Somewhere on the outskirts of the Enchanted Forest…. (present day)

Aurora laid on a lush bed of the softest grass with lilies of a rainbow of colors. It wasn't a grave that was fitting of one of the land's greatest warriors but it was the best the close knit family could offer, their friend, their family. The dwarves worked on the coffin. Carefully protected with magical runes courtesy of Regina buried six feet down in blessed ground courtesy of the Blue Fairy and Tinkerbell.

Regina watched from the shadows of the trees that towered into the night's sky. She stood as the silent guardian of the woman that refused to let go of her dead warrior, her love. She had failed. Not her magic, not true love's kiss was enough to save Mulan.

Snow approached quietly and touched Regina's shoulder. She could read that look on her face. It was the look she had when she let Daniel go, twice. It was the look she had when she let Emma and Henry go. But she also saw guilt. "Regina?" the woman was hurting because she was actually leaning into Snow's touch. "You did all you could, we all saw this." Snow hid her surprise at Regina accepting her comforting touch and continued to offer it.

Regina tilted her head and bit back her tears "Elphaba really messed this up. The tears in the kingdoms, there are some magics that shouldn't be messed with. True love is suppose to conquer all." She looked over at Snow letting her vunerability show "This wasn't suppose to happen and I am at a loss as to how to fix this. What if Elphaba finds a way to cross over and find Emma and Henry? If my magic is not strong enough to stop her…."

Snow squeezed Regina's shoulder before releasing it to reach up to wipe away Regina's tears. "Regina, you are the scariest and most powerful person I had to ever fight. We will find a way together to save them, to save us and to stop more losses."

Their eyes drifted back to Aurora's sobbing form who still spoke to her warrior princess. Both vowed no more.

Back at the camp Charming stood watch with Grumpy, Tinkerbell and Ruby, though since Mulan died she didn't budge that far from Belle. Keep your loved ones close. That seemed to be the attitude of everyone. They all slept closer together. The moon shined brightly over them. Philip and his remaining army rode back to his lands. He needed to be there to protect the defenseless people of his kingdom.

Aurora's eyes studied the marking that was magically formed marking the warrior's burial spot. "Mulan, I am so so sorry…I am so sorry." She had yet to stop crying and lacked the strength to stand, walk or do anything else. She had pleaded to any magical being good or bad to save. She would have struck a deal with Rumple if he was here. "This was not suppose to happen. You were my happy ending Mulan. I saw you! I saw you. I fought it but I saw you and when you left…Why did you leave? Together we could have conquered anything…" her pained whisper spoke into the ground her tears soaking the ground.

Snow tried not to watch and saw Regina was trying to give the Sleeping Princess some privacy so Snow focused on her other thoughts. She saw the runes that Regina had magically carved into the wood of the coffin. She had recognized them as they were on her coffin of sorts. The magic preserved her body from decay. There were the runes that were carved in certain rooms of the Regina's room back when she was the evil queen. Runes of protection. "Regina…those runes…"

Regina pursed her lips, of course Snow would notice them but she didn't interrupt Snow but merely arched her brow waiting for her to continue.

"You haven't given up hope" Snow finished. "You think there is a way to save her."

Regina shook her head "it is a long shot, really. The magic between the kingdoms is not something I fully understand. But, I had a thought. I don't know if it will work. Don't say anything to her. I don't want to get her hopes up."

Snow looked at Regina wanting her to share but knew better to not push so she just nodded. "I am going to go back to David and the others." She knew Regina had her limits of handling things. She stopped. "Emma loves you. You are her true love. You will find each other again."

Regina nodded but didn't hold out hope because in the west the night sky was turning a dark stormy green. The green bitch was coming.

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Boy Scout's camp (present day)

Henry kind of did his own thing. He didn't care to much for the things like archery, or such. He walked along the woods. The area was in a remote area in the New England area. He walked along off the path. He looked up at the sky and looked up at the clouds. Something pulled at him, like he knew the area. He walked along until he reached what looked like a broken up treehouse. He studied it curiously, and wondered who would build a treehouse out in the middle of nowhere. Carefully he approached it and pulled at the wood that looked like it was starting to rot. It looked like this was once the ladder to get up into it. He tested it.

Somewhere there was a snap of a branch breaking. He turned and looked around. All he saw were trees. Then there was another snap. He was about to call out to whoever was there until a woman's voice popped in his head. "Climb Henry" It was warm, it was unknown but familiar. Another snap this time closer. He turned to start climbing. The wood broke into his hand but he continued to climb air? Another snap and a growl was heard off to the left. Something was coming closer and faster. Just as he reached the treehouse he felt a woosh of air at his feet. He looked down to see this rather enormous cat prowling the grounds. It was not like any wild cat he had seen before. It had green eyes and looked to be smiling. It's eyes latched onto him as it tried to climb the tree only to not be able to. Where it's claws dug in the tree repelled it.

"Go away! SHOO! HELP! SOMEONE HELP ME!" Henry shouted at the top of his lungs. Someone had to hear him. He threw broken rotted wood at the prowling cat who looked like it was doing anything and everything to get to him. It was only a matter of time. "HELP ME!" he nailed it on the head with a piece of wood. Blindly reaching for anything to throw his scared eyes on the cat. His hand reached something heavy. A book. His eyes glanced at it. Look to be a child's fairy tale book. He went to throw it at the cat but stopped, instead he reached behind him and put it in his backpack he was wearing. He found another rotted piece of wood and tossed it.

In the woods a woman heard a shout. A boy was crying for help. She started moving on instinct toward the screaming boy and as she got closer she skidded to a halt as she saw a big cat prowling at a tree. Then she saw him. The boy screaming. Henry. Her eyes went back to the cat. She knew that cat. With a growl she ran at it weaponless charging. With a flying tackle she knocked the cat down pulling it away. It scratched and bit at her once it got over it's surprise. The cat knew this woman.

"HENRY! GET DOWN AND RUN! DON'T STOP RUNNING!" Mulan wrestled with the cat avoiding it's claws and teeth as she wrestled with it. She would protect Henry. She didn't know where she was or how she got here. This was definitely not the place where she was last. She would worry about this later.

Henry watched the brave woman appear out of nowhere and tackle the massive cat away from the tree. He obeyed and climbed down quickly. He was about to run like she said but as he saw her under the cat, and her strength failing, he did the only thing he felt he could do. He charged at it swinging his heavy backpack at the cat's head. The book, the rest of his stuff made it an effective weapon as it stunned the cat.

Henry looked more surprised then the cat. Mulan didn't she just acted and threw the cat off, grabbed Henry and ran. She failed to notice her arm was bleeding. Her focus was on Henry's survival. "RUN! NOW! I swear you are just as stubborn as your mother! She never obeyed. Where is the Princess!?"

Henry was saved and was obeying his woman protector but he was stunned as they ran with that question. Breathlessly he answered not slowing down as if the woman would let him, she was practically carrying him as they sprinted hard through the dense forest. "P…princess? What are you talking about? How do you know my name?! What was that thing?!"

Mulan had no idea about Regina's sacrifice. She had no idea Henry did not know who she was. "Henry! Stop playing games! Your mother, where is she?! We need our savior! The Cheshire King found you!" She was now carrying him as she heard sounds of a large group.

They were safe.

They ran into the clearing into what should have been safety only to find Hook and his pirates smiling. "No matter what stay behind me until I tell you to run. When I tell you, you run no disobeying. You need to get to your mother, no matter what happens to me."

Henry stepped behind the woman protector who had one arm out ready to strike but one arm back ready to defend anything that comes at him. She turned, he turned, he was her shadow. But things were running through his mind. These were pirates, straight out of a story book pirate.

Hook smiled "Well didn't we just leave this party? Mulan, I thought we finally killed you. Though I do see you still bleeding. Tell me did you run into Cheshire? He was quite pissed that he has no magic here. Imagine that…" he twirled his sword studying the warrior. She was dangerous when she defended and right now she was defending what he had come for. "How about we call a truce, and you leave Henry and his book here. My Empress demands it and I of course live to serve her. Things don't have to get messy"

Mulan didn't speak but stepped back. She had spotted something. Something she had heard Emma talking to Aurora about..the horseless carriage. Henry caught on thankfully and slowly they backed away. If there was no magic here, then they had a chance.

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TBC

I hope you all understand what I am trying to do with the story. I wanted to do flashbacks between the past and present. If this gets confusing, let me know. This is the first time I have ever written something like this. I live for challenges though…helps us grow as individuals and writers.

I also wanted to say thanks for reading and the feedback, reviews. I never thought anyone would follow my stories, or even favorite them. So thank you.