Once Upon A Time Pilot Page #9

Season #1 Episode #1

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CONTINUED:

HENRY:

You don’t have to be hostile. You

like me. I can tell. You’re just pushing me away because I make you feel guilty.

(then; sweetly --)

But it’s okay. I know why you gave me away.

That stops her cold. He looks at her now, gently. Forgiving.

HENRY:

You did it because you wanted to

give me my best chance.

Hearing those words AFFECTS Anna. Her tough veneer cracks. Because he’s RIGHT. Her eyes well up.

HENRY:

Told you everybody cries.

Anna wipes the tears away. Reeling --

ANNA:

How... how do you know that...?

HENRY:

Because it’s the same reason Snow

White gave you away.

And Anna shakes it off. Remembers what she’s dealing with.

ANNA:

Right, because I’m in the book.

HENRY:

Yes. And you’re twenty eight now.

So it’s time to get started. You’re the one who’s gonna bring back all the happy endings.

ANNA:

Let me tell you something, kid, I’m

a real person. I’m no savior. You’re wrong about that. But you are right about one thing. I wanted you to have your best chance. And it ain’t with me. Come on, I gotta get you home.

Henry shakes his head. Henry does not like hearing this one damn bit.

51.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

HENRY:

Please don’t do this. Don’t bring

me back to her. Just stay here with me. For one week. That’s all I ask. One week and you’ll see I’m right. You’ll see I’m not crazy.

ANNA:

I have to bring you back to your

mother.

HENRY:

You don’t know what it’s like. My

life sucks.

ANNA:

You wanna know what sucking is?

It’s being left abandoned on a freeway. My parents didn’t even think to drop me at a hospital. Then I found my way into the foster system. I was with a family until I was three. Until they had their own kid. So they sent me back. I bounced around from family to family until I was sixteen and could be on my own. Of course by then I realized I had always been on my own.

Anna tries to compose herself -- these are painful memories.

ANNA:

Your mom’s trying her best, Henry.

It’s hard. But none of us are perfect. You may not think she loves you...

(beat)

But at least she wants you.

Henry absorbs this incredibly heartfelt soul baring. But only one thing registers with him.

HENRY:

Your parents didn’t leave you in

the street. That’s just where you came through.

ANNA What?

52.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

HENRY:

The wardrobe. When you went

through the wardrobe you appeared in the street. Your parents were trying to save you from the curse.

And now Anna realizes she’s not equipped for this. She rises. Takes his hand.

ANNA:

Sure they were. Come on, Henry.

OFF HENRY, reluctantly following her and carrying his BOOK -- INT. NURSERY - CASTLE - FAIRY TALE LAND

Snow races into the nursery and is greeted by a horrific sight. Amidst the rubble from the smashed wardrobe, Charming lies on the ground. Barely breathing as he clutches his wounded chest.

SNOW No...

She hurries to his side. Sits down and cradles his head in her lap. Tears run down her cheeks.

SNOW:

Please... please... come back to

me.

Charming’s eyes flutter open, he chokes out his words as he looks up at her. Speaks with a weakened gasp.

CHARMING:

We... will be together... again.

His eyes fall closed and he loses consciousness as Snow holds him tightly. Is he dead? Is he in a coma? That’s an answer for later. And we don’t have much time to consider anyway because...

QUEEN (O.S.) Don’t worry, dear.

Snow looks up to see the Queen entering. A malevolent look of satisfaction on her face.

QUEEN:

In a few moments you won’t remember

you knew him, let alone loved him. Mustering her strength, Snow speaks through her tears.

(CONTINUED)

53.

CONTINUED:

SNOW WHITE Why did you do this?

A chilling smile crosses her lips and she leans in close to Snow.

QUEEN:

Because this is my happy ending.

Before Snow can respond. The two BLACK KNIGHTS hurry back in. The Queen faces them --

QUEEN The child?

The knights look at one another. Frightened to tell her something. She senses this, grows angry.

QUEEN The child?

BLACK KNIGHT:

Gone. It was in the wardrobe.

Then it was gone. It’s nowhere to be found.

At this news, Snow clutches her Prince closely. The Queen stares daggers at her.

QUEEN Where is she?!?

Snow White looks up with a new look on her face. BELIEF. FAITH. She has steely determination.

SNOW WHITE:

You’re going to lose. I know it

now. You’re going to lose. Good will always win.

The Queen looks concerned for a flash. Then hardens.

QUEEN We’ll see about that.

And now the GREEN MIST surrounds them. Filling the room. Enveloping EVERYTHING. And what we see next is jaw dropping... the world? It starts to CRACK -- like a mirror. And then SHATTER. Snow’s eyes widen as images fly by -- her whole world is coming apart. And now she GLIMPSES another world -- and maybe we see something beyond our Fairy Tales. A glimpse of one of H.G. Wells’ tripods. The worlds of all storytelling are folding in on one another.

54.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

But Snow can’t understand it and has more pressing issues. The MIST surrounds and envelopes everyone, dematerializing them as a VORTEX swirls up around them. Snow is terrified...

SNOW WHITE Where... where are we going?

QUEEN Somewhere horrible.

(a malevolent grin) Absolutely horrible.

And with that BLACKNESS CONSUMES them all and we -- EXT. REGINA’S HOUSE - EVENING

ON THE FRONT DOOR. It opens. Revealing -- Regina with a look of supreme relief on her face. ARM AROUND TO --

Anna, with Henry in tow. Henry doesn’t even wait for her to speak, he just blows by her and runs to his room. Regina calls after him --

REGINA Henry!

But all we hear is a DOOR SLAM. Regina turns back to Anna.

REGINA:

I’m just glad he’s back. Thank

you.

Yeah... no problem.

BEAT. Regina just stands there. Her relief now shifts to another -- more VULNERABLE look. Something is eating at her.

REGINA Did he say... why?

ANNA:

I dunno. I think maybe... maybe

that Evil Queen’s curse just got in his head.

What?

REGINA:

ANNA:

(not sure what to say)

ANNA From his stories.

(CONTINUED)

55.

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