Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Once upon a time

Setting: set after Jekyll and Hyde. Not really a new story...just an untold one.

There was a throbbing in her head. And she was laying on the ground. "Why am I on the ground?" She groaned and opened her eyes slowly and drank in her surroundings. She wasn't the only one, it seemed. She was in a forest now, and there was a group of people huddled nearby. It looked as though a few were hurt, but nothing serious. She still didn't know how she ended up in a forest.

"Are you hurt at all?"

The kind female voice drew her from her muddled thoughts. She winced when she looked up, feeling something likely pulled in her neck. "Not too badly, I don't think," she answered, recognising the two spoke with different accents, but she couldn't place the other woman's.

She watched the woman open the book she was carrying, a ledger from the looks of the contents, and held up a pen.

"We're taking names from everyone who came in. See if we can't connect you with any family, anyone you might know."

She shook her head. "I don't even know where I am."

"You're in Storybrooke." The woman smiled, likely realising she was rushing through the process. "My name is Belle."

"Elizabeth," she reciprocated and her eyebrows furrowed. "I've never heard of Storybrooke. How did we get here?"

"We're not quite sure," Belle admitted. "It seems it was likely a curse that brought you from the Land of Untold Stories."

Elizabeth nodded slowly, taking in the information. "Is that where I was?"

Belle leaned forward ever so slightly, examining the other. "You didn't know where you were?"

"There was...my life has been quite a whirlwind. I'm not even sure of the year."

"Time can work differently in different realms. In this realm it's the year 2017."

Elizabeth sighed. "And what realm might this be?"

"One without magic. Well, except for this town." Belle waved to someone behind Elizabeth. "Henry, we could use your help."

Elizabeth turned to see a young man, a teenager really, walking towards them with a large book in his hands. A quick survey of his appearance, really both of them, told her she was completely out of her element.

"Hi. My name's Henry," he said, holding out his hand.

She smiled and shook the offered hand. "Elizabeth."

"You're from the Land of Untold Stories?" His voice was filled with some wonder, but there was a mission behind his words.

She looked away. The others were slowly dispersing, being brought away by a pretty woman with short black hair, the colour of a raven. Skin as white as snow. "I'm told that was where I was before landing here."

Henry paused. "Where were you before that?"

Elizabeth put a hand to the side of her head. "I'm sorry. You're asking so many questions."

"No, I'm sorry." Henry sat down and showed Elizabeth the book he held. "I'm the author. I write down the stories of others. The people in Storybrooke, their story was already written down. I'm going through the new arrivals and writing down their stories."

"I don't have a story to tell," she muttered, gripping the fabric of her dress.

"That's not true. Everyone has a story. And a happy ending. Even villains. Well, they turn into heroes and get their happy ending."

Elizabeth thought on that for a moment, then noticed Belle had joined the last of the 'new arrivals'. "I've had happiness. I don't believe I'm in search of this….happy ending. If it's an ending, then it's over. Finished. I'd rather have a happy life."

"It's not really an ending...but I think I get what you mean." Henry pulled out his quill and started a new page. "Why don't we start with where you were born."

"My apologies, but as I said before, I don't have a story to tell."

Henry gave her a small smile. "It's okay if you have something to hide. If you've done something, I'm not going to judge. I just want to have your story recorded. My mom, she was a really bad person before. A villain. But she's good now. And my other mom-"

"Two mothers?"

"I'm adopted. My biological mom and the mom who raised me, they're both in my life," Henry explained patiently. It was clear he had explained it already to many people. "My biological mom, her boyfriend used to be a villain. A pirate. But he's good now too. See, it doesn't matter what you've done. It's what you do after, how you live the rest of your life."

"I appreciate the honesty, and the intimacy of this conversation, Henry," Elizabeth said, "but most of my life is...well, as muddled as my thoughts. The timing is all...it's not quite linear, but I don't know how it happened. Belle, she said she would connect me with family. But she told me the year, and they've been dead for centuries, and…" Her voice trailed away and finally met Henry's eyes. "I don't tend to ramble."

"Where are you from?"

"The Enchanted Forest."

Henry's eyes lit up and pulled out a second book from the bag on his back, which Elizabeth hadn't noticed. "That's where we're from! Well, not me. I was born in this realm, but if you're from the Enchanted Forest, you must be in here."

Elizabeth watched as Henry flipped through the pages, some with all text and others with painted images of people in beautiful gowns, dragons breathing fire, one picture had Belle even. "What is this?"

"These are the stories of the heroes of the Enchanted Forest. Snow White, Prince Charming, you know. Those kinds of people."

Elizabeth shook her head. "I've never heard of them."

Henry looked at her quickly. "Wait, you said your family has been gone for centuries?"

"Perhaps you should have asked me when I was born, not where." When his eyes asked the question, she answered, "1829."

His face dropped but gained a thoughtful look. "You're from before most of these stories. Are you magical?"

"I cook like I am," she joked with a smile.

Henry laughed and continued flipping through the pages. "The only one you'd have heard of is probably the Dark One."

Elizabeth shuddered at the name. "Yes, I've heard of him. Thankfully I've never had the pleasure of meeting him."

"He might know more about what happened to you."

Her eyes widened. "The Dark One? He's here?"

Henry nodded. "Yeah. He's...well, he's trying to be better. I don't think he's as evil as he used to be. He's actually my grandfather." He waved a hand at her look of shock. "You don't want to know my family tree. It's confusing."

Elizabeth glanced down at the book, when suddenly she placed her hand on a page, stopping Henry from flipping through. Her jaw dropped slightly as she let her fingers slide along the picture. Hair disheveled, but eyes just as bright as ever.

Henry watched her face. "You know him. You know Captain Hook."

She pulled her hand away and looked at Henry. "Captain Hook?"

"You know the man in this picture. I can see it in your eyes."

"The man I knew didn't wear makeup...is that eyeliner?"

Henry closed the book and stood quickly. He held out a hand to Elizabeth. "Come on. I can bring you to him."

Elizabeth considered taking his offer. She was sure Henry could hear her heart pounding. "He's here...in this land. He isn't dead." "I don't know Captain Hook. But...I am in the mood for a story. You're an author-"

"The author," Henry corrected.

"Tell me a story. His story."

Henry sat down again and opened the book. "Where should I start?"

She thought for a moment. "The Royal Navy."