London 1904

-Alice awoke to the sound of slamming drawers in her room and the voices of her parents-

We can't just leave. The Darling's need our help.

Once the police are finished questioning them, they are going to want to ask us if we know anything. The last thing we need is attention on our home.

But that poor child. We have to do something.

- Alice sat up in bed. The sun had barely risen and her mother and father were in their traveling clothes and packing her bag-

Mother?

Oh, Alice dear!

What's going on. Where are we going?

We have to go on a little trip out of London.

Are we coming back?

I don't know, dear.

Why can't we wait until morning.

Alice... my love... something terrible has happened. That boy you've grown so fond of...

Baelfire? Is he alright?

He's gone missing, sweetheart. The police think he has been kidnapped.

Present Day

"I'm not sure what you expect me do to. I've never even met this woman before." They had found Alice a chair in the almost empty cabin and Gold was pacing around her while Cruella watched out the window. "I know, Dearie. That's why you're perfect for the job. You see, I'm powerful enough to get the job done, but you aren't a familiar face. If you go to the savior and tell her you're lost in this realm and need to find your way back home… she'll trust you."

"And what am I supposed to do when she trusts me." Gold reaches in her pocket and Alice stiffens. "Easy, Dearie… we aren't in New York anymore." He pulls a small box from his pocket. "Pandora's box. You need magic to open it. That's why the savoir needs to trust you. You have to get her to open this… then you are going to trap her inside and bring her to me."

"Then what?"

"Then? Well then you get to go home."

"That's not what I mean. What are you going to do with her?"

"That's none of your concern." He grabs her wrist and forces the box into her hand, closing her fingers around it. "You're almost there, Alice. Almost rid of this world and every bit of magic that ties you to it. All you have to do… is bring her to me." Alice looked down at the box, unsure of what to do. She had just suffered a century because of a deal with this man and she may be about to doom someone else to that same fate without even knowing them. Gold's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Oh… and if you try to have Emma help you or you reveal I've returned… then Cruella gets a new spotted coat from that dog of yours."

"No, please." She looked up with panic and Gold pulled her from her chair. "Then get going." Alice was shoved through the door forcefully, the box held tight to her chest. There was no way out of this now… except forward.

A few knocks echoing on the large Mayoral Mansion sent Regina to the door. She was just about to get ready for bed so she was less than excited to hear that she had a visitor. The door swung open and her shoulders fell as if disappointed to see that it was someone not worth skipping a few minutes of sleep. "Jefferson. Isn't this a surprise."

"But not a pleasant one I assume..."

"Not this late." Her tone was as cold as usual with an edge of sarcasm. "What do you want?"

"You're help. I once helped you get through some magical loopholes to find someone... I need you to do the same for me." She gave him a look and rolled her eyes. "Right... well, Henry is asleep and I'm a little tired myself. Your loophole jumping will have to wait until morning." She began to close the door but Jefferson's strong hand stopped it. "You owe me, Regina. You left me separated from my daughter for over two decades... you owe me." She let out a sigh and opened the door. "Fine. Come in."

It was late. There wasn't much she could do now. Nobody would even be out to help her. Alice just wandered around Main Street, the box hidden in her denim coat pocket, in hopes of finding some sort of way out. You don't know where you're going? Then it doesn't matter... which way you go... "Ruby." She whispered to herself. "She'll know where I need to go." Now in a full sprint, Alice bolted up the sidewalk and headed towards the inn.

Once their she found Ruby asleep on the den couch, a magazine across her stomach indicating she was only resting her eyes with exhaustion caught up to her. "Um, Ruby?" The waitress jumped awake and smirked at Alice. "Oh look. The sneaky one. You know if you're going to sneak out, you shouldn't come back right after."

"I'm sorry. You were generous to let me stay here for a night for free but I have to ask more of you. I'm looking for someone."

"Is it a man? If so then you need to change your attire. Denim is so out."

"Ruby, please... I need to find someone named Emma. Do you know who that is?" Ruby sat up and let out a chuckle. "Only the savior of our little kingdom here. Why do you need her."

"Everyone could use a savior, right?" Alex said with a suspicious shrug and Ruby stood with a sigh. "Fine. Come on."

"Where?"

"I'll take you." She walked to the coatrack by the door and put her jacket on. "Oh, Ruby no.."

"Why not?"

"Well, it's late and I-"

"Enough!" Ruby whipped around. Her snap was loud enough to be the bark of a dog. "Now you came from nowhere. God only knows how you knew about Storybrooke because you definitely didn't pop over with the last batch of nutjobs. You sneak out of my Inn to avoid speaking with me because you're afraid of saying to much, obviously. Now you want to know where the savior is but won't say why. Forget it, little miss Wonderland. But I'm afraid your days of chasing rabbits alone is over. I don't trust you. Now I'll take you to Emma, but you better believe I won't leave you alone with her. Come on." She yanked the door open and headed out. Alexis sighed and followed with her head hanging low.

"I can make tea if you want," Regina said with an irritated tone, still upset for the rude interruption by Jefferson."It's fine, Regina."

"So what's this about then."

"The new girl. The one who just arrived in town."

"Ah yes, the blonde. I saw her walking with Henry. I've never seen her before but I didn't like how chummy she was getting."

"Her real name is Alice Lyndell. She's not from a world of magic. She was born in London actually-"

"Alice in Wonderland..."

"What?"

"Alice in Wonderland," Regina chuckled and leaned back in her armchair. "So the girl who stole the lead in your fairytale has finally surfaced after all these years?"

"Yes."

"But how? It's been over a century and you say she has no magic."

"Something happened to her in wonderland. She said she ran into Rumplestiltzken and he made some deal, the consequence of which was that she ages decades slower than average."

"That explains why she doesn't look like the child the stories describe. So what is she doing here?" Regina leaned forward a bit as the conversation grew more interesting. "She's here to find some... ingredient that will break her curse, but I think it will just end up killing her."

"And how did she know about this... ingredient?"

"That's why I'm here. Gold..." He says with a lowered voice.

"What about him."

"She found out about the ingredient from him. He tricked her into bringing him to Storybrooke."

"No," Regina stood and paced about her office. "She doesn't have magic. She wouldn't be able to let him in."

"That's what I thought too, but then I saw her pass through the barrier with no problem at all. This curse... it's her own supply of magic."

"So you think Gold is back?"

"Alice is smart and cunning. I don't think she would trust Gold. I think she left him on the other side of the town line and that's why she was running all over town for information. She didn't have his help."

"So if she left town and Gold isn't here then what is the problem?" Jefferson stood and looked Regina in the eye. "You know as well as I that a man like that won't let anyone break a deal with him. She's in danger out there. And now Storybrooke is in trouble if Gold makes it back inside."

"So what do you suggest I do? Send the dwarves to patrol every boarderline of Storybrooke? Keep and eye out for a girl chasing rabbits?"

"If Gold manages to catch her then he will use her against us."

"How? You said she's cunning. Sound's like she can handle herself."

"He has something she wants."

"And what would that be?" Jefferson sighed, accepting the truth that Alexis was desperate for relief. "Her death."

I'm not even going to make excuses for this time frame you guys. Truth is... I got writers block. lol I'm back now though!