Worlds Colliding (Once Upon a Time) Book Three

chapter 22 - There's No Place Like Home

From 3.21 "Snow Drifts", outside the warehouse, the Hatters, Ella and Killian slowly approached the warehouse to try to close the portal again.

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

Ella, Killian, Lisa and Freya were ripped away into the portal. Jefferson caught Grace before she was sucked away as well, standing to try to save Freya and Lisa, but the portal was closing.

Killian: (voice over from 3.21 Snow Drifts) "Appears we're back in the Enchanted Forest."

From 3.21 "Snow Drifts", in the past, Ella, Killian, Freya and Lisa were speaking with past versions of Hatters and Rumplestiltskin.

"We interrupted my parents meeting," Ella explained.

"We can work on getting your portal to the future open again," Rumplestiltskin told them.

From 3.21 "Snow Drifts", on the parapet, Lisa noticed the wedding ring lying on the ground, picking it up. Ella and Killian took the ring, running.

Lisa: (voice over from 3.21 Snow Drifts) "Let's go and do everything we can to make sure Snow gets that ring."

From 3.21 "Snow Drifts", in the ballroom, black knights surrounded Ella and Killian.

Alcina approached. "Going somewhere?"

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Flashback - 2001

Portland

Night - Deserted Amusement Park

Ella was waiting. Neal approached her, carrying two coffees to go.

Ella turned to face him. "You said you owed me a drink. I thought we'd meet in a place like a bar a restaurant, or some place, you know, with chairs."

Neal chuckled. "Patience. I've got something better in mind. Here, hold this."

Neal handed Ella his coffee, kneeling down, using a wire to open the locked door.

Ella watched him curiously. "What the hell are you doing?"

Neal continued to pick the lock. "Tumblers. It's all about the tumblers." He opened the door. "Come on, it's worth it, I promise." They walked in. Neal switched on the carousel's lights. "What did I tell you?"

Ella smiled. "Yeah, all right, it's pretty cool."

Neal stepped onto the carousel. "Come on, hop on."

Ella did. They both sat down.

"So, what's your story, Neal?" Ella asked.

"That's an interesting choice of words," Neal remarked. "My 'story' is that I left a screwed up situation and that kind of screwed me up."

"Crappy home life?" Ella asked. "I get that."

Neal shook his head. "Nah, it wasn't always. It--that's the problem. It was really great once."

"So why don't you go back to try and fix it?" Ella asked.

"I can't really go back," Neal answered. "It's my father."

"Bad guy?" Ella asked.

"Not at first," Neal answered. "But he changed. That's when things got really crazy, for both me and my sister. But before that, it was home. It was nice. That's how you know you've really got a home, when you leave it, there's that feeling that you can't shake. You just miss it."