The word "home" had lost most, if not all, of the affection Faith had once attached to it. The house she was living in was run by the walking dead; lifeless corpses who went about their day with no goals in mind, no hurdles to overcome. It wasn't like it used to be. In a matter of several weeks, the once happy existences of the Swan-Mills family had been chopped up and spit out. It doesn't matter how much they told Faith they loved her, it was their actions that meant more. She couldn't deny their rigid shoulders or their clenched jaws. They may have watched her grow taller, but every single one of them had overlooked her matured observant nature.

For two mornings in a row, Faith came downstairs to find her mother asleep on the couch. Yellow, cotton sheets were loosely draped over the blonde woman's curled form. In the fetal position, with her head facing away from Faith, Emma looked strangely peaceful in her slumber. Any traces of anger from her arguments with Regina were undetectable. Her naked shoulders were left bare by the covers, and her hair was stuck under her neck.

Before the others woke up, Faith sat in Henry's chair and observed her mom. The woman's years in Storybrooke had worn her out down, but not out. The one-inch scar she'd received nearly 15 years prior blended in with the gentle crow's feet. There was some gray in her mane here and there, but that too synthesized with her natural color. She was still quite slim for a retired sheriff/bail bondsman. All of the battles she'd endured, all of the rescue missions she'd been on weren't enough to kill Emma's fighting spirit. It was in the way she carried herself; there was an incredible amount of charisma and bravery. Emma rarely showed fear, especially not in front of her children. If there was one thing Faith admired about her mother, it was her unconditional willingness to put them first. That's why she'd ended up on the couch for two sleeps. And that's why it made it that much harder to say goodbye.


It was on Monday evening that Faith put her carefully organized plan into action. After dinner with the family, Henry and Maya went home, but not without a hug from Faith. She held onto them for as long as she could without arising any misgivings. If she wanted it to work, she had to be cool, calm, and collected. Before the young couple left for the night, Faith whispered something into Maya's stomach, something only the baby could hear; the unnamed infant responded with a gentle kick to Faith's ear. When Maya asked Faith what she'd said, the blonde chuckled, "It's a secret."

Dani, Dakota, and August were all spread about the house in their secluded areas. Dani used her free time in her room with her earbuds blasting One Republic, casually typing away at her computer. Without magic, she found another way to express what she felt: writing.

Dakota was in the living room with Emma, watching reruns of Grey's Anatomy. Meredith Grey's squeaky words of wisdom sank deep into Dakota's core as she listened to the doctor. The mother and daughter shared a bucket of mouth-watering, buttery popcorn; the house was submerged in the scent. Since Emma and Regina's spats, the two women had agreed on giving each other room to breathe.

Meanwhile, August was locked in his room, lifting weights. While he wouldn't tell anyone else, he wasn't just working out for himself; he was doing it so that he could be better for Faith. He thought, if he got into good enough shape, he could help his sister even more- run with her instead of behind her.

And, in the darker corner of the house, Regina brooded in the study. She'd been doing the same thing for the past couple of days: pacing, throwing fireballs into the fireplace, muttering to herself. She couldn't do it at the office, and she couldn't go to the mausoleum. The work room at home was the only place she could vent. It wasn't the most practical, she'd admit, but it was all she had.

Confident that everyone was preoccupied with their own lives, Faith speedily packed a backpack with clothes, the first aid kit from the bathroom cupboard, a flashlight, water bottles she'd been collecting under her bed, and August's charcoal hat. She even snuck into her mothers' room and swiped forty dollars from Emma's wallet, something she was, by no means, proud of. The map she'd seen in her dream had been recovered from the family car, and Faith folded it several times until it fit into her square back pocket.

As the sun slid down behind the horizon, and the animals prepared for rest, Faith opened her bedroom window. The muggy air hit Faith like a cannonball and almost knocked her backwards. Just lifting a leg over the windowsill felt as if she were wrestling against quick sand; the thick, swampy evening was already proving to be a bump in the road.


The news of Granny's indiscretions spread like wildfire throughout the town of Storybrooke. People who had once trusted the woman with their lives, now avoided her restaurant as if it were another curse. The linoleum table tops had never had such a shine, the napkin dispensers were fully stocked, the ketchup and mustard bottles were untouched, and Granny looked to be living up to the name "Widow Lucas." The older woman had unclipped her hair from the firm bun and let it do it as it pleased, her glasses were gone, and her crossbow was nowhere to be seen. She might as well have been a complete stranger.

Faith stood on the front steps of the diner and questioned whether or not to go through with it. On one hand, if she didn't, her plan would be missing a crucial element. On the other hand, if she did, she'd be the scab of the family, making contact with the woman and further violating her parent's wishes. In this case there was no middle ground; she had to do what she had to do. And, she was running out of time.. She had to get out of Storybrooke before it was too late.

In the old days, Granny greeted her customers with welcoming smiles and brought their drinks to them, having known them long enough. But now, she refused to even look at the door.

"We're closed," said Granny, a handkerchief held up to her nose. Her back was to Faith as she compulsively wiped down the counter.

"Then why are you here?" Faith wondered with a kindness she struggled to make genuine. She took careful steps towards Granny, and the closer she got, the harder her own heart pounded; her body was an earthquake of suspense.

Granny snatched a sideways glance of the woman, returned to her cleaning, then looked again. The last time she'd seen Faith, the youngest daughter of the Queen and Savior was just a child. The person before her, however, wasn't a kid anymore. Faith had Red's long legs, too long for her own good. She walked delicately without scuffing the floor or tripping over herself. With Regina's eyes, she hooked Granny's attention instantly, and with Emma's broad shoulders, she was somewhat intimidating.

"I'll be damned," Granny said with a hand on her hip. She quit her erratic sanitizing and examined the changes in Faith.

"That bad, huh?" the blonde woman cracked with a jaded smirk. Faith's cheeks flared as Granny shook her head; she couldn't tell if it was just the regular shock or if Granny was disappointed in her. Granny closed retrieved her jaw from the floor and motioned for Faith to take a seat on a stool. "I, uh, can't stay very long. I just… I wanted— I needed to ask you something."

"Anything," Granny agreed hastily. "Have you- have you seen Red? Have you talked to her?"

"I have," was all Faith revealed. "Um, I'm only here because… I don't have anyone to train me and I- I just have to know… do you know how I can control this?" Faith gestured to herself. "What do I have to do so I don't hurt anyone?"

Granny struggled for a minute as she let the question sink in. She'd hoped to hear some news about her granddaughter, anything. Red hadn't been answering any of her calls, she was never in her room when Granny tried to visit, and the younger woman hadn't shown up for work in days. But, this wasn't just about Red. Granny saw something spark in Faith's eyes, the pure panic of the upcoming full moon. She remembered seeing that same panic in Red all those years ago. "I'm not a wolf, honey," Granny said with great repentance. "All I can tell you, is that it's up to you."

"I'm… I'm not sure I understand," Faith muttered. "What is?"

Feeling great shame in her recent actions, Granny saw this as an opportunity to mend the ties that had been broken; or at least, a first step. Being mindful, Granny spoke with nothing but empathy. "Being a wolf isn't a choice, Faith. It's who you are when you're in wolf form… I'm sure Red told you about being the same…" Granny's last comments drowned in the silence around them.

Although not completely fulfilled with the response she'd been given, Faith didn't argue. The last few weeks of June had been jam-packed with cryptic messages, one more just got added to the list. "I should go," she said, already turning away.

Before she got to the door, Granny rushed out from behind the buffet. "Wait! Please," she implored to the back of Faith's head. "If you see Red, tell her… tell her I'm sorry and- and that I miss her."

"Sure thing," Faith fibbed through pursed lips. In truth, she still hadn't heard anything from Red- nothing. It was as if the woman had fallen off of the face of the earth. "I'll see you around."


The orange sorbet sky slowly shifted colors like a chameleon, changing to fit in with the rest of the environment. A violate haze enveloped the town and stars began popping up one by one. Faith used her flashlight to guide her down the road- the same road she'd been on many times before. If Red had been there, she would've gotten Faith to try using her own heightened eyesight. But Red wasn't there. And frankly, Faith didn't want to think about being a wolf.

Every tree she passed, every cherry bush her elbow brushed, became a memory engrained in her brain. She took mental snapshots of the entire forest as she neared the green traffic sign. She didn't have a cell phone or camera to capture anything with, only the muscles in her mind. With every step that she took, closer and closer to the town line, Faith wondered if anyone had noticed her absence. She hadn't heard any sirens yet or seen any magical clouds of smoke. There were no signs indicating that a search party had been issued. Then again, did she really think there would have been? After all, the last time Regina and Emma had talked about her, Regina said, "Faith could be dangerous!"

Faith walked down the solid line the separated the lanes as if it were a tightrope. She held her arms out like wings and balanced on the yellow segment. Close enough to the border, she turned her flashlight off and let her body lead her the rest of the way. She knew where she was headed- at least, until she crossed over.

Less than a meter away from the orange perimeter, Faith stopped. The last time she'd been there, she witnessed Mr. Gold getting stabbed with his own dagger. That's not the type of thing a person just forgets, no matter what else happens in their life. For her, she had to decider whether that line was a good omen, or a bad omen. A life had been taken there, but she wondered, could a new life begin there as well?

With a clear mind, Faith gripped the handle of the modern day torch, as well as a backpack string, and closed her eyes. In a world of darkness, she imagined that the feeling would be similar to getting a shot; a quick prick and then it was over. While she'd crossed the border once before, she couldn't help but overestimate the power it had.

There was no earthquake, no strike of lightning, and no magical forcefield. Leaving Storybrooke felt no different to actually living in it. Faith opened her eyes and glanced around; the line was three feet behind her. She did it. She actually did it. After one, last look at the road that lead into town, Faith's balled fists hung at her thighs. "I'm sorry," she murmured, knowing full well no one could hear her. Now, all she had to do was find her way to Boston.


It was bedtime for the Swan-Mills family. Dakota had already fallen asleep on the couch with her head on Emma's lap. The blonde mother hated to wake her up, so she did her best to carry her upstairs. The door to Dakota and Faith's room was closed, which was rather inconvenient at the moment. "Faith?" Emma spat in a strained tone. "Open up!" She waited a few seconds, but they were a few seconds she didn't have; the Savior used her own magic to walk through and set Dakota down in her bed. Like the mother she was, Emma pulled the blankets up under the brunette's chin, and kissed her bangs. She was about to do the same thing to Faith, when she spun around and saw that her baby girl's mattress was empty. Not panicking quite yet, Emma knocked on August's door. "Have you seen your sister?"

"Which one?" August chortled.

"Faith," said Emma, somewhat impatient.

"She's not in her room?"

Still keeping composure, Emma tried Dani next. "Hey, Kid, have you seen Faith?"

Dani furrowed her brow at her mother and pointed to her ears. "What?"

Emma yanked the headphones out and tersely ignored Dani's flinching. "Faith. Where is she?"

"I dunno. She should be in her room," Dani said, echoing her brother's thoughts.

Now, it was time to panic. Emma trampled through the second floor and searched every corner, under every bed- though she didn't know why-, and in every closet. When she didn't find her daughter on the first floor, Emma darted downstairs and began the process once more. Without any type of warning, she burst through the doors of the study and right into a baffled Regina's arms. "Faith's gone!"

"What?"

"She's not here!" Emma panted. "-I-I checked everywhere; she's not in her room or in any of other kids,' she's not in the living room or kitchen." She clutched the Queen's shoulders and shook her wife, who looked as frozen as Granny had the other day. "Regina! She's gone!"


A/N - Just a quick update for you all! I know the last few chapters have been really long, so I thought something smaller would be a nice change. Of course, the length of this update won't affect anything else. Oh, and someone mentioned something about Maine's weather in the summer; I did check to see what it's like in June/July, and I saw a range of high 70's to low 80's. Anyway, I hope you're enjoying the story so far! Thanks for the follows/favorites! Lemme know what you're thinking! Much more to come :-)