Once Upon a Time

Thank you so much, Mr. Clark.

I really appreciate it. Thank you.

What are you reading?

The Hulk vs. Wolverine.

I'm Ava. I think I've seen you around school.

You're in Ms. Blanchard's class, right?

Almost ready, Ava?

This is my brother, Nicholas.

- Hi. - Oh.

Come on. Let's go.

You wanna come hang out?

Oh... Sure.

Where the hell do you think you're going? (SNEEZES)

- (SNIFFLES) Open up your bag. - What?

Don't think I didn't see you rob me. Open your bag.

I didn't take anything.

And a liar too.

That's why you were talking to me.

So your brother could put that stuff in there.

Henry, I'm shocked.

And you two... Just who do you think you are?

A fine specimen.

The wood it provides will keep our family's hearth warm this winter.

- Can't I have an axe? - Huh?

You did say you wanted me here so I could help.

That I did. So here is your task.

Take the cart. Go fill it with kindling. The drier the better.

Okay.

And have your brother accompany you.

Okay. Come on.

Wait.

Take this.

Your compass?

So you don't get lost.

A family always needs to be able to find one another.

- Yeah. - Okay.

- Go. - Thank you.

Be safe.

It's getting late. We should go.

Hey! Give it back. Come on, Gretel. Give it back.

No, Hansel. We need to get back to Father.

Fine.

Follow me.

This is where we left him.

So why isn't he here?

- Father! - Father!

Father!

Father!

- Father! - (HOOVES CLOPPING)

- (GASPS) - (HORSE WHINNIES)

Get up.

What are you doing in my forest?

I'm sorry, Madam Mayor, but your son was shoplifting.

Were you?

Well, look for yourself.

My son doesn't eat candy. And he knows better than to steal.

It was obviously those two. We're going.

Henry? What happened?

Ms. Swan. Must I remind you that genetics mean nothing.

You're not his mother. And it's all taken care of.

I'm here because I'm the sheriff.

Oh, that's right.

Go on, do your job.

Take care of those miscreants.

Did you call their parents?

The number they gave me was disconnected.

Did you guys give Mr. Clark a fake number?

Then why is it disconnected?

'Cause our parents couldn't pay the bill.

You guys are just trying to help out, huh?

Please. Please don't arrest us.

It'll just make things worse for our parents.

Please forgive us.

We didn't mean to bother you. We just...

Well, we just lost our father.

Two helpless children, lost and alone.

A family torn asunder.

Such a sad and moving story.

Guards,

seize them.

Hansel, run!

_(CLANKS) _(GASPS)

- (WHOOSHING) - (LAUGHS)

Running from me is foolish.

- (CROW CAWS) - (ROOTS CRACKING)

Foolish,

but also brave.

And that bravery

may just have saved you and your family's lives.

You're letting us go?

Oh, I'm doing so much more than that.

I'm going to find your father.

You are?

Why?

Because you two are going to do something for me.

And then you'll take us home?

This it?

Please. No.

If our parents see you, they'll be so embarrassed.

Did Henry tell you about my super power?

We just met him.

I have the ability to tell when anyone is lying.

So tell me the truth.

Money problems aside, is everything okay at home?

Yeah. We're great.

Can we go?

All right.

She's gone. We're good.

Why did you guys lie to me?

Where are your parents?

We don't have any.

Do you know them? Do they go to your school?

I've seen them, but I had no idea. None of us did.

Ava and Nicholas Zimmer.

They said their mother was a woman named Dorrie Zimmer.

She died a few years ago.

No one seems to know her or remember her.

And the father?

There isn't one. At least not one that they know.

What does... What does Social Services say?

You didn't report them.

I report them, I can't help them. They go into the system.

The system that's supposed to help.

Yeah, says the woman who wasn't in it for 16 years.

Do you know what happens?

They get thrown into homes where they are a meal ticket. Nothing more.

These families get paid for these kids.

And as soon as they're too much work,

they get tossed out and it all starts over again.

They're not all like that.

All the ones I was in.

What? We're just gonna adopt them?

I wanna look for their father.

They don't know him. He may not know they exist.

And you think if he knows he'll want them?

I don't know.

But what I do know,

is it's hard enough finding foster families to take one kid that isn't theirs.

Let alone two.

It's their best shot or...

We're gonna be separated?

No. That's not gonna happen.

Please.

Please don't let it.

Excuse me,

Mr. Krzyszkowski?

It's "Krzyszkowski."

Everyone calls me "K."

Mr. K, I am Sheriff Swan.

I'm hoping to look at the birth certificates

of Ava and Nicholas Zimmer.

All right, just fill out this form

in triplicate.

Okay.

I'm so sorry.

Those documents have been recently removed.

By Who?

Don't worry, Ms. Swan, you can relax.

I've contacted Social Services.

It turns out these kids are on their own.

They need help.

Which is exactly what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to find their father.

Well,

he doesn't exist.

He has to.

Of course, biologically, he exists but there is no record of him.

Which means we have no choice.

These children need a home. So they will be put into the foster system.

Storybrooke has a foster system?

No. But I've contacted the state.

Maine's group homes, unfortunately, are filled,

but they put us in touch with two homes in Boston.

A boys' home and a girls'.

They're separating them?

I don't like it either.

But we've got no choice.

You need to have them in Boston tonight.

Me?

Well, you wanted to be sheriff.

This is what sheriffs do.

Yes, you're taking them.

No. I promised them they wouldn't be separated.

Well, then perhaps you should stop making promises you can't keep.

These children need a home.

I'm just trying to find the best one.

What is that?

My father's compass. He gave it to me so I could find him.

But now it's broken.

When are you gonna tell us where we're going?

This is close enough.

Close enough to what?

The home of the Blind Witch.