He snuck out onto the opening, his taut bow aiming at a white stag in the middle of a lush meadow.

Well isn't he a beauty, he thought still keeping his focus on the graceful animal. He hadn't seen a stag like this in years. Not making the slightest sound, he quickly snuck around a tree to get a better shot. Hunting was always his favorite thing. He could merge with nature any time he liked.

The stag's gorgeous antlers reflected the early morning's sun perfectly. He readied his bow to slay the white stag, when he was distracted by birds flying from their nests. He watched them for a brief moment before turning back to his prey, but it was too late. The bird's warning had scared off the stag and he now galloped back into the darkness of the forest.

"Damn," he frowned. This had never happened to him before, he always hit his targets. He lifted his hood over his head and walked out onto the meadow searching for what had scared the birds off.

Regina wasn't sure what woke her. Had it been the dew dropping from the leaves onto her face or was it the beautiful white stag standing only a couple of feet away feeding off the lush meadow. She couldn't tell but what she did know was that she was freezing. She shivered slightly and pulled herself up from the ground slightly, trying her best to crawl back into to forest without a sound.

-Craaaaack-

She rolled her eyes.

"Great I can't even walk quietly through a forest to save my life," she frowned at her mistake. She turned to see if the stag still was on the meadow and that's when Regina saw him, a hooded man standing exactly at the same place the stag had just been. She stopped short not knowing how to react. She could see that he was just as bewildered as she was at her presence and the disappearance of the white stag.

She looked around the forest one last time before turning her attention back to the man standing in the meadow. She was certain that she never had seen him before but something about him was so familiar.

"He probably reminds me of Graha..."she said slapping her hand over her mouth when she realized that she was thinking out loud.

Did I really just say that out loud? She cringed and quickly backed further into the forest keeping her eyes fixated on the edge of the clearing.

Thank god he didn't hear me. She spared him one last glance before turning around and promptly bumping into something tall and soft. It took her a while until she realized that she just bumped into the person she was running from.

Baffled, Regina took a leap back fixating on his blue eyes. She clenched her fingers, still not leaving him out of sight. How was it possible that he came up behind her? He wasn't magical she had known that in an instant. The man laughed at her confusion.

"Milady do you honestly think someone like you could harm me in any way?" he smirked at her.

"I could do far more than just harm you," she growled and spitefully added, "Milord."

"I mean you no harm, but you owe me a stag" he said with a smirk, adding, "and not just any stag, I want the white one."

As she hesitated to answer, not knowing what to say he started to laugh again. He had never seen a woman like her. She appeared to be from a wealthy family, at least he could tell that from the way she graciously moved and talked. But then again here she stood in the middle of the forest all covered in mud and blood. Wearing strange clothes almost like the ones Neal had worn. Maybe she came from this Storybrooke but what would he know.

"They call me Hood, but you can call me Robin if you'd like." He said, not even asking for her name "You look like you could use a meal, you must be freezing. Let me take you to my camp."

Regina wasn't sure what to think of this man. Could she trust him? He didn't seem to know who she was, and she was quite happy letting it stay this way. She hesitated for a moment, not sure if she should follow this "Hood", as he called himself.

But since she was very lost she decided that she could use a warm meal and some company.

"Alright then mister Robin Hood, I gratefully accept your offer, lead the way to your camp."

They walked for quite some and Regina started to grow impatient.

"Is this camp of yours at the edge of the world or are you just dragging me around in a circle?" He just laughed at her impatience.

"No, actually it's just around the corner from here." He said with a grin on his face and continued, "See there the trees starting to dwindle from there you will be able to see my camp" he winked at her and turned back onto the trail simply ignoring her confusion.

She couldn't believe her eyes as he guided her to a palace, but it wasn't just a random palace. No, it was Rumpelstiltskin's castle.

"So that's your definition of a camp?" she asked puckering her eyebrows.

"Yeah it has grown within the last couple of years," he said fascinated by her incredulity.

Regina's eyes caught his and she stared right into to the bluest eyes she had ever seen.

"What are you planning on doing when its owner comes back?" He laughed again staring, unflinching back into her gaze.

"Who said that this Palace is not mine?" Now it was her turn to laugh

"Because I happen to know the owner of this castle. Rumpelstiltskin won't be happy if he ever happens to come back here and you and yours are camping out in his castle." Regina said.

Saying this she completely caught him off guard. He wasn't sure who she was and where she would have such knowledge from. He only knew that she must have come from the same world Neal told him of.

"Where would a lady, such as you, learn of the Dark One?" he asked, trying to conceal his surprise.

"Well let's just say we've crossed paths in the past" she said, searching for the right words. He could read in her brown eyes that he wouldn't get any more information out of her and he decided to leave it rest for now.

"Shall we go in then?"

Henry ran onto the porch slamming his fists against the large white front door.

"MOM!" he yelled waiting for the slightest sign of his adoptive mother to be home waiting for him. Emma had just arrived on the porch when Henry ran off again.

"Where are you going Henry?" she asked barely able to catch a breath from running throughout Storybrooke.

"There's a spare key under a pot behind the house." He said running around the corner of the beautiful mansion. "I'll be back in a sec."

She waited for Henry to return, calming her lungs and taking some deep breaths. Henry came back running with a little key in his right hand. Without hesitation he opened the door and rushed in.

Emma slowly followed him looking around the dark corridor. She always has been impressed with the interior design skills Regina had. But something put her off. It was strange now, how everything felt so cold and uninviting.

She walked through the dining room straight into the kitchen, remembering the time when Regina gave her an apple turnover to get rid of her. A sad smile crossed her face and she turned on her heels and she saw Henry standing in the door staring at her with an almost lifeless expression.

"She's not here." he said, tears pouring down his face.

"Maybe she left and went to the office," she tried, but she didn't even believe that lie herself, so she definitely wasn't surprised when Henry didn't either.

"I saw her flying in a different direction," Henry sniffled, "She never came to back to Storybrooke. She must have gone somewhere else." the words hurt to say aloud, but he knew if she had returned with them, she would have come looking for him first above all else.

"Why would Mom do that? Why would she abandon me like that?" he sobbed.

Emma had no idea what she should say, the only thing she could do was walk to him and hold him in her arms.

They stood there hugging for a while. She softly stroked his head. Then she pulled him up onto her arms and started to carry him out the kitchen and out of this empty and now uninviting home. After a while Henry fell asleep in her embrace. He was tired from the shock and the journey. Emma laid him back into his bed and gave him a brief kiss on his forehead after she covered him with the sheets.

"So Regina isn't here?" Snow asked, shocked, "Why would she do this?" She wasn't sure what so feel. Should she be relieved that for once the Evil Queen wasn't around, but all she felt was sadness for the poor boy that probably felt abandoned by the only mother he had known for ten years. Regina might wasn't the best person, well who was she kidding, she was a horrible person. But she had been a good mother to Henry.

"I still don't know. I felt lost! I didn't know what so say to Henry" Emma mumbled over her cup of coffee. She usually didn't like coffee that much, but today she felt like she needed one...or several.

Neal sat in the corner watching the conversation. He didn't want to say anything but he had the feeling that if he didn't speak up and they found out another way, they would never forgive him.

"I might know why she decided to leave Henry..." he said uncertain if he really did the right thing. Both women looked at him in disbelief.

"It might have something to do with what Pan said just before he vanished, I could only hear the last few words he said to her, he said: 'You're going to bring death to him'."

Emma angrily interrupted him disbelieving what he just said, "I can't believe you didn't tell us this before... what did you think you were doing?

"I didn't think it was important. I didn't think he meant Henry! Regina brought death to a lot of people. How should I know specifically who Pan meant by only

hearing that?" he said trying to defend himself.

"You could have at least asked her about it. We might have stopped her from going where ever she went!" she said completely furious at him.

Snow startled, she never seen Emma this angry, it's like she'd almost gone berserk.

"I agree with Emma you should have said this earlier. Why didn't you say at least something earlier today? We could have spared Henry the shock of finding it out himself." she said looking Neal straight into his eyes. Neal looked down to the ground, ashamed.

"Because I thought she came back here with us. It only came back to my mind listening to your conversation..." He knew that he probably wouldn't get out of this anymore. There really was no excuse for not at least asking Regina about what Pan said. If anyone knew how convincing Pan could be it was him.

There was an unbearable silence in the room. David, who hadn't said anything for the whole time suddenly stood. He simply couldn't handle the tension in the room anymore, it was literally so thick he could cut it with a knife.

"So we know that she decided to not come back to Storybrooke. Where did she go then?" he asked.

"There are so many realms how would we find out which one she chose?" Emma asked bitterly.

"I'm sure she went to the Enchanted Forest where else would she go. She doesn't know any other place. And it's probably closest to her heart." Snow answered with her usual optimistic tone.

"Actually, that's not the only place she knows. She could be in Wonderland as well." they all started at the voice this came from.

"How did you get in here Rumpel?" Charming asked in surprise.

"Doors never could stop you, could they?" Neal asked, not surprised to see him suddenly standing in the middle of the living room.

"No, they have never stopped me" the Dark One giggled at their still shocked looking faces. "So who's joining me?"

"Joining you doing what?" they all answered him not sure what to think of this sudden question.

"Well saving the Evil Queen from herself dearie. What else?" he said it as if it was nothing.

"Even if we're able to go Wonderland, there's still a chance she might not be there. And anyways, why would YOU want to help her?" she asked him angrily. Emma didn't trust him and she never would.

"Well let's just say I happen to have some unfinished business to attend in Wonderland. If you want to join me on my journey you can but decide by tomorrow or I'll be gone and you can look for Regina on your own" and with that said he left just as silently as he had come.

They sat there completely startled and confused. No one knew what to say or how to react to what just had happened.

"We have to save her. I know you don't like Regina but we have to do it, for Henry." Emma finally said.

"But we just arrived back here and now we're supposed to rush back again? For what? To save the Evil Queen? I'm sure she can look after herself just fine. How are we supposed to trust in Rumpelstiltskin after all we've been through and not just in Neverland!" Charming mumbled knowing this might just put him in a bad position with Emma and Snow. Neal nodded in consent with him.

"You two are unbelievable." Snow yelled at her husband. This time it was Emma who was surprised upon her mother's rage.

"It's not that I trust him, but he might be our only way out of this world. And yes I'm willing to save Regina. Because she was willing to give up all she loved so that you and I can take care of Henry. She gave him up to save him. Now it's our turn to redeem ourselves." Emma said calmly looking at Neal.

"Okay lets go save the Queen" he knew that Emma already decided to go and he might as well join her. He would never leave her alone with his father. He probably trusted him the least. Snow smiled at them.

"Can't wait let's go pack our bags, I refuse to travel unprepared." She laughed trying to lighten the mood of her family.

"No you two won't come with me." Emma looked into her mother's shocked eyes "I know you want to come but I won't let Henry come with me. It is too dangerous. We never know what might happen on the Journey and he'll need his grandparents to look after him while Neal and I are gone."

Snow's heart dropped but she knew that Emma was right. A journey like this was already enough dangerous without a ten-year-old boy.

"He will want to join you though." David knew that it wouldn't matter because his daughter was just as stubborn as his wife.

"That's why we won't tell him." They could all hear how hard it was for Emma to make this decision.

Hidden from view, Henry had heard enough to know their plan and he was not going to let his parents go without him.

I will not let them leave me back here in Storybrooke alone with Snow and Charming while I could visit Wonderland,he thought getting back to his feet and silently making his way back into his room.

Time for operation Rabbit Hole

So how did you like Chapter 2? I was going to write more of Regina just didn't exactly know then where to take it. I'm a little unsure. What would you guys like to see to happen next?

Hope you're not mad about the new twist. I hope you'll like what I planned next.

Keep tuned Chapter 3 will follow in a couple of days.

Keep on sending reviews they're really helpfull and motivating