And we are back with another chapter. This one is kind of short and a bit of a filler, because it's mostly just the travel stuff. But I enjoyed writing it, so we're publishing it anyway. Let's get started. Enjoy!


Mirana's POV:

At exactly noon, Gold and I returned to the Charmings' apartment. Emma opened the door, dressed to travel.

"Ready to go, Miss Swan?" Gold asked.

"Almost," Emma replied.

Henry walked over to Emma, a bag at his side. "Do you think we'll be cold where we're going, or warm?"

"I think layers are always a good idea."

"I thought the terms of our agreement were quite clear," Gold said. "You owe me a favor—you alone."

"I'm not leaving Henry here with Cora lurking about, so either we both go, or we both stay."

"Then we'll have to purchase another plane ticket, won't we?"

"Wait. We're flying?"

"Don't worry, I'm covering expanses. Even the new ones."

I tilted my head to the side, confused. "Wait. What's a plane?"

Emma chuckled. "I'll tell you on the way."

Charming came down the stairs. "All right, Gold, you're going out there with my family. Just know if anything happens to them—"

"That you do what?" Gold interrupted. "Cross the town line? And David Nolan will hunt me down in his animal rescue van?"

"I'll be devastated. This isn't a threat. It's a request. Take care of them."

"I promise no harm will come to your family. After all… we have deal."

In the car, Emma finally explained to me what a plane was and I was slightly less excited about this trip now… Not that I was terribly excited about it to begin with.

"So you're telling me that a plane is a giant piece of metal with wings that people fly in to travel great distances?" I summarized.

"Basically," Emma replied.

I sat back. "And someone actually thought this was a good idea?"

"Yep."

I shook my head. "I do not understand this world."

"So… Where are we going?" Henry asked from beside me.

"Logan International Airport," Gold said.

"I think he meant after that," Emma commented.

"Let's just take things one step at a time, shall we?"

"You really think that shawl's gonna work?"

"Well, if it doesn't, and I revert to my cursed self, we're all gonna have some problems. It'll work."

I leaned ahead of me so that I could see out the window as we crossed the town line. All three of us stared at Gold.

"So?" I asked.

"My name is Rumplestiltskin," Gold said. "And we're gonna find my son."

I sat back against the seat. I felt different after we crossed the line, like a giant weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Then it hit me—there's no magic out here… No voices, no fires, no nothing. For once in my life, I feel free. Part of me wished I didn't have to go back to Storybrooke, back to magic, back to the voices. But I can't leave my sister, I know that. Still, the prospect of a life entirely devoid of magic would be fantastic. Maybe magic can be used well, but in my experience, it only really destroys.

I lost track of the hours in the car before we reached the airport. I only really started paying attention when we got to this really long line with a big metal thing at the end. Emma said it was the security line, that's all I know. I don't get this.

"Have you ever been outside of Storybrooke before, Mr. Gold?" Henry asked.

"No," Gold replied, annoyed.

"Are you nervous?"

"No."

"Are you worried about meeting your son?"

"No, Henry, I'm fine."

"How about we talk about all this later, kid?" Emma suggested. "We're next."

Do children always talk this much?

"It must be really hard not to use magic, being like everyone else," Henry said.

I barely heard him. I was frowning at the moving belt thing beside me with bins that people were putting their things into while they passed under the metal thing.

"You've gotta put your shoes in," Emma said.

"Why?" I asked. "This world makes no sense."

"How terribly uncivilized," Gold commented.

I nodded. "That too."

"Uh, scarf and the cane go in the basket," the guard behind the desk said to Gold.

"What?" Gold said.

"Scarf and cane go in the basket."

Gold turned to Emma and me. "I can't."

"You have to," Emma replied.

"It ain't rocket science, buddy," a man in line behind us snapped. "You ever been on a plane before?"

Gold took a step forward. "Have you ever been impaled upon a cane before?"

Emma and I stepped in his way before he could attack anyone.

"Our… father's a little nervous," Emma said. "We're headed to a family reunion. Sorry."

I frowned for a second before I figured it out and then nodded in agreement.

"Your father?" Gold asked.

"Just put the shawl in the bin. I'll help you get though," Emma told him.

"If I let this go, I could forget who I am."

"I'm not gonna let that happen."

"…Okay."

Slowly, Gold placed the shawl in the bin, along with his coat. He looked a bit dizzy and tripped a little as he walked. Emma grabbed his arm to steady him. As soon as we were on the other side, I grabbed the shawl out of the bin and wrapped it around Gold's neck again.

"Guys, there's a Cinnabon's here!" Henry said excitedly.

I looked at Emma in confusion. "What on Earth is a Cinnabon?"

"It—I'll explain later," Emma replied.

Now we're sitting and waiting to actually board the plane. There's a lot of waiting and lines to this whole thing, isn't there? Emma, Henry, and I were sitting, watching Gold pace the floor in front of us.

"Do you want something to eat?" Emma asked.

"No," Gold replied.

"Something wrong?"

"Stop asking me that. I'll be right back."

He walked off, probably to the bathroom or something. After he was gone for a while, Emma told Henry to go tell him we were boarding soon. I watched the young boy run off and then looked back out the window. I'd taken to watching the planes taking off.

"I still don't understand how someone thought a giant, metal bus in the sky was a good idea," I commented, staring through the glass.

"You be surprised what's been considered a good idea in this world," Emma replied. "You get used to it."

"Mm. One day, maybe."

There was a moment of silence.

"So, are you going to tell me why you ran out of Archie's office last week?" Emma finally asked.

I glanced at her. "I hadn't planned to."

"That's not an answer."

I sighed, but told her about the voices and the fires.

"So you've got an evil twin living in your head?" Emma asked when I was finished.

"Mm, sort of. There's no real name for it, so I've been calling it a split personality… For the twelve hours that I've actually known what it is," I replied.

Emma thought for a moment. "You should name it."

I looked at her. "What?"

"You said there isn't a name for it, so give it one. If only for something to call it."

I frowned, thinking before I finally found a name. "Anastasia."

Emma raised her eyebrows. "Any particular reason?"

"Named after an old…. 'friend' from Wonderland. It's too long of a story to tell, but it's fitting for an… evil twin, trust me."

"Alright, Anastasia it is, then."

It hasn't even taken off yet, and I already hate planes. At least I got the window seat, which I was obsessively staring out of, as if staring at the ground would keep us on it.

"You good, kid?" Emma asked Henry.

"You kidding?" Henry replied. "A trip with you, first plane ride, and we're going on a quest like in the book. The only thing that could make this day better…" He held up the cinnamon roll he was eating. "…is more frosting."

"I was with you until 'first plane ride'," I said, not looking away from the window. "There's no way that flying around in a metal box could be a good idea."

"Just wait until we take off. You'll be fine," Emma told me.

I sent her a disbelieving glance. I can't imagine what would happen if I could use magic out here. Actually, I can imagine it. More than likely, the entire plane would be on fire and Anastasia would be yelling away inside my head. Yeah, it's a very good thing that this is a land without magic…. A very, very good thing.