Thank goodness the sleeping powder Mara found in Rumple's cupboard worked, the guards at the entrance to the dwarven mines were fast asleep within moments. Sneaking into the prison especially built for Rumpelstiltskin was no easy feat, especially with an almost year old baby girl in her arms, but the knowledge that something terrible was almost upon them lent an air of desperate grace to Mara's actions.

"Love….what are you doing in this horrible place…and why did you bring the wee one? I'm sure I told you to stay away." Rumple asked with a frown on his impish face, as Mara made her way to the cage her lover was being kept in. Ignoring his question…and the statement…Mara moved closer to the bars separating her from her otherworldly love, the baby girl in her arms stirring as she noticed who they had come to see.

"Rum, do you remember the night Alanna was born? How fast she came, how she wouldn't wait for you to go get the midwife? She was in such a hurry to enter this world…like she was so ready to meet her Da, nothing would do but for you to be the one to pull her into this world and be the first to lay hands on her".

"Of course I remember dearie…how could I forget the night my little love joined us….but that does not explain why you are here"

Continueing to ignore his questions, Mara continued, "My love, you told me that we would be going into a strange, new world tonight, that no matter what you did, or what deal you made, there was no way for us to be together, that I would not know you, that Alanna would forget her Da, but that we would both be safe, that no one would be able to hurt us". She spoke softly, but with a determined edge to her voice. "I couldn't figure out why you insisted that I stay so close to Alanna this night, making me promise you that she wouldn't leave my arms. Then I realized, that will ensure she will be with me in the new world, and that if she is with me, then I will be safe from harm."

"Yes, yes, yes….of course" Rumple spoke impatiently "I knew you would figure it out, but that does not help you and I. Even if you are in my arms I will not be able to keep us together, you will forget me when the curse comes over us"

"I understand that Rum…I know you did all that you could" Mara spoke softly, while the tears ran down her face. "I just wanted to make sure our girl could see her Da one last time, and I wanted you to hold her one more time" Mara explained as she slipped the rosy cheeked girl through the bars into her father's arms.

As Rumpelstiltskin held his darling baby girl, feeling her small hands patting his rough skin, he thought of all that he would be losing…again he would be a father with no child.

"Mara, here take her back…the curse is almost upon us, I can feel it moving" Rumple called out anxiously.

But instead of taking the baby, Mara moved farther away from the cage.

"Come get the baby…you have to be holding her!" panic seeping into his voice, a wildness coming over his features.

"I love you Rum, I loved you in this world and I will love you in the next…even if you have to remind me of that love. I will not leave you alone as we go to this horrible place. Tell her about me, tell her our story, tell her how you made a deal and saved my life". Mara was sobbing openly now, staying just out of reach of her lovers arms.

"NOOOOOOOO…that is not the deal!" Rumple yelled as his baby girl cried in his arms. "You will forget her, you won't remember being her mother….and I can't be sure you will be safe"

"But you will remember for me" Mara explained as the darkness overtook them, swallowing up their family and their happily ever after.