Trigger warning! This chapter contains drug use and dark themes.

She wanted to resist eating, but after twelve hours in the cellar and not having eaten since the day before, she had finally succumbed. Gold had provided her with a bowl of chicken broth and crackers so Emma attacked them with ferocity. But the soup had tasted off and after an hour she began to grow drowsy. As her eyes drooped closed, she cursed the man and his warped mind.

A sharp sting in her arm snapped her awake and she found herself looking into the cold eyes of Cruella who was grinning at her. She spotted the syringe in the woman's hand and looked over Cruella's shoulder at Robert Gold who had his gun pointed at her.

"What did you give me you bastard?" Emma growled.

Gold chuckled at her and lowered the gun to his side as Cruella backed away until she stood behind him. "A gift dearie." Emma's eyes narrowed at him before she felt a fire spread up her arm. "A little product I had left over, something to begin your transformation."

It hit her like a freight train and despite her situation, Emma smiled. Her eyes became hooded and she felt an intense pleasure that she had never felt before in her life. Her body and mind felt like they were floating. A part of her, a part that was fading rapidly, fought against the ecstasy that began to engulf her in waves.

"W-why?" Her voice sounded so far away to her. The ability to focus on Gold and his response slipped through her consciousness like water through her fingers. Gold smuggly regarded her and her current condition with pride.

"I told you dearie. I mean to destroy you as you have destroyed my life." The hatred he felt burning inside him was clearly evident in his voice as he spit out his answer. "The virtuous federal agent Emma Swan Nolan, brought down by her drug addiction. I intend to turn you into a junkie and an outcast. The life you knew before is now over." He reached down and patted her arm in a gesture of contempt. "Welcome to your new life dearie."

For the life of her, Emma could not bring herself to care about what Gold was saying. All she cared about at the moment was how good she felt, and how she wanted to feel that way forever.

Frantic phone calls from Storybrooke to Boston to New York in multiple combinations had finally ended as the evening matured. Emotionally and mentally exhausted, Regina had finally retired to Ruby's guest bedroom which had unofficially become her's. Ruby had spent an abbreviated work day managing her diner so she could return home and offer help and support to David and Regina. David had scoured Storybrooke for any kind of clue, witness or rumor about Emma's disappearance while Regina had used her mayoral office to contact law enforcement agencies all over the northeast region of the country. By nightfall all federal and most local law enforcement agencies were on alert for the missing FBI agent.

It was obvious that Regina was at her wits end and needed help with taking care of Henry. It was David who came up with the idea of bringing Mary Margaret up from Boston to assist the distraught mother. He was preparing to leave to do just that when Ruby stopped him.

"Do you really think that Gold has her?" Her voice was quiet, in part so she wouldn't be accidentally overheard by Regina, but also because she was afraid to hear his answer.

There was a grim look in his eyes as David answered her. "Emma wouldn't just vanish like this without a trace, someone got to her. My money is on that bastard Gold." Ruby shook her head in worry.

"I just can't believe this is actually happening. Do-do you think that he would…?" She couldn't bring herself to even say her fear aloud, however David understood what she meant.

"No. I don't think he would kill her. Gold is too twisted for that. He wants her to suffer, and by extension he wants Regina to suffer. No, I think he's holding her somewhere." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "And we'll find her."

She nodded but kept her question to herself. The question that frightened her to her core. How?

It was early morning when Cora Mills finally dragged herself into the small studio apartment she had found. The rent for it was far too much for the amount of space it provided, but it was Boston and she knew that she was lucky to have it. She could have just as easily been living on the street, if not for her benefactor. As if summoned by thought, her cell phone buzzed and the caller ID flashed the name of her guardian angel. Victoria.

Cora smiled at the display and shook her head in awe, again unsure at the reason why fate had brought this woman into her life after all of the awful things she had done over the years. "Hello Victoria." Cora said softly into the phone.

"I trust you made it home safely dear." Cora sighed at the other woman's voice, it was the same thing Victoria always said when Cora had finished her shift. Victoria was always worried about Cora traveling through the city late at night.

"I always do." Cora said softly as she sat on her futon and removed her hideous work shoes and rubbed her aching feet. She heard Victoria exhale and smiled. "I know you worry dear, but I can handle myself."

"I do wish you would reconsider my offer Cora." Cora rubbed her temple with her hand, they had had this conversation before and Cora's position had not changed. "You don't need to work there doing a job you hate and you don't need to live in an apartment that you detest."

"Victoria.." Cora began but was quickly cut off on the other end of the line.

"Cora, please." Her voice was gentle and full of compassion. "You could live here with me."

"I know that dear. But you know I can't." Cora had been a woman of affluence most of her adult life and she knew it had ruined her. Her greed and ambition had cost her everything, and not just her money and status. It had cost her her daughter.

"Cora, you don't have to keep punishing yourself like this."

But Cora Mills felt differently, this was her penance for her sins. "I must Victoria." She heard the other woman sigh in resignation.

"Will I at least see you tonight?" Victoria asked and Cora smiled into the phone.

"Of course my dear."

Regina turned onto her back and stared at the ceiling. She should be asleep, she refused to look at the time, her phone was on the nightstand just a foot away. She resisted the urge to pick it up and check it, she must have been like this for at least two hours now, unable to close her eyes. Her mind was tired, her body was tired, even her spirit was tired, but sleep would not come.

"Emma, where are you?" Her voice was shaky and quiet, she didn't want to wake Henry who was sleeping in his crib just across the bedroom. Her thoughts raced and bounced around her head almost painfully. Was she hurt? Was she alive? Was she afraid? Each thought felt like a dagger through her heart. Her eyes were bone dry and stung from crying so much, she had been trying to be strong in front of David and Ruby. And she would not do anything but smile in front of Henry, she would absolutely not upset their child. He had no idea that his other mother was missing and he did not need to now.

Would he even have memories of her if…? She couldn't finish the thought, she won't even entertain the possibility that they would never see Emma again. She broke down and snatched her phone off the nightstand and looked at the display. It was two o'clock and she couldn't sleep. She knew that she wouldn't fall asleep either. So she continued to lay there, staring at the ceiling.

"You could stay." Victoria propped her head up on her pillow and looked down at the dark eyes of her lover. "You know that right?"

Cora hummed softly to herself and entertained the thought for just a moment. How easy it would be just to stay between these silk sheets, wrapped in the arms of her lover with the television playing softly in the background. But she shook her head no. "I can't Vicky."

Victoria pouted and traced a circle on Cora's exposed shoulder. "Can't or won't?"

"Vicky, I just-" Cora sighed again but a familiar face flashed on the periphery of her vision that demanded her attention. "Oh my God!" She shot upright, startling Victoria.

"Cora? What is it?"

"The television! Turn it up Vicky!" Victoria grabbed the remote control off the nightstand and adjusted the volume until the news report became clear.

"... as the search continues for FBI agent Emma Nolan authorities believe that her disappearance may be connected with an incident earlier this year involving a major drug kingpin named Robert Gold.." Cora's hand flew to her mouth.

"Is that the woman you told me about? The one your daughter…?" Victoria had been looking at the screen but she turned and saw Cora's face had grown ashen. "Cora?"

"He's alive." Her voice was a mix of shock and fear.

"Cora, you have to call her." Victoria watched as Cora slowly came back to whatever place she had gone to in her mind. Their eyes met and Victoria took Cora's hand and held it. "You have to call your daughter."