his heart.  Snow says "or you'll kill me?" and the King tells her no, that he would kill James.  Snow can't believe that he would kill his own son and the king tells her that James would die a martyr and the merger of the Kingdoms would be complete.  He then goes on to say that James isn't his son.  Snow does as the King commands.  It breaks James' heart.  She tells him to go live a live without her because she will never love him.  She gives him the letter and leaves the castle.

The next morning David is getting dressed and talking to Kathryn.  She admits that she wants children and thought she was pregnant but she wasn't.  She wants to fix their marriage, so they agree to go see Dr. Hopper.  David doesn't go to get coffee that morning at 7.15.

Snow is seen leaving the castle broken hearted.  The dwarfs meet her on the road.  Grumpy tells her that she saved his life and now he is going to take her home and protect her.  Snow tells him about her potion and Grumpy tells her not to drink it.  He tells her that pain is what makes him who he is, it makes him Grumpy.  She walks away from the castle to be with her new family.  

James is at Snows house looking for her when Red shows up.  Red tells him that she never came home.  Once again James says that he will find her, that he will always find her.

Grumpy is seen running throught the house yelling for Snow.  He tells her that the royal wedding has been cancelled and that James has left Abigail.  He tells her Prince Charming isn't getting married.  She replies, "who?" and Grumpy realizes that she drank the potion.

At the diner it is 7:45 and Mary is there getting her coffee.  David comes in and they realize they can't stop seeing each other.  David tells her Kathryn isn't pregnant.  Then it finally happens.  They share a passionate kiss as the mayor watches from her car.