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Summary of the Previous Chapter: After Killian and Emma have a moment, Gold made an appearance at the library before being trapped inside of the urn again.

Meanwhile, something happened with Marian, making Regina and Robin's futures even more uncertain...

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Chapter Twenty-Seven: Staggered

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Early The Next Day -Storybrooke

After Elsa had taken the ice wall down, with Regina's help, she immediately found her sister's necklace, spurring her previous desire to find her sister. When she was teleported back to the loft—Regina left to figure out how to free those trapped inside of the hat, among other things—she met up with Belle, who volunteered to make her a tracking potion.

In the midst of the brewing, they were soon joined by Emma, who wanted to check in on them after visiting her parents. "How's it coming?" she asked, leaning over the glass bowl to see the contents. "I didn't know that you could make a tracking potion..."

"I quickly consulted a book before attempting it," Belle responded as she stirred the liquid. "It'll be ready in a minute or two. Elsa?" she then called out, looking over her shoulder at the pacing woman, who looked up at the sound of her name. "Can you give me that vial over by that shelf? I want you guys to carry an extra one, just in case something else happens..."

"That's a reasonable assumption," Emma commented.

Doing as she was told, Elsa quickly brought it over to Belle, her mind completely focused on finding Anna.

"Don't worry," Emma said, looking her friend over. "We'll find her."

Elsa just quietly nodded her head and watched Belle stir the potion one more before uncorking the bottle and carefully pouring the elixir inside of it. After making sure it was closed, she handed it over to Emma before asking Elsa for the necklace, which the latter obliged after steadily pulling it from her pocket.

Holding her palm up, Belle placed the jewelry onto it before dripping a generous amount of the potion onto the item, which hissed upon contact.

Watching it twitch then hover, Elsa and Emma both braced themselves, immediately prepared to follow after it while Belle decided to stay at the library—she wasn't in the mood to chase after anything or anybody.

Bodies poised, they practically sprinted to the door when it took off, Elsa careful not to trip over her now raised skirts when they spilled out onto the streets. As it led them down to the docks, Emma picked up her speed, her eyes concentrating mainly on the flying necklace while her long legs easily trekked over the familiar area. When it brought them down the steps and over to the sea's shoreline, they checked their surroundings in confusion, especially when the necklace suddenly stopped then fell onto the sand.

After frantically glancing around for her sister and not finding her, Elsa collapsed beside the piece of jewelry in despair, her eyes filling with innumerable tears. Clasping the necklace to her chest, she bowed her head then closed her eyes.

"Why w-would it l-lead us here?" she asked, her voice ragged and broken. "I-I don't understand…"

Emma shook her head as she continued to look around. Slowly turning in a circle, Emma slowly shrugged her shoulders before stopping in front of Elsa. "I'm not sure. Maybe she's involved with somebody magical? From what I've heard, that has a tendency to throw the tracking potion off..."

Elsa tightened her grip on the necklace. "I just wish...I just wish my sister was here..."

"I know you do," Emma replied sadly, moving to stand beside her. Leaning over to rub Elsa's shoulder, she sighed before glancing over at the rolling waves. Suddenly, she saw something big stir beneath the rolling water. Squinting her eyes when it popped up, she took a curious step forward, her interest piqued when she recognized what she was looking at.

"It's a chest," Emma said, tilting her head to one side.

She was about to move closer when the lid was suddenly—and violently—thrown open, revealing two gasping individuals inside of it.

Gasping in shock, Emma looked over her shoulder at Elsa before lunging forward. "Hey! Look!"

Popping her head up, Elsa turned around, her eyes widening happily when she recognized the pair. Getting up, she dropped the necklace in her exuberance and hurried after Emma; therefore, not seeing that when she had let it go, the jewelry sank a little bit into the sand before vanishing in a silvery shimmer. "Anna! Kristoff!" she cried out, her dress briefly sticking to her before floating atop the water.

Already inside of it, Emma only had to wade up to her mid-thighs before she reached the struggling couple, who barely noticed her presence—they were too busy stumbling out of the roomy chest. Grabbing ahold of one of their arms, Emma startled them into seeing her, their faces the picture of fear and shock before they noticed the woman coming up alongside her.

"Elsa!" Anna screamed, using Emma's grip as leverage to push herself forward; eventually finding herself in her sister's outstretched arms. "Oh my stars, where are we?! Where are you? I can't believe that we're still alive! Kristoff, we're alive!"

"Yes, we are," he coughed out, accepting Emma's help when he began to wipe the water from his bleary eyes.

With the pair wallowing behind them, Anna and Elsa promptly made their way to the shore where they immediately caught each other up on their circumstances—the former talked about her short stay in the Enchanted Forest before being tricked by Hans and Blackbeard while the latter managed to summarize her stay in Storybrooke, ending it perfectly with how they captured Gold.

Able to dry off on their way back into town, the four quickly made their way to the library where they found a stoic Regina talking with Belle.

"Oh, good. You found them," Regina said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "This makes my news even more relevant."

"What news?" Emma asked curiously.

"After figuring a way to free those trapped in the hat," she began, slightly leaning against a table. "I had a feeling you would find her, so...I looked into how we could get them back to Arendelle and I found a way."

"You have?" Elsa asked, her eyes wide.

"Thank the stars!" Anna exclaimed, happily grabbing her sister's hands. "We can go home!"

"Yes," Regina answered. "There's a portal in the forest that leads to many realms, including Arendelle, all we need to do is go there..."

"That's great news!" Anna shouted, turning to face her sister. "And we desperately have to get back. I don't think I mentioned that Hans threatened to rule in your place..."

Elsa's eyes widened in shock before settling back down in anger. "He will when hell freezes over." Looking back at Regina, she gave her a nod. "How soon can we leave?"

"Right now, if you wish..."

Elsa looked from Anna to Kristoff to Belle to Emma before inhaling deeply, some sadness flickering in her eyes. "As bad a timing as my leaving would be, I really have to go back home. I've been away too long..."

Emma then moved towards her and put a gentle hand onto her shoulder. "We understand," she said, though a part of her was unhappy to see her go. She had really bonded with Elsa through their shared complications with their magic, but she knew why she had to leave. "Arendelle needs you."

Elsa removed one of her hands from Anna's so she could place it atop Emma's, an appreciative smile on her lips.

"Alright," Regina then said as she moved forward. "Let's go."

Waving a hand, she encompassed Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Emma and herself, whisking them away to the selected portal in another section of the forest. Flicking a finger at it, when they arrived, Regina summoned a huge wooden door that had carvings all around the frame before it swung open, revealing a blue glowing light inside.

Swallowing hard, Elsa turned to Regina and slowly began pulling off the signet ring she had in her possession. "I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done for me. Without your help, I don't think I would've found my self-confidence, so...thanks for the tough love."

"You're very welcome," Regina responded, some light shining in her eyes when she accepted the piece of jewelry. "Now, go show the world what an incredible ice witch looks like."

Smiling, Elsa then turned to face Emma. Walking over to her, she instantly pulled her into a hug, which was immediately returned. "I'm going to miss you," she said, sniffling. "I'll try to find a way to keep in touch."

"I'll miss you too," Emma responded when they pulled away.

"Now, remember what Ingrid told you," Elsa said as she moved to stand beside her patient companions. "You're a fantastic Savior but never forget that your magic is what makes you...you," she paused, giving her a sympathetic expression. "It took me a while to figure that out but I understand it now. Your magic is a gift and don't let anybody tell you any differently."

Emma smiled at her. "Thanks."

Nodding, Elsa moved to stand in-between Anna and Kristoff, each clasping the other's hands when they first faced the portal then stepped inside of it, vanishing from their current realm into their own.

Flicking a finger at the door, Regina made it disappear, officially leaving her alone with an observing Emma, who had moved to stand closer to her.

"Hey," Emma then said softly, trying to engage her in some friendly conversation. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Regina stared at the ground before meeting the other woman's eyes. "No, I don't." Emotionally spent and too upset to say anything else, especially when she thought about what she had to do later in the day with Robin and Roland, she pulled her gaze away to stare at her hands.

"At the risk of sounding annoying," Emma said, following a brief moment of silence, sensing the turbulence in her. "I just want to say that I'm sorry again for what I did. If I hadn't, then you—"

"It's more complicated than that now," Regina interrupted, her tone flat. "And don't worry about it anymore," she continued. "I've already forgiven you for it."

"Really?"

"Yes, ever since you ran away from the hospital actually..."

"Wow," Emma whispered.

"I told you," she said. "I don't want to hold onto grudges anymore. Besides, after much reflection, it's not really going to do me any good," she stopped, thinking about the end result. "I will still need more time though but I may as well tell you, since I'm being honest, I never really planned on cutting anybody out of my life..."

Not knowing what else to say, Emma just nodded her head in relief. To be fair, if Regina had decided to sever ties, they would all be screwed. None of them really know Storybrooke's day-to-day operations, especially from a mayoral position—not to mention if they were magically attacked again, they would all be crushed.

"Have you figured out what to do with Gold?" she then asked, changing the topic.

Regina shook her head. "Not a thing. It also doesn't help that I don't know what's wrong with him but I did plan on heading over to my vault to start doing some research on the Dark Ones and what not." Looking over at Emma, she then tilted her head. "Do you want to come?"

Emma's mouth dropped open. "Are you s-sure?" she asked, slightly stuttering. "I don't want to be in the way..."

Regina shrugged. "You won't be as long as you don't randomly touch anything..."

Briefly thinking about the possibility of her being magically trained again, Emma smiled. "Sure, I'll help out."

Waving her hand, Regina instantly teleported them to her vault, but from the moment she had entered the place, she felt something tug at her insides. "Wait," she warned, glancing around. "Something's off..."

"What do you mean?" Emma asked, instinctively raising her hands up.

Senses heightened, Regina didn't respond back. Instead, she immediately made her way to where she had placed the urn, but when she discovered it missing, her face widened in surprise then contorted into pure rage.

"SON OF A BITCH!" she cursed loudly. Grabbing her forehead in thought, she spun around to glare at Emma. "This was sealed with blood magic. Everybody knows that so...who would be powerful enough to come in here?"

Emma took a bracing step back. "If you're thinking that it was me, you're barking up the wrong tree."

"I wasn't," Regina retorted. "You're not that good yet." Trying to calm down, she folded her arms over her chest. "Well, it can't be Gold unless he found a way to unscrew the top off from inside of the urn..."

"For me, the only person that comes to mind is..." Emma trailed off, her eyes widening.

Regina caught her gaze. Her blood running cold. Could she still be alive? No, that's impossible...Isn't it?

Angrily waving a hand, Regina suddenly teleported them both to her office before tapping on her ring, summoning the others to her location.

Nearly an hour later, when they had all arrived in a confused huff, she waited until they were fully inside before magically slamming the door behind them.

Glaring at them, her eyes fiery, Regina nearly spat her words out.

"Zelena, my bitch of a sister, is alive…"

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