Turning off the bugs engine, Emma quietly exited the small vehicle and made her way down the docks, contemplating if she wanted to board the Jolly Roger or just continue to walk near the water. Flexing her fingers at the stiffness radiating through her body, the dread amplifying slightly now that she had followed her instincts to the sea, Emma figured common ground was good and jogged up the gangplank.
Something was off, her magical instincts vibrating with it, but she wasn't sure what it meant; Storybrooke was fine, no evil doers were raining down hexes like they were confetti at the moment, nor was the Sheriff's office even busy with normal non-magical cases; everything was peaceful and calm. In fact, the only real concern Emma had on her mind right now was-
"Henry," Emma scoffed, feeling like a fool for not realizing it sooner. His messages had been coming fewer and fewer in the last few months, becoming non-existent 3 weeks ago. She'd been worrying for days now, allowing her brain to rationalize away what her heart and magic had been trying to convey.
Henry was in danger.
Spinning on her heel, Emma made to head back to the her vehicle when her boot pinged off of glass, the sunlight glittering off the bottle as it skidded across the boards. Recognizing the bottle Killian had provided to Henry and Emma to communicate, she quickly chased the object, her heart pounding at finally hearing something from her son. She didn't hesitate to pull the stopper, her magic practically ripping the cork out in her haste.
"Mom," Henry started, his voice deeper, older, as it flowed from the enchanted bottle, reminding her of just how long it had been since she'd physically seen him. "I need your help. I-I can send a portal with this message, but it won't last long. Please," he added at the end, his voice cracking on the plea.
Digging out her phone, Emma had just barely tapped the contacts app when a loud whoosh sounded to her left, the air crackling with magic as a round portal appeared out of nowhere.
"Shit," Emma muttered, the dread in her stomach amplifying as she realized her family wasn't going to arrive in time. Knowing she only had a few moments to alert Killian of what was happening, she quickly started to type a message to him when the portal started to hiss, the size diminishing at an alarming speed.
"No!" Emma hollered, hastily shoving the phone into her jacket pocket before racing into the orange vortex, her mind consumed with finding her son.
Running his hand down the horse's neck, Killian smiled gently, murmuring his praises as he brushed the large had been quite some time since he been on a horse but when David had suggested they take Neal out for a short ride he had agreed readily, happy for the chance to test his rusty skills.
Hearing movement from outside the Nolans barn, Killian gave the horse one last affectionate pat and, after looking a few stalls down to check that young Neal was tending to his own horse properly, followed the sound outdoors. He found David returning from the main house, two beers in hand.
"We should make this a weekly ritual," David suggested, handing off one of the pre-opened cold bottles. "Maybe even get Emma out here one evening to join us."
"Aye," Killian agreed, his face slowly morphing into one of concern as fiddled with the paper around the beer. Emma had been moping around for weeks, her spirit lowering more and more each day as the absence between Henry's messages became longer.
Never one to not notice things, David sighed. "Still no word from Henry?"
"No." The admittance tasted bitter on his tongue and Killian took a pull from the bottle, using the moment to collect his thoughts. "And I have no misgivings about his abilities. Henry is smart and more than capable.
"But?"
"But," Killian admits, repeating David's skeptical tone, "the Lad isn't one to neglect his Mum."
Agreeing, David nodded. "Maybe-"
"Bloody Hell," Killian growled out, abruptly dropping to his knees as an intense pulse of terror shot through his chest, the sudden emotion stealing his breath. He could hear his name being called through the throbbing in his ears but all he could was clutch at his chest, his heart thundering as the intensity scaled down enough for him realize what was happening.
"Emma," Killian panted, allowing David to help him to his feet. "Somethings happening."
Fear shot through his father-in-law's eyes as David quickly got his phone, bringing it to his ear while still helping to support some of Killian's weight. Killian listened in fear as the muffled rings sounded in the sudden silence, his stomach dropping even more. She didn't answer.
"David."
Two sets of eyes snapped back toward the house, watching as Snow came through the sliding glass door, her eyes trained on her phone. "Regia just texted me that she felt a massive surge of power and-"
"Did she say where?"
"Was it Emma?"
Startled by the force behind the questions, Snow took in the scene before her and demanded, "No. What's going on?"
"Call Regina, tell her to locate it, now," David instructed his wife. "It's Emma." Snow's eyes flew open but she complied immediately.
"Dad," a timid voice called from the barn door, all eyes turning to Neal as he hovered in the doorway. Swallowing, the boy tentatively raised his arm, pointing out past the back border of the yard. "I fe- I felt it. That way, down by the docks."
Killian didn't hesitate to turn heel, his cell still pressed to his ear as he started to run toward the road as fear gripped his heart. He could hear David and Snow exchanging worried words before he felt David racing after him, both of them heading toward the squad car parked out front of the Nolan residence. Holding the phone with his shoulder, Killian put the key in the ignition and had his foot was poised to gun the gas as soon as David got his door closed. He threw the car into drive and used the attachment placed on the steering wheel with his hook to maneuver down the driveway, his free hand left to end the call when Emma didn't answer.
The ride to the docks was tense and, besides for the multiple calls made to Emma that went unanswered, only broken once by David when, after Killian squealed the tires around a particularly sharp left turn, reached out and laid a hand on his arm.
"It's gonna be ok. Emma will be fine."
Killian's only response was to push the gas pedal down harder.
He skidded the car to stop beside Emma's bug, not surprised to find Regina's car already there also. They headed toward the Jolly Roger, finding Regina standing on the middle of his ship, her right hand in the air in front of her.
"Where's Emma?" Killian demanded, his eyes raking everywhere as he spun, looking for his wife.
"She's not here," Regina said absently, her attention still focused on her hand, a slight glow following in it's wake as she moved it slowly around her.
"What do you bloody mean she isn't here? I felt-" Killian cut his snarl off, choosing to run his hand through his hair than voice the agonizing despair that had ripped through his body mere minutes before.
Snapping her eyes his way, Regina finally lowered her arm. "I meant she is not here. No one was when I arrived," she informed him, her voice tight.
"But someone was before? Other than just Emma?" David questioned, his voice practiced steel as he looked around the immaculate ship.
Regina opened her mouth but hesitated, the unusual uncertainty drawing both mens attention. "I'm not sure. The magic originated here, Neal was correct, but…"
"But what?" Killian pressed, stalking closer.
"It doesn't feel like her magic," Regina finally conceded. "Light magic, definitely, and a lot of it. But it wasn't hers."
"Ok," David sighed, watching as Killian pulled out his cell again and tried to reach Emma. "Her car is in the lot so she was here at some point today and there are only so many light-magic users in this town. Neal was with us."
"And I was at my office, finishing up some paperwork," Regina informed them. "It isn't a very long list."
"What about Rumple?"
"Light magic isn't really his deal. But I attempted to contact him already on the drive over and he didn't answer."
Hearing Emma's chipper voicemail recording once more, Killian swore under his breath and started to pace, waiting for the beep before pleading, "Love, please, just let me know you're alright." Ending the phone call, Killian looked down to place his cell back in his pocket when something glared in the sun, catching his eyes. Curious, he walked over to the crate by the railing and bent down, his breath leaving him in a huff when he palmed the glass bottle he had gifted Henry to allow him to communicate with them.
"Is that-" Regina trailed off, recognizing the bottle immediately and Killian didn't waste any time in popping the cork with his teeth, the three of them circling around the bottle. The message replayed, his relief from hearing Henry's voice soon replaced with a shuddering realization that, while Emma wasn't in any danger from Henry, she had surely jumped through a portal to some unknown land, alone and without any help.
"We need to reopen that portal, now."
"And how do you suppose we do that? We don't have any magic beans," Regina reminds David, starting to pace herself, her fear for Henry overriding her usual calm. "And I can't use the Apprentice's wand because I don't even know where to summon a portal to."
"There has to be another way to generate a portal," Killian growls out, his voice impatient.
"Unless you plan on enacting yet another curse, I believe we're out of options at the moment, considering that the only other way I've jumped is with the Hatter's hat, and Jefferson has gone into retirement."
"That's the only ways you've conveyed between realms," Killian picks up on, turning back toward the former Evil Queen. "But others have come to Storybrooke in different ways, aye?"
"Well, yes, of course," Regina answers. "Mermaids can travel under the water through self-made portals, but humans are unable to follow."
"Genie's have the ability to grant wishes to do so," David offers. "And Nemo is able to use Kraken blood to move between realms."
"Neither of which are helpful to us at the present moment though," Regina admits bitterly. "And the ashes my mother used to make her portal are long gone. But," she added, her eyes widening, "I do have another family member who is quite adept at getting in and out of Storybrooke…"
"Zelena," Killian supplies.
"It's worth a shot."
"Ok, I'll head out to the farm and see if she can offer any insights," David decides, heading for the squad car as soon as the words leave his mouth.
After watching David jog away for a few beats, Regina finally turns back to Killian. "I'll go try and track down Gold, since he refuses to answer his phone." Pausing briefly, she sighs deeply before crossing her arms, her voice uncomfortable but steady. "I know you're worried, but Emma made the right choice. Our son needed help."
"I would never eschew Henry any assistance he needed." Unable to forget the absolute terror that had bloomed in the chest, Killian rubbed his hand over his heart, a physical pain still lingering from when it had alerted him to the danger being faced by his True Love.
"Well then Dearies, it's quite fortunate that I'm here to help, isn't it?"
Startled, Killian turns to see Rumple appearing on the deck of the Jolly Roger, both hands clutching objects. "Forgive me if I find that hard to believe," Killian practically sneered.
"You forget, Pirate, that Henry is my grandson."
Chuckling darkly, Killian shakes his head, tossing back, "and you only remember, Crocodile, when it's convenient to you."
"That's enough," Regina barks, stepping between the two men, who had stepped closer to each other in anger. "Henry is out there somewhere, in danger, along with Emma." Turning towards Rumple, Regina looks down at his hands and asks, "you have something to help us?"
Pausing for a moment, as if he was debating his next move, Gold finally nods and holds out the gleaming heels. "It just so happens that I do."
A look of realization appears on Regina's face. "Zelena's silver slippers."
"Able to travel to any realm with a mere click of the heels."
"And if we don't know which realm we need to get to?" Killian questioned.
Smirking, Gold held out his other hand, opening it to dangle a familiar golden compass before their eyes. "Then it would be best to have something that would lead you right where you needed to go."
Reaching for the offered object, Killian's jaw clenched when the blasted crocodile tutted and pulled the compass away, turning to pass it and the heels over to Regina instead. "I believe we'll leave this one to someone who is actually capable," Rumple taunted. Indicating for her to put on the heels, he added, "I believe it is in our best interests to not dally. Something tells me we will be needed quite soon."
Sharing a look with Regina, Killian quickly sends out a text to David as she moves to sit and slip on the silver shoes. By the time he replaces his phone in his pocket Regina is holding the compass out in front of herself, waiting for the others to move closer before clicking the heels and stating loudly, "take us to Henry and Emma."
A glowing circle of flames suddenly opens in the air in front of them, the loud whooshing from the portal drowning out the frantic ringing from Killians phone. Sharing one last look, Killian places his hand on Regina's arm while Rumple does the same on the other side, the three of them walking through the portal without looking back.