A/n: Yeah... I got nothing. Here's a new fanfiction that seems promising? This fanfic is Emma-centric, and the story revolves around her as a character as opposed to her as a partner in a relationship. That being said, I have paired her with someone: Captain Hook. It won't be for awhile, and it definitely isn't the focus of this story. Anyway, here we go! This story continues from where the second season premiere left off, with one exception: Snow White did NOT go into the portal after Emma; assume that it closed after Emma and the wraith went through. This first chapter isn't terribly exciting - it's set-up - but I hope you'll give it a chance all the same.

Summary: The course of Destiny, the path that we must follow, is never easy or simple, and more often than not it is a path that we must walk alone. Emma falls through the void into the Enchanted Forest without Snow White, and must adapt to her environment to survive in her quest to go home. In the meantime, Storybrooke begins to tear itself apart at the seams, as reality begins to crumble in an effort to stabilize the co-existing worlds. Will Emma be able to return home? Will there even be anything to return to?

Thanks, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

"No!" Snow screamed as the portal came to a close, a lock of Emma's golden hair the last thing she saw. She lurched forward, her hands closing around air and smacking on solid ground. Her shoulders shuddered as a sob racked her body, her sweet voice reduced to murmured pleas and incoherent but palpable sadness. Charming moved forward to kneel next to his wife, an arm wrapped around her shoulders as he held her close. "This can't be happening," She sobbed into his shoulder. "We just got her back."

"I know," Charming replied, rubbing her back. "I know. But we'll find her again, Snow, we will. She'll be looking for a way to come back to us, and to Henry. We'll find her."

"If there's anything left to find," Regina said from her place leaning against the wall. There was no malice in her tone, no hint of mocking. She sounded numb, shocked even.

Snow raised her head to look at her stepmother. "She's alive. I can feel it." With a final snuffle, she stood slowly, leaning into Charming. Her tears halted with a shaky breath. "I can feel it," She reiterated, saying it more firmly. "And you," Snow said, turning towards Regina. "You are going to help me get her back."

Regina looked at her, and Snow could see the hatred in her eyes flare. "Oh, really?"

"Yes, really." Snow replied, her tone brooking no argument. "You have magic, and she got pulled in there to save you. So, yes, you are going to find a way to bring her back."

"Bring who back?"

Regina turned to see Henry and Ruby standing in the entryway. Henry frowned, looking at the general destruction of the room. "Where's Emma?" He asked, his voice getting quiet. He stepped forward to look around Regina, to look around Snow and Charming. "Where's Emma?" He repeated, a hoarse note catching in his throat.

Regina reached out to comfort him, her maternal instinct encouraging her to reach out to her child. Henry jerked out of her reach, tears collecting in the corners of his eyes. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything," Regina said, hurt creeping into her tone. "Emma was pulled into the vortex by the Wraith."

"But you can get her back, right?" Henry asked, his tone hopeful and pleading.

Regina frowned, feeling conflicted. With Emma gone, there was no one else to lay claim to Henry, and it was the ideal situation. But Henry was upset by Emma's absence, and would likely blame her if she didn't try to bring Emma back. She wanted her son to be happy, but if Emma came back there was no guarantee that Henry would be her son for much longer. "I'll try, Henry, but..." She trailed off, no longer wanting to say the possibility if it would upset him.

"But...?" Henry asked, straightening up. Regina almost laughed at his subconscious motion. Even as a toddler, he had always been a problem solver. His back straightens, his chin juts out in defiance, and you can see the wheels turning in his brain. Now was no different. He heard the 'but' as the precursor to a roadblock, and was gearing up to fix it. But this was something that even he couldn't fix, if it was true. If the Enchanted Forest didn't exist anymore, then Emma was dead, and nothing Regina did would be able to change that - not even for Henry.

"Nothing," Regina replied, shaking her head. Her eyes met with Snow White's over Henry's head, and she saw a glimmer of understanding in them. How Regina hated that, that self-righteous sympathy. Even still, at least for the moment, dealing with Snow White could be put on the back burner. By asking Emma to protect her, Henry was giving Regina a chance to redeem herself - and she was going to take it. Nothing except Henry mattered at this point.

Charming spoke up from his position at Snow White's side. "Don't worry Henry. We'll get her back."

Henry looked at the prince with hope, and curious vulnerability. "How do you know?"

Charming smiled. "Because in the same way that I always find Snow when we're separated, we'll find your mother. All it takes is a little courage and perseverance - both of which you have in spades." He said with a chuckle.

"Just like your mother, who will also be trying to get back to us." Snow supplied with a warm smile.

Regina looked down, unable to stomach their inspirational speeches. She was Henry's mother, which everyone seemed to conveniently forget. She just wasn't his only mother anymore. She sighed and smoothed her clothing out. "Henry, it's late. We should be getting home."

"Home?" Charming questioned, his tone sharp. "He's not going home with you!"

Regina's eyebrows shot to her forehead. "Excuse me?"

"Henry is Emma's son, and our grandchild. Henry should be staying with us." Charming affirmed, standing at his full height.

Regina's lip curled. Such a weak attempt at honor; such self-righteous notions. "Henry is my son, and Emma's by a certain extension, but Emma is not here. I am. If you want custody of him, then get a court order. Let's go Henry," Regina said gently, directing Henry towards the door.

"You can't just -" Charming made to move forward but Snow held him back, shaking her head.

"Henry should decide where he wants to stay." Snow said, looking Henry in the eye. "You can certainly stay with us if that's what you want, but we won't be upset if you would rather stay with Regina and sleep in your own bed."

Henry looked between them and felt his heart ache. He had wanted to spend tonight with Emma, and his grandparents, but Emma wasn't here now. He looked at his mom appraisingly. She didn't react to Mary Margaret's suggestion that he choose where to go, and seemed at peace to let him decide. "I think... I think I'll stay with my mom tonight." He said uncertainly. He was still conflicted about his mother. She had raised him and cared for him, but he had always felt a barrier between them - he never felt fully loved - and she had done so many awful things. Emma had been wonderful, and he loved her and recognized her as his mother, but, evil or not, so was Regina.

Regina smiled at him, a real smile, and politely nodded to Snow and her prince. "I suppose we shall speak in the morning,"

"Yes, we will," Charming affirmed, his tone curt but polite. "See you tomorrow Henry,"

Henry waved good-bye to them as he walked out the door, and thanked Ruby for taking care of him. Ruby ruffled his hair and waited until they left to speak.

"Is Emma really gone?" She asked tentatively, feeling indescribably sad. She had begun to look at Emma as a role-model and, on another level, a big sister.

Snow nodded. "Yes, to the Enchanted Forest with the Wraith."

"Is there a way to bring her back?" Ruby asked, hopeful.

Charming and Snow looked at each other, their hands clasped tightly. "There has to be," Snow replied. "There has to be."

-onceuponatime-

Emma groaned as she awoke, her back screaming in protest. Her head felt like a drum circle was going on in the inside of her brain. Her eyes fluttered open, squinching against the brightness of the light. Blurry at first, her vision took a minute to adjust. She slowly began to prop herself up, feeling every ache and scratch. It wasn't until a shadow loomed over her that she realized she wasn't alone. She coughed, feeling incredibly hot and parched in the desert-like terrain. She was definitely not in Storybrooke anymore.

"Stand up, slowly," The words were curt, and the tone was cold. Emma complied slowly, taking stock of her new companion. An asian woman stood a foot away, dressed in full armor, a sword pointed in Emma's general direction. Behind her, a woman - clearly nobility - stood peering at Emma with mixed emotions of curiosity and fear and, even, a little hatred.

"Why did you come here?" The warrior asked, looking at Emma pointedly.

"I.." Emma paused to cough, her tongue feeling like sandpaper. The woman behind the warrior offered a waterskin, which Emma accepted gratefully, taking a good swig before handing it back. She didn't miss the irritated look the warrior gave the girl. "I didn't mean to. We were trying to get rid of the Wraith; I got sucked into the spell too."

"So," The warrior's tone dipped into freezing. "You are responsible for the Wraith appearing."

"I guess," Emma replied, not seeing where this was going.

"Then I should just kill you now, and avenge Phillips death!" The warrior snarled, the tip of her sword pressed into Emma's throat.

"What? Who the hell is Phillip?" Emma asked, alarmed. What kind of world was this? She'd been conscious for all of three minutes and she was being accused of murder.

"Phillip," The noble woman began, her tone somber and her face morose. "Was my true love, and her best friend." She said, gesturing to the warrior. "He was killed by the Wraith a mere two hours ago. He was killed by the Wraith that you brought here."

Emma opened and closed her mouth, not knowing what to say. It wasn't really her fault, and yet it was at the same time. "I'm sorry for your loss," Emma began, meaning it sincerely. "But...you have to understand, my son... The Wraith had cursed someone in my world and was set to destroy them. We had no other choice! If you had had the means to send the Wraith somewhere else before it could get to Phillip, wouldn't you have done the same?" Emma asked, grasping at straws. She took comfort in the fact that she still had her gun in the back of her pants, but didn't want to use it unless absolutely necessary. She could see her mark hit home with the noble woman, but noticed that the warrior was still struggling with the concept. Anger and loss burned behind those eyes; she was still searching for someone to blame his death on.

"She's right," The noble woman said sadly, addressing the warrior. "We can't fault her for protecting someone she cares about when we were ready to do the same. As angry as I am, it is the wraith who killed Phillip. Not this woman."

"She brought it here!" The warrior insisted, baring her teeth.

"It doesn't matter, Mulan. She is innocent. Lower your sword." The noble-woman said, laying a hand on Mulan's arm.

Mulan shrugged her off and reluctantly lowered her sword, turning away. Her eyes still burned with anger.

Emma nodded towards the noble woman. "Thank you. I am...truly sorry for your loss, when we sent the wraith here we never imagined that... We thought this world was destroyed. We thought we were sending the Wraith into a void."

"A void? How curious! Where are you from, exactly? You dress so strangely, and your manner of speech... It's unusual. Why did you think this world was destroyed?"

"Well, because of... the curse. We thought this world was long gone. I'm obviously from a different, um, world, I guess would be the best way to describe it." And a different time, to boot. "Wait, did you say that she's...Mulan?" Emma blinked, her jaw dropping slightly. Right. Fairy-tales were real. All of them.

"Yes, I am Mulan," The warrior replied, her tone calm and her eyes no longer blazing with hatred.

"I am Princess Aurora," The noble woman added, smiling at Emma. "And you are?"

"My name is Emma," She replied, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"Emma," Mulan repeated the name aloud. "And how do you know of the curse, if you are from a different world?"

"Some members of your...world were hit by the curse - though we assumed that everyone was, actually. The curse transported them to my world, a world without magic, and trapped them there for twenty-eight years with no memory of their lives here. I guess, technically, I'm from here too - I mean, I was born here, but... I grew up there. But the curse was broken yesterday, and then the Wraith happened and..." Emma trailed off, not sure how much information she should be divulging. "They all thought this world was destroyed by the curse."

"No," Mulan said, shaking her head. "Not all of it. The kingdoms the curse touched are now ravaged by evil - they are deadlands now. Year by year, that evil has crept into the other kingdoms. Now there is only one kingdom left untouched - ours."

"I see," Emma replied uneasily. This world was completely out of her realm of expertise. There was magic, and wraiths, and actual kings and queens. She swallowed uncertainly. She filed away her parentage for later use; being the sole child of Snow White and Prince Charming might come in handy later.

"Speaking of evil, we should head back to base camp," Mulan said, addressing Aurora, who nodded.

Emma stood by awkwardly, unsure of what to do. "Look, I'm new to this world and I'm not sure how to get home. Would it be alright if I came with you?"

Mulan looked her over and nodded before giving a sharp whistle; two horses came trotting from a few yards away. As Aurora began to mount, Mulan unhooked a coil of rope from her saddle and approached Emma. "Regardless of whether or not you sent the Wraith here, you are a stranger in our kingdom. As such you must be treated as a prisoner until you have been interrogated and found to be innocent. Elsewise, you must leave."

Emma nodded, her lip curling in distaste, but held her hands out to be tied. It wasn't ideal, but it was necessary. Emma closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was going to survive this, and find a way home, back to her son. The rope chafed her skin, but she didn't complain. She walked behind Mulan and Aurora as they rode, keeping up as best she could. She had a feeling that this was going to be more of an adventure than she bargained for. Her attention was drawn to her locket, the only piece of jewelry Henry's father had ever given her. She wished she had the time to open it, to look at the picture of Henry as baby - the only picture she had of him - but knew that Mulan had no intention of stopping until they reached the encampment. She would simply have to make do with knowing that it was there, and feeling the weight of it against her collarbone. She would return to her son, and her parents. She would find a way, no matter what. She had to.

A/n: So, that's it for now. I haven't given up on my other stories; I'm just having a little creative stunting right now. Please review – they mean the world to me! Also, if you have any suggestions or requests, don't be shy about asking them!

I am looking for a beta to help with the read over. If you would like to be a beta, please send me a pm at your earliest convenience. I do have a tumblr, which I am on much more often than twitter, and a link there can be found on my profile. Alright, I think that's it for now. Please review and let me know what you think - especially about how in-character or out of character someone might be.