For Mary Margaret and David Nolan, love has not been easy. It's been taken away, nearly destroyed, only to come back and tempt them again at nearly every turn. It's meant to be, if only they can find a way...
While David recently chose to stay with his wife, Kathryn, rather than pursue a relationship with Mary Margaret, Mary Margaret won't give up. She can't get him out of her head. So rather than try and do everything she can to make sure that happens, she decides the best cure is stalking him, I mean "bumping into" him, any chance she gets. Not only that, she knows his schedule...to the minute. Every morning he goes to Granny's to buy coffee for him and his wife at 7:15am. Goes to work at the animal shelter until 5 and on Thursdays, he orders Chinese takeout. Convenient knowledge for running into him all over town.
One particular morning of stalking, Mary Margaret heads off to school, AKA Granny's to see David. However, Emma catches her. Emma's advice: Don't go to Granny's tomorrow. It's the first place to start. Sure, it won't magically cure Mary Margaret's broken heart, but it's a start. A good place to start.
Snow White's found her wooded solitude, but being alone hasn't helped her get over Charming. If only there was a cure....a magical cure.
It just so happens there is. According to Red, as in Red Riding Hood, Rumplestiltskin can solve Snow's problem. His powers are to be feared and there's always a price. But without any other options, Snow decides to take her chances. It's better than this most painful affliction on her heart.
So, across a fog covered lake in a simple row boat, Snow White doesn't have to wait long for Rumple's appearance. A few creepy giggles later, Rumple fills a small vile with clear lake water that suddenly turns cloudy and hands it to Snow White. That cloudy lake water can make Snow White forget Prince Charming indefinitely so long as she drinks it after seeing him again. (I guess the lake water doesn't just know which guy is afflicting her; she has to see him first...)
Rumple's price for such a cure: A single strand of Snow White's long, raven black hair. Why? What does it matter, he replies. Snow White no longer needs it. And so, thinking she just got one heck of a deal, she watches Rumple mysteriously disappear into the mist.
While taking a walk, Mary Margaret stumbles upon a rare North Atlantic dove. It's unique in the fact that it can't survive alone without a life-long mate. And being separated forever would probably kill it. (Sound familiar, Mary Margaret?) That's probably why Mary Margaret takes it upon herself to see that this dove makes it back to her, yes her, flock. She needs to be with her mate.
So into the brewing storm Mary Margaret heads for the woods. How she knows where the bird's flock is, I don't know. But, then again, Snow White always had a way with animals. Such a gift must have transferred to Mary Mary Margaret.
David, afraid for Mary Margaret's life, (because of the storm), follows her into the rain and ends up saving her life. Did I mention that Mary Margaret slipped down a hill and went right over a cliff only to conveniently grasp a loose tree root? Well, she did. And David caught up to her just in time to pull her back onto solid ground.
Now, the rain's coming down hard and they need to find shelter. An old, abandoned cabin in the middle of the woods will do. After a few breaking and entering techniques, i.e. kicking open the front door, Mary Margaret and David build a fire and dry off, trying to desperately find conversation that doesn't have to do with their feelings. Of course, that's not possible. So, confessions of stalking are made from both parties, and surprisingly enough, neither cares. In fact, they find it romantic. But what can they do? He's married. It doesn't matter that he has feelings for her. There should be no feelings at all. He's made his choice.
The solution. Avoid each other. And while avoiding each other sounds simple in theory, it's much harder in practice. Especially when they both think so much alike. Rather than get coffee at 7:15am, Mary Margaret and David wait, hoping to just miss the other at Granny's. So when David and Mary Margaret both show up at Granny's at 7:45am they're shocked. Of course they can't avoid each other. They're love is real. It's meant to be. That's why they keep coming together, even when it seems impossible. They really do have true love.
There's still that obstacle of Kathryn, but right now it doesn't matter. And so, in broad daylight, the long awaited kiss between these two finally happens.
Across the street, in her nice BMW, Regina watches on...
Snow White has no choice. She loves Prince Charming too much to see him die because of her. She agrees and meets with James. He's packing for the wedding trip when she walks in. He's overjoyed. His true love has come and now they can be together. But then Snow White steps away. With tears in her eyes she declares that she doesn't love him. She can't. Not like he wants her too. And she's only come to say good-bye. It's one of the most touching moments of the show as she walks away.
Heartbroken and lonely, Snow White comes across Grumpy and the gang. They ask her to come live with them. Right now she needs friends. She tells them about her magical lake water potion. Grumpy advises her not to take it. It won't solve her problems. It's the trials in life that make us who we are. If the pain really is too much then she can take it, but for now, let it be.
But there is no hope of relief, until....
The wedding is off! Charming is not going to marry Abigail! Grumpy rushes to tell Snow White...
Snow White, dressed in a gown to match her name, lounges on her bed in the dwarves' cabin. On the end table the empty vile lays toppled over.
"Who?" asks Snow White when Grumpy tells her about Prince Charming. Her pain...it's gone. The royal wedding and the handsome prince is no longer any concern for her.
She's completely forgotten who he is...
The stranger opens the box to reveal an old typewriter. He's a writer? What's he doing in Storybrooke? He feels it gives him inspiration. But is that really why he's here?
Burning Questions:
1) What does Rumplestiltskin want with Snow White's hair?
2) What was the thing Snow White helped Red with when no one else would?
3) Who's the stranger? What does he really want?
4) What's going to happen with Kathryn?
5) How does Prince Charming call off the wedding?
~ Taryn