Here's a new installment. By the way it is hard to write scenes where your characters are in an ice cave. There isn't much to describe (it is cold and white). But we'll be out of the cave soon. As always, I don't own the show, ABC or anything that I could sell for money. If I did, I'd be able to afford the car repairs I need right now.

It had been hours since they had started walking through the long icy tunnel. She was sure of it, but Elsa and Belle both said it had only been a few minutes. The three women trudged forward, each looking slightly colder and more scared than the one before her. Emma was not used to such a position, as she had always been the leader of any group. But for now Elsa led the way, pointing out dangerous spots on the ice and shushing them when she thought she heard something.

"What is it that you think we're going to find down here?" Belle asked when they stopped to strategize a few minutes later. "I'm not sure that we should keep going until we have a plan."

Elsa's eyes flashed for a moment at being challenged, but Emma noted that she curled her hands back into fists and became the regal beauty once again. "I'm not sure, but we need to find a way out. This was our only option."

Emma shakily pulled up the collar of her coat and grimaced again at the pain in her muscles. She would have given anything for a hot shower, followed by curling up in her favorite fluffy robe with a bowl of soup and a good movie. "I haven't seen any exit signs," she said as a half-hearted joke. "That's probably a bad sign."

Belle smiled at her with mock amusement, but Elsa looked confused. The trio trudged a bit farther into the icy cavern. "I think it's getting colder," Belle said with a shiver of her own. "I feel…"

The two blonde women locked eyes, realizing at once that the cold breeze that Belle was noticing was a tell-tale sign of the Ice Queen's proximity. Both women readied themselves, Elsa holding her hands ready and Emma pulling the revolver out. If Belle was uncomfortable with their inclinations, she did not show it, placing herself between them both to shield her.

Emma let the cold breeze blow over her, closing her eyes and trying to remember what Henry and Killian always told her about trusting her gut. With a flinch, she realized that she didn't want to think about Killian, as it brought back the memories of him marching out of Gold's back room. His eyes unwilling to meet hers and his face filled with shame and guilt. It could distract her, she reminded herself. To think of him and consider each and every possibility would mean she wasn't thinking about the Snow Queen and David. No, she told herself. First David and then she would figure out what was happening with Killian.

Elsa cleared her throat and took a step away, but Emma grabbed her arm and spun her back to face each other. "Slowly," she cautioned, barely audible. "I don't know if she is going to expect us." The wide eyes blinked in agreement back at her.

They crept along the corridor, icy blasts continuing to assail them. As the reached a more open area, Emma leaned forward to peer into it, her hand stabilizing herself on the ice covered wall. The coldness made her jump, but she bit her lip before she could scream out. Candles stood in various locations around the room. Their frozen state prevented wax from pooling, but it also acted as prisms for the flickering light to cast brilliant colors in the otherwise white room. There in the center was an icy cage, and inside it sat David. His skin was pale and bits of frost tipped his hair. Eyes closed, Emma felt her breath catch as she wondered if he was dead, but a slight movement from him put her at more ease.

Emma crept farther, but it was Belle who stopped her, pointing at the ceiling where large and sharp spikes of ice hung. "It could be a trap," Belle told her quietly. "Be careful."

***AAA***

Killian pressed against the thick block harder than before, his grunt becoming more of a frustrated roar. He ignored Ruby and Mary Margaret's questions of what to do next and how best to proceed, knowing that strategy was not going to help him at that moment. He wanted to rely on brute strength, but they were insistent. Ruby muttered something about looking for another way inside, wandering off to investigate on her own.

"This can't be happening again," Killian said, his voice breaking with emotion. "Why?"

Hands trembling, Mary Margaret clasped her fingers over a rough spot in the ice. "I don't know," she said softly. "Maybe there is another way in? Or Regina! Maybe she could help. I know that her magic includes throwing balls of fire. It couldn't hurt." Readjusting her coat on her shoulders, she looked at Killian's face and saw the fear and pain growing. "Stay right here," she said, as if she had to worry he'd run away. "I'm going to get her."

Killian heard her leave and despite hearing David's voice from before that it was a waste of time, he sank his hook into the block of ice. He couldn't help it. It was the only thing he could think to do. He wanted to get to her, hold her in his arms, feel her palm as she slapped him for lying to her, any contact would be good. He just wanted her to be safe.

The ice cracked and splintered under his hook, but he made no headway. When he finally heard footsteps behind him, he assumed them to be that of Ruby or Mary Margaret. So he was surprised when Emma's son spoke to him.

"You left your phone on so I knew I could find you," Henry said, stepping to the pirate's left and watching as the hook hit the thick ice. "GPS and all."

Killian stared back at him blankly.

"Well…it is this technology my mom taught me about," Henry explained. "It helps you locate someone or something with coordinates and satellites that are like the stars. I guess it is a little like sailing in some ways."

Killian thought about his phone and shook off the confusion. "Your mother is in there," he said. "I don't know how to get her out."

Henry placed one gloved hand on the wall and the other on Killian's shoulder. "You're the one who is always saying how strong my mom is," he said in a remarkably mature manner. "She's going to be fine. I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't walk out of there, dragging my grandfather kicking and screaming." He laughed at the idea of it.

"You're a lot like her," Killian observed. "And your grandfather too. Must be some strong family traits."

Henry looked down, his eyes almost closing as he breathed in sharply. "You'll probably just tell me that I'm too young to understand, but I have to say this," he said a little less confidently. "I don't know what's going on with you and my other grandfather, but you know you have to be careful with him, don't you? He's…Well, I wouldn't trust him. I don't trust him. I'm only working there to…"

Killian took a step back, shocked that Emma's son was quite as aware as he was. "You knew I was there today?" he asked quietly.

Henry nodded. "I thought that was why my mom was there, but then I heard…" he trailed off. "Just be careful. My mom isn't happy about me being there. I can't imagine she'd want you there either."

Killian swallowed hard. He was truly at a loss for words, but he knew he owed the young boy an explanation of some kind. While he wasn't going to give Henry a confession, he had to reassure him. "I'd never intentionally hurt her," he said with as much sincerity that he could muster. "I'd rather die than hurt her in any way."

***AAA***

Emma could almost touch David's hand, not that it meant anything but that they were getting closer to him. Belle was beside her, easing herself up next to the frozen cage. There was no metal or substance underneath it, just solid ice that was cold to the touch. Emma's eyes were on her father's unconscious form. She did not try to speak too loudly, afraid that the Snow Queen was nearby, but she let out several furtive whispers to him and daringly called out in louder whispers as her desperation grew. Elsa was still at the wall, her hands poised to shatter any of the ice that might fall if it was in fact a trick.

Just one or two more steps, Emma told herself. She was ignoring the gnawing in her gut that even if they did free David, she had no idea how to escape. They could wander for hours and as the coldness grew so did the chances that she would freeze rather than live. But for now David was the priority. She removed her glove from her right hand and reached through the bars to touch the white frostiness of his face. At this range she could hear him breathing and the soft groans of sleep. He twitched at her touch and she wanted to cry out that at least he was that aware. Belle interrupted her.

"We've got to do something about the cage," she hissed, gripping one of the bars in an attempt to break it. "Do you think you can?"

Emma pulled her hand back in, uncovering the other one and planted her feet firmly apart. Closing her eyes, she summoned what emotion was still in her and imagined a warm sunny day, a fire, and a space heater all melting the ice that caged him. She could tell from Belle's silence that nothing was happening at first, but she did not stop. Her concentration only deepened and the warmth spread through her body and she hoped out of her fingers toward the bars.

"Yes," Belle said quietly.

Slowly, Emma opened her eyes and saw that there was an opening just big enough to get him out. Each woman grabbed one arm and dragged him to the edge of the cage, carefully lifting him between the two of them as they stumbled back to Elsa. "What now?" Belle asked the two other women. "Where do we go?"

Emma was about to answer, but she was not sure what she could offer. David was a bit heavy to lug and there was no telling which way would get them out of there. Elsa looked terrified as she glanced back toward the larger room, but Emma wasn't sure why on that either. She barely got the words out to ask her new friend when she heard the rumbling that seemed to get closer and louder. Her head turned just as the brightness of the candles and ice turned black. She saw nothing more.

Let me know if you're still with me on this. I'm about to have a break from school and hope to get to spend more time on this fic very soon.