An important note from the author: It has been about two years since I began to write fanfic again, so I apologize if my writing is subpar, or the characters are OOC. I am a fan of the show, I have seen all the current seasons, etc, but I still ask, as my readers to have patience with me. On October 8th, my mother passed away from complications from cancer. Although it has been a few months, I am still grieving, my pain is still real, but writing has been my source of refugee from my current troubles.

In short, I ask you my future readers to have patience with my story, and I hope I do not disappoint anyone with the telling.

Thank you for your support,

Jessica

The man who sat hunched in a corner of his cell was a shell of his former self. Knees tucked to his chest, his normally clean shaven face now nearly a full beard. Listless eyes cracked open only for a moment, eyes refusing to shed anymore tears over the current situation- his- no- their current situation.

"Mate…." The pirate's voice was sand papery dry, coming from the prison cell next to him. Charming's eyes flitted over to the voice coming from his left side, every movement was absolutely, utterly draining for him. Of course, the wires protruding from his arms taking actual blood from him nonstop, plus the current tube he was situated in that was dousing the entire thing in some sort of dampening magic probably had something to do with it too.

"Killian…" Charming finally said, sparing the pirate a glance. He truly wasn't being rude, but he simply lacked the strength.

"Gotta keep strong mate." Killian said, the simple sentence taking every bit of strength he possessed. "For the lad. For Emma."

Charming perked up a bit, but only just. He glanced to his right, looking through bleary eyes at the other occupants in their other cells.

On his right: Emma. Henry. Ruby, Regina. On his left: Killian, Gold, Anna, Kristoff.

Killian was laying on his back, taking slow measured breathes, in an effort to converse the precious energy his body was being stripped of. Gold, the most stoic of the bunch was silent, sitting in a corner of his own tube, eyes cast to the floor. Charming had tried talking to him for days, so far, nothing.

Anna, bless her soul, was making her best attempt to keep everyone's spirits up, even through their horrible circumstances, offering pep talks when she had strength to do so. But mostly, her thoughts, her concerns were for her new husband Kristoff. Charming's heart wrenched, seeing him. His best friend kept his back to the others, laying on his side, his face pale, eyes closed, breathing slow. Many times, Charming caught Anna, helplessly pressing her palms to the glass of her own cell, calling out to her true love in an effort to rouse him from his weakened state.

Ruby fought the hardest at first. Throwing herself at the glass, slamming it with her fists, yelling at their captors, who only began to increase her dosage in her cell, putting her into a stupor faster than the rest.

"Still counting on that true love, dear?" a beaten voice asked.

Female. Soft, but rough. Beaten but not broken. Regina. Charming's eyes meet hers. The once evil queen was sitting crossed legged in the tube that contained her. Her blood, which was purple in color, which Charming assumed was due to her magical enhancements, was steadily being absorbed.

"Snow will find us….."Charming assured hear weakly, but he wasn't quite sure he believed it himself. "As will Robin. The others…in Storybrooke…"

His strength took a dip, a pulsing shudder swept through him. More of his strength was being taken from him.

"Hmm" was all Regina said, probably all she could say with her engery being taken from her as well.

"dad…."

Emma. Charming coul barely look at his little girl. Her face took a waxy complexion, hair hanging low over her face. She was sitting with her back to the glass, head down, fingers weakly making circles on the floor. Her blood took a whiteish sheen, in contrast to Regina's purple, an Gold's black, constantly being filtered intro strange tubes.

"Your mother, the others will find us." Charming said.

His baby looked up at him, the simple gesture taking every bit of strength she had in her. "Not this time…..I…" Emma's brow scrunched. "I feel so weak…."

Charming wanted to break the glass, to free himself, then her, to gather her in his arms, wipe away her tears.

But he couldn't. All he could do was hang in the void, feeling himself mentally slip away piece by piece. "Emma…." That simple word alone nearly took everything he head.

"It'll be alright, Emma." Anna said. "Snow, Elsa….they'll find us! I'm sure we'll be out of here safe an sound…."

"Maybe." Emma said weakly. "I can't… think…so weak."

"Emma….love, just rest." Killian instructed with a smile. "Have to keep strong, especially for the boy here."

Charming felt his respect for the pirate grow even bigger in that moment.

"I agree with him. Everyone, we're going silent for a while. Take slow, measured breaths. Only talk, I repeat, only talk if you have…"

Charming, taking his own advice went silent. Fatigue swept over him like a wave, nearly rendering him unconscious.

Snow. Find us.