Hello everybody! I just want to apologize for not updating this story in a long time. I've been swamped with school and now work, so, my free time has become somewhat limited. Hopefully, I'll be able to post more in the upcoming weeks but I can't make any promises; however, I do want to thank those of you who have waited and stuck by meor are choosing to. Patience is a welcomed virtue in this case! :)

Summary of the Previous Chapter: Killian and David were in the woods looking for Belle but got more than what they bargained for while Emma found herself trapped in Gold's shop.

To any of the comments that I haven't responded back to (guests or otherwise): Thanks for your feedback! It's all appreciated and I hope that I don't disappoint any of you (with the story or not updating fast enough)! XOXO

Please, enjoy! R&R!

Chapter Four: A Mother's Worry

"She's still not picking up," Mary Margaret announced to the room, her voice uncharacteristically soft and it was all due to the rising fears that were currently bubbling inside of her. Emma was supposed to be home an hour ago, at the very least, for her share of the babysitting duties, but she wasn't answering her phone. And since there hadn't been any previous calls or text messages to let her know otherwise, the lack of communication between them was really starting to unnerve her.

Trying to swallow against the unmovable lump that had formed in the deep crevices of her throat, Mary Margaret anxiously went into her caller's id log and pressed onto her daughter's name again, praying that she would be successful, this time, in reaching her. Anticipating the outcome, she could already feel her uneasiness begin to prickle and claw at her skin, so with a little bit too much force, she punched the call button in hard and waited for Emma's voice to fill her ear but when the endless ringing sounds, once more, gave way to her firstborn's voicemail, she ended the call and looked up to meet the collective eyes of Regina, Henry and Elsa.

"…Nothing. She didn't answer…"

"Perhaps she's with your husband?" Elsa immediately advised; concern etched on her face at the fact that they couldn't seem to get in touch with Emma.

Mary Margaret's eyes widened before she quickly dialed David's number, silently hoping that their new arrival's insightful suggestion was in fact the truth, but any optimism that she had plummeted seconds later when she was instantly sent to his voicemail as well. Stomach rolling, an indescribable and heavy feeling began to sweep through her, creating dark and unnecessary thoughts inside of her mind.

"...Did you reach him?" Elsa inquired weakly, despite taking in the disappointment contouring Mary Margaret's face.

"No, I just don't understand why they're both not picking up…"

"Should I try calling Killian?" Henry asked, moving away from the occupied cradle in order to stand closer to his grandmother. Cell in hand, he propped it up before carrying on. "Maybe he's with them both?"

"Good idea," Mary Margaret acknowledged with a small smile. "While you're doing that, I'll retry Emma and David." Repeating her earlier process, she located their numbers before trying one at a time but with the same response as before, she allowed herself to become distracted by Regina's irritated voice.

"This could be a stretch of my imagination," the other woman began, her expression completely unmoved, bored and humorless. Standing beside the front door, Regina leaned back against it and crossed her arms over her chest, passively. "But did you do something to make either of them upset at you? You do have the tendency to be overbearing at times…among other things…"

Ignoring the underlining and judgmental tone, Mary Margaret shook her head. "No, everything's fine…we're fine. I just…I just hope nothing bad has happened—" Finally lowering the phone away from her ear, she channeled her nervous energy into her fingers by fidgeting and caressing the top half of the device.

"I'm sure they're just busy," Elsa chimed in again, drawing the gazes of the other three onto her. Looking between them, she continued, her eyes hopeful. "Maybe, maybe they're both too engrossed in their obligations or free time to respond to that, uh, interesting talking mechanism of yours…?"

"Even if that's true," Mary Margaret responded with watery eyes, her apprehension clearly shining through. "Emma usually finds some way of letting me know what's going on, especially if she's made prior commitments…and the same goes for David. They wouldn't just leave me wondering like this..." Turning away, she hastily walked over to the sleeping form of her son—who was stationed near the stairs in his cradle—confusion as well as adoration swimming in her eyes.

"Well, as much as I love being here," Regina began sarcastically, pushing herself away from the door in order to open it. "This does seem like a family issue—one that I don't need to concern myself with. So, I'll just see myself out and—"

"Mom, you can't just leave!" Henry shouted, surprising both her and Mary Margaret. Ever since he had brought Killian's name into the conversation and volunteered to get in touch with him, he had been trying to do just that, but he too was coming up empty. Like the rest of them, it just went straight to his voicemail, which Henry not only found to be troubling but also...weird. Though he was still technologically impaired, Killian always, always answered his phone calls, so…why wasn't he now?

Something probably happened to him too, he reasoned quietly. Not only was he worried about what could be going on but he was also concerned that this just might put a further wedge between the growing members of his family IF they didn't find a way to get over at least some of their differences. So, with a serious expression, he straightened his shoulders and continued on, firmly. "We need to find them all and you ignoring us, me included, isn't going to help anything!"

Shocked by his unreasonable-yet-accurate words, Regina dropped her hand from the knob and took a few steps off to one side so she could bring herself further into the room. Shaking her head, she responded back, softly. "That's not exactly how I would put it, Henry. I'm not…I'm not trying to ignore you. I—"

"No?" he instantly questioned with raised eyebrows. "How else would you describe a person who has been hiding away in their house, or vault, instead of being around those who care about them?"

Regina's eyes widened at her son's perception, but before she could even think of a reply, Elsa interrupted with her hands held up in front of her.

"Okay, okay," she interjected calmly, trying to be the voice of reason. "Arguing isn't going to solve anything. First things first, we have to find out if something has happened to Emma and her father."

"And Killian," Henry contributed, turning his attention away from the noticeably distressed Regina and onto the other people in the room.

"I take it that Hook also didn't pick up?" Mary Margaret asked, stating the obvious. She had barely heard the disagreement that had just taken place because she had been too busy thinking about what could be happening out there and, unfortunately, she also couldn't seem to shake the bad feeling that has been eating at her since she had made that first phone call. Something's definitely wrong, she acknowledged to herself, silently.

"No," Henry answered sadly. He then looked down at his cell for a moment before speaking again. "So, what are we going to do? Are we going to go out and look for them?"

"I really don't think that's a good idea," Regina cut in, immediately voicing her opinion. "If they are in danger, and I'm not saying that they are, running around Storybrooke in search for them doesn't sound like the best of decisions. It's unwise and rash."

"All the more reason to find out if they are in danger by checking their last known whereabouts," Mary Margaret followed, candidly. Easily dismissing the annoyed sigh Regina had responded back with, she then turned her gaze onto Elsa. "Would you mind staying here and watching Neal? I know that I shouldn't be leaving you alone, but this-this is rather important…"

"Of course I will," the other woman replied with a temperate smile and once Mary Margaret had moved away from the cradle, in order to get what she needed over by the door, Elsa picked up a part of skirt and gracefully make her way over to the bottom side of the crib. Looking down at the sleeping baby, she gently adjusted his blanket before looking back up at the other three with an interested expression.

"Thank you, Elsa. We'll be back as quickly as possible," Mary Margaret announced over her shoulder while unhooking her dark jacket from the coatrack. After she had swung the outwear about herself—which would've hit Regina in the shoulder if the latter didn't foresee it and moved away—she fastened it and then reached for the door's knob. Twisting it open, she glanced over at her grandson. "Come on, Henry," she began, determination beaming in her eyes. "Let's go look for them."

"Ahh, excuse me," Regina cut in with a raised finger, which rooted any movements Henry was going to make towards the entrance. "I will not have my son traipsing about this town, on a fool's errand, with—"

"It's not a fool's errand," Mary Margaret interrupted fiercely. "You know as well as I do that if a person can't be reached, or easily found in this town, it usually means that something bad has happened to them…and for the last hour, I have been feeling terrible about not being able to reach any members of my immediate family," she paused for a moment before carrying on in a more delicate fashion. "I need to know if Emma, David and Killian are alright and if you don't want to be a part of it, which is totally up to you, that's your decision, but I-I did hope that you would want to help…despite the fall out that has happened between the two of you…"

At the vague mention of her loss and Emma's part in it, Regina replied back in clipped tones. "How perceptive of you to think that you can possibly understand how I feel, but, you are right about one thing…it is my decision to either be a part of this ridiculous search party or not and I'm certainly NOT going to waste my free time to do so…"

After her declaration, the room fell into a tense sort of silence—one that was acutely felt by Henry and Elsa, who were both staring at the floor. Slowly exhaling, Regina moved her gaze over onto her son and instantly felt her guard start to crumble. The look on his face was enough to make her waver in her choice to stay out of whatever might be happening, but the thought of being around or near the person who had literally just ruined her chances at happiness, filled her with an unbridled rage; however, there was another side to this—regrettably. If Mary Margaret's feelings were correct and Emma was in trouble, either people would blame her for not helping out when she could've or…she would blame herself.

Inwardly cursing at the possibility of feeling guilt-ridden, she briefly looked away. Brushing a piece of her dark hair behind an ear, she sighed loudly before turning her attention back onto the awaiting Mary Margaret, who appeared to have been watching her inner conflictions the entire time.

"Fine," Regina began in an unreadable tone. "Fine, I'll tag along but only for an hour…I've got some things to take care of afterwards."

"Does that mean that I can go too?" Henry slightly pleaded.

Softening at his innocent request, she consented with a light nod.

"What changed your mind?" Mary Margaret asked with kind but knowing eyes.

Unwilling to share, Regina moved towards the open entrance before mumbling her response. "None of your business…let's just go."

Smiling at nobody in particular, Mary Margaret took a half step backwards in order to wave Henry forward with a simple, but pointed gesture towards the door, and after he had disappeared from her sight, she shadowed his movements till she stood on the opposite side of the loft's living room. Looking back at Elsa and Neal, she spoke to them, calmly.

"We'll be back soon and thanks again…"

Elsa watched Mary Margaret subsequently close the door behind her with a mixed expression. Shooing away some of her dress' blue fabric, from around her feet, with a hand toss; she then shifted to a better position beside the cradle before glancing down at the now cooing baby. Tilting her head to one side, Elsa lifted a hand and gently placed it upon his stomach where she did her best to console him with tender wavy strokes.

"Everything will be fine," she then whispered, trying to soothe Neal as well as to convince herself of her own words aloud—even though she too had a share of bad feelings about what was going on. "Everything…everything will be fine…"

...

I hope you guys liked it! It was very short, by my standards, but things should fill out as I go on :)

Please R&R!