Graham woke up and his throat was so dry, it felt almost raw. He coughed harshly, before sitting up. Looking around, panic fluttered in his chest. "Emma?" He rasped out as he attempted to stand up.

"All is fine, my brother," Nikolai called from behind him.

Graham turned to look at him, "Where is Emma?" His voice broke, as he grimaced at the pain that talking had caused for his throat.

"Kristopher took her a little further ahead to scout out the area that we'll find the guiding beacon. Emma wanted to make sure that it was secure and safe, especially with your infection." Nikolai pointed to Graham's newly bandaged shoulder. "I got you some herbs, and it's drained a good deal of the infection from the wound, but Emma said that in this Storybrooke place, there is medicine. We need to get you there soon, before the infection returns."

Graham nodded, "Where are the canteens?"

Nikolai smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, that's what I was doing when you awoke. Refilling them." Nikolai passed one of the canteens into Graham's hand. "Shallow sips, brother."

Graham nodded, and swallowed small amounts of water until the burning in his throat disappeared. "We should catch up to them. We need to keep moving."

Nikolai nodded curtly. He stood up and grabbed Graham's backpack and slung it over his shoulder, before grabbing his bow and arrow. Graham merely stared at him while he did this. "You need to keep your strength. I can carry your bag," Nikolai explained softly.

Graham shrugged, before standing up. He wavered slightly on his feet, before checking to make sure that his sword was firmly in place on his hip. Whistling lightly, Graham waited until his wolf brother appeared, before moving forward. "Which way, Nikolai?"

He pointed off to the east, and together they started moving forward.

James stood up from the floor, and looked down at his family. The three of them had been so emotionally drained and exhausted that the thought of even getting up from the floor and walking into the bedroom seemed an impossible task. Instead, James had grabbed a few throw pillows off the couch and a couple of the Afghans off the back of the couch, and together they had curled up on the floor.

Snow lay on her back, one of her arms was bent under her head while the other draped lightly over her stomach. Henry lay curled up against Snow's side, his hands clasped his necklace tightly. After he was certain that they were both still sleeping peacefully, he made his way to the kitchen. James had made a decision. He was going to make his family breakfast, then he was going to go track down Gold and Regina. He had to stop them at all costs. He wasn't going to stand there and let them kill his little girl.

"James?" Snow mumbled, as she slowly realized that he was no longer lying beside Henry.

"In the kitchen, Snow." His voice was light, to ensure that he didn't wake up Henry.

Snow carefully untangled herself from Henry, and stood up. She stretched the kinks from her back, deciding quickly that the floor was the least comfortable bed, even worse than her nights sleeping on the forest floor, way back when. Yawning lightly, Snow flittered into the kitchen.

"Mmm. Smells good," her lips quirked up, as she pressed a kiss to James' cheek.

Her eyes lingered on his for a moment, and she realized that something was going on. There was a hint of...something in his eyes. Fear? Possibly mixed with anger.

"It's Henry's favorite." James nodded at the skillet as he flipped another pancake.

Snow's eyebrows rose slightly, "Anything sweet is Henry's favorite." She sighed, as she propped her hip against the counter. "James, what are you thinking?"

He sighed, because he knew she'd figure out something was up. She always did, and he was glad she did it before Henry woke up. James knew that Henry meant well, that he only wanted to help, but putting himself at risk—Emma would never forgive them if something happened to Henry.

"I'm going to stop them."

Snow crossed her arms over her chest. Not that she disagreed with what he was planning on doing. It was the fact that he planned on doing it alone. That he planned to confront two of Storybrooke's most powerful citizens by himself, running the risk of him getting hurt—or worse. "Not by yourself, James. Regina would rather rip your heart out and crush it, then look at you. I won't risk you getting yourself killed!" Her voice was barely a whisper, but the feeling was still there.

"But you'd risk our daughter's life?"

Snow backed away from him, her eyes wide. "That is not fair, James! Of course I wouldn't risk Emma's life, but you have to think this through! What would Emma think when she gets home and finds out that you've gotten yourself killed?"

James crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes never leaving Snow's, "Now who is being unfair?"

Snow sighed, "This whole situation is unfair. The fact that our daughter is stuck over there without us. The only way to bring her back, might allow Cora passage as well. Having to be civil with Gold and Regina. None of it is fair, James. I just want her home."

James nodded, as he stepped forward. He wrapped Snow in his arms, "I know you do. So do I. That's why I have to do this. I have to make them see reason. I won't stand by and let them take our little girl from us."

Henry turned over to face the kitchen. He could barely see his grandparents, but he could hear them. He knew that if James went to talk to them on his own, they would likely kill him. If only he could make them realize how much help he could be. He did help Emma break the curse after all. He was so much more than just a little kid, and if he had to sneak out to prove his point he would.

Snow laughed bitterly, "She isn't a little girl, James. She is a fully grown woman. One that is bitter and closed off. When she gets home...it won't be easy."

James smirked at Snow, "No, I suppose it won't, but it'll be worth it."

Snow nodded her agreement, "So worth it."

"It should only be a little bit further. Up there, just outside of that clearing," Kristopher prompted, breaking the slightly uncomfortable silence between the two of them.

"So, what exactly are we looking for?"

Kristopher smiled softly, "A compass."

Emma's eyebrows rose, "Really? A compass?"

Kristopher laughed, and all Emma could think was how much it sounded like Graham's laugh. "Yes, but it's not just any compass. It's a magical compass. Using it will ensure that you travel to the correct realm. See, portal jumping is very dangerous. Especially a portal as unstable as Lake Nostros. The compass will make sure that you end up exactly where you want to."

Emma nodded as she took in the information. One of her eyebrows was still cocked in an almost confused way. "So, what will happen if we don't get the compass?"

Kristopher shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not really sure. I just know that it is less likely that you will end up in the correct realm."

Emma's ears picked up some noise behind them. She noted that the clearing was getting closer, but if they had unwanted company behind them, she didn't want them finding out where the compass was. Reaching out, Emma grabbed hold of Kristopher's arm, effectively pulling him to a stop. She put a finger to her lips, before nodding behind them. He nodded, as he picked up what she was trying to tell him. Carefully, Emma pulled Kristopher into some cover behind some bushes, and waited. After a few moments of light foliage crunching, two men stepped out from behind a tree.

"They shouldn't be much further. I swear, I heard them talking."

Emma grinned, she knew that voice. Standing up, she came out from the bushes and threw her arms around the shorter of the two men. He grunted at the added weight, as he tilted his injured arm. "Graham," she whispered.

"Way to give a man a heart attack, Emma." Graham spoke huskily into her ear.

She smiled as she pulled back. Looking at Nikolai, "Is he alright?"

Nikolai nodded softly, "Though the quicker we can get him to this Storybrooke place, the better. The herbs drained most of the fluid from his arm, but it won't stop the infection from spreading."

Emma nodded, "Well, Kristopher says that the compass should be just up past the clearing."

Graham and Nikolai's eyebrows creased in confusion. "Compass?" Graham asked.

Emma shrugged, "Apparently it's magical."

Kristopher chuckled, "It is. Though, it won't just be laying out in the open."

"I didn't figure it would be that easy," Emma mumbled, as she grabbed Graham's hand. "Let's keep moving."

As they regrouped, all four of them moved forward. Once they had the compass, they could make their way to Lake Nostros and make their return to Storybrooke. Emma eyed Graham, feeling a certain amount of anxiousness falling off of him. As they broke through the clearing, there was a collective gasp.

"You have got to be shitting me. The compass is what...up there?" Emma pointed at the beanstalk that disappeared into the clouds.

"Unfortunately, yes," Kristopher spoke softly, as the rest of the group stared at the towering green vine.

Henry sat at the kitchen table with his grandparents, as he stuck his forkful of pancake in his mouth. Chewing slowly, he thought about his plan. He couldn't just disappear; it would send his grandparents into a flurry looking for him. Plus, like his grandfather had said, it was too dangerous to try to approach Regina and Gold alone. No, he would have to try to make them see it his way.

"Grandpa," Henry called, waiting until he had both of his grandparents' attention before continuing. "I want to come with you."

James shook his head, "It's too dangerous, Henry. We talked about this last night."

Henry's brow wrinkled, "But it's safe enough for you to go alone?"

James mouth bobbed open and closed for a moment, before Snow interjected. "Not necessarily safe, Henry, but James is an adult-"

Henry poked his fork into his pancakes, "And they both have magic. Safety in numbers, right? Look, I'm not some useless little kid. I helped Emma break the curse!"

Snow sighed, as she rubbed a hand over her face. The image of Henry pale, almost dead was an image she still hadn't been able to rid herself of. "You almost got yourself killed."

Henry smirked, "No, I didn't. I knew Emma could save me. She's my mom and she loves me. True love's kiss breaks any curse."

Snow didn't even know how to fight that kind of logic from an almost eleven-year-old child. "What if she hadn't kissed your forehead, Henry?" Snow could have kissed James, for interjecting some reason into the conversation.

Henry shrugged, "What if you hadn't kissed Grandma when she was under the sleeping curse?"

Snow just stared at Henry. It was in that moment that she knew there was no beating him. He was going to keep pointing out things that paralleled their own lives until he won the argument. Snow knew that Emma was going to have her hands full when she got home. Emma was bound to lose most any argument she had with her son that much was true.