I decided to restart this because I was not happy with the original version of this story. Plus, this version is much better planned out compared to the other. The first two chapters aren't much different compared to the original but chapter 3 and 4 have huge changes.

I started writing this fic because I was so frustrated by the horrible story line and characterization of Hans and his brothers. I know Hans was an ass in the movie but he at least had a lot of good qualities to make up for them. In the series, he had zero positive attributes to his character besides his looks. His brothers frustrated me too because both Hans (in the scene before Love is an Open Door) and J. Lee confirm that he had a crappy childhood and his brothers were abusive. So why the hell would they follow Hans and obey his every order like they're his personal f**kboys?

Just so you know, I haven't seen the second half of season 4 because I was completely underwhelmed by the pilot and didn't watch the rest. Please forgive mistakes.

Enjoy.

Chapter 1

Emma could hardly believe that already a year had passed since Elsa returned to Arendelle to reclaim her throne from Hans. So much had happened in Storybrooke since that day that she simply lost track of the days. Elsa had crossed her mind in more recent days along with so many questions. What was she doing? Did she defeat Hans? Had she reclaimed her throne? Did she fall in love or get married like her sister? Emma did worry for a brief moment about Elsa's powers but that worry was gone quickly with the assurance that Elsa had complete control of her powers now. Regardless, Emma couldn't help but worry sometimes.

The tiny splat of a raindrop on the front window took Emma's mind away from her friend. As the woman turned her attention to it, another drop fell, quickly followed by another and another and another until the rain storm burst free from the clouds and drenched the yellow bug.

"Weird." She mumbled as she flicked the lever for the wipers up. The body of her teenage son moved in the passenger seat and eventually turned to look at her.

"What?" Henry asked in a sleep drunk tone. Emma didn't return his gaze as she kept herself focused on the dark road, squinting her eyes slightly in an attempt to see better through the blur of rain.

"It's nothing, kid." She replied, "I just recalled the forecast for tonight being clear skies."

"Oh." Was all the boy said, shuffling once more so he sank even further into the chair. The rain became even heavier. Emma turned the lever up to its highest point but she still had trouble seeing the road properly, prompting her to slow the car down more. They turned around a corner when Henry suddenly screamed.

"STOP!" He hollered. Emma slammed on the brakes, the car skidding on the wet road. She turned the wheel sharply to the left when she noticed something odd on the road and they came to a jumpy halt several meters after. Emma couldn't even catch her breath as Henry snatched the flashlight she kept in the glove compartment and jumped out into the rain.

"Hey! Kid!" She called out after him. She dashed out of the car and followed him. "What are you doing?" She demanded but she stopped when she saw what had caused him to scream. What she thought had been a log or some animal late out at night turned out to be a person!

She crouched down beside Henry, examining the man. She had never seen him before which likely meant that he was not from Storybrooke. This immediately sent warning sirens through her head but that quickly faded when she saw that he was injured, very badly. He sported a large gash on his forehead along with a gaping injury in his stomach, one she could see was still bleeding quite heavily. She instantly pressed her fingers into his neck, feeling a weak pulse against them.

"Henry, give me a hand!" Emma hollered over the rain and the crash of thunder while she grabbed the strange man by his arms. Meanwhile, Henry had stuffed the flashlight awkwardly into his pocket and went to grab him by his legs.

Slowly, they managed to drag him to the bug and lay him down on the back row. In her hurry to cover his injury, Emma didn't even spot how strangely dressed he was, in a gray coat that almost looked like a cloak with iron gauntlets encased with gold over the sleeves. Once the injury was covered with the spare blanket, Emma raced back into the driver's seat and raced towards the hospital, regardless of the danger this stranger posed.

The rain had led up the slightest by the time they reached the hospital but it was still enough to drench someone in seconds; not that it mattered much to Emma and Henry as they were already soaked to the bone. The bug had barely come to a stop before Henry dashed out to warn the staff. Soon after, Emma went to the man and slung his arm over her shoulder to drag him into the building. She wasn't even halfway there when Dr. Whale and several nurses came running out to help.

"What happened?" Whale asked as he ushered Emma in.

"No idea. I found him like that lying on the middle of the road." Emma answered after the doctor had given some orders. She watched as the nurses brought the man to the end of the hall and then take a right. "Have you seen him before?" Whale looked in the direction in which the nurses had disappeared before shaking his head.

"No."

"This better not be another Greg and Tamara case." She mumbled, crossing her arms.

"Your thoughts are mine. Excuse me." And he walked off in the direction of the nurses. With a sigh, Emma plunked herself down on a nearby seat, not caring that she was soaking the chair. The man held a strong presence in her mind. Now that she had an opportunity to think, she realized that her fear of another case of the outside world coming to Storybrooke had been fruitless; the road she had taken had no connection to the road near the town line and they had yet to find a way to rid the border of Ingrid's spell. Rumpelstiltskin had managed to cross it but they had yet to figure out how he had done it.

"Any idea who he was?" She tore her gaze away from the floor to Henry as he took the seat beside her.

"Not a clue but I think it's safe to conclude that he didn't come from outside of Storybrooke." She examined the boy from head to toe and tapped his shoulder, "Come on, I'll drive you home." She stood up and walked to the door,

"What about you?" Henry asked as he ran to catch up.

"I'm coming back here. Even if he's not from the outside, it's my job to keep Storybrooke safe."

"He didn't seem that dangerous." He deadpanned.

"Well, looks can be deceiving. Get in." She slid down into the seat and started the car. Once Henry was dropped off safely in front of the apartment building, Emma promptly returned to the hospital. The rain had long since stopped, leaving the road shiny and littered with dozens of puddles. The tiny clock on the dash board indicated that it was nearly ten o'clock. Emma let out a yawn and returned her gaze to the road. In the distance, she saw someone walking on the road. She didn't think much of it first, thinking it was some straggler who probably had a little too much to drink and was having a hard time finding their way back to their home. But as the range of the headlights illuminated the person, Emma noticed she looked as though she had stepped through a time machine that had brought her from the middle ages. The skirt of her dress was a deep blue and decorated with intricate rosemaling that was stained by dried splotches of blood. The bodice was pure black and the sleeves and the fabric covering her throat and chest was light blue. Emma slammed on the brakes when the light revealed the individual's face. Her mouth agape, Emma stepped out, greeting the individual's gaze. In her shock, she only managed to utter one word past the tight feeling in her throat.

"Elsa?"

Arendelle (One year ago)

"Arendelle." The Queen sighed as she inhaled the familiar smell of the pine forests that decorated the mountains surrounding the fjord and the city. The smile on her face was bright, though it hid a twinge of sadness from the farewell she just said. If she had been completely honest with herself, she would miss Storybrooke. Yes, it was very strange and it nothing that Arendelle had offered but it had its charm. Plus, it was where she found a dear friend and learned to finally control her magic.

Elsa looked over her shoulder but saw no door behind her, just Kristoff. She became worried when she noticed that Anna was not there but no sooner had she noticed when Anna appeared out of nowhere.

"Arendelle." The Princess piped, "Now let's go save it!" She was about to run off when Elsa stopped her.

"Not yet." She said, taking her sister's arm, "We first need to figure out what has happened since you were gone." Anna sighed but she nodded.

"Right."

"And how are you proposing we do that?" Kristoff asked, joining Anna's side, "We're all easy to recognize and Hans no doubt has told everyone we're gone."

Elsa frowned in deep thought because Kristoff was right. Hans would've said and done anything to secure and legitimize his claim to the Arendelle throne though, he would never admit that he tried to kill Kristoff and Anna; that would only make him seem more like a monster.

"Pabbie." Was what Elsa answered after he thoughts

"Then let's go." Anna said, already starting to walk in the direction of the Valley, "The sooner we find out what has happened since we left, the sooner we can defeat Hans." The other two watched for a moment but Kristoff was the only one that eventually moved for Elsa's eyes were glued on the palace far below and in the great distance. Her palace, her home, inhabited by a usurper. She would make him pay for what he did but she had already decided she wouldn't kill him. If she killed him, she would be no better than he was. Monsters take lives without hesitance and she wasn't a monster.

"Elsa?" Kristoff called. The Queen turned her gaze to the man.

"I'm coming." She replied, sparing one final glance at the palace before joining the trip to the Valley.

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