Wonderland, 6 weeks ago…

Mal looked questioningly at her fellow prisoner. "Diaval? That's an interesting name. What are you in for?"

Diaval sighed and leaned up against the stone wall and slid down into a sitting position, putting his head in his hands. "I really have no idea. I must have done something when I couldn't remember."

Mal didn't understand. When she was torturing her victims she reveled in telling them what she was seeking vengeance for. It made her feel justified in her actions, but best of all was the look in their eyes when they realized they weren't as heroic as they'd thought. So why didn't Time tell Diaval what he'd done? Why did he never tell her what he'd witnessed while she was a dragon all those years ago? What was the point? Certainly one kept certain things close to the chest but when you are in the act of vengeance and its culmination you give a long speech!

They were quiet for a long time before Diaval broke the silence. "So how did he manage to capture you?"

Mal shot him a questioning but annoyed look.

"He's just fairly creative. Figure if we do get out of here some day or he decides to do something else besides let us rot in here that knowing his various strategies might be helpful."

Diaval was honest in what he was saying, but he was also just glad to have someone to talk to even though it meant someone else was trapped.

Mal looked around the dungeon and when she looked down noticed that a small tray of food and a goblet of water had appeared before her and Diaval. Diaval had already begun picking at his food.

"He's got some sort of time loop that feeds us. Same crap for lunch every day. Dinner is on a three day cycle."

Mal looked down at her tray. There was a small roll that was hard enough to break teeth and some mushy gray slop she couldn't fathom what it was. It looked disgusting and that it had been left over from two nights earlier. The water was even linty.

She sighed and pushed the tray away. Sadly she knew at some point she'd be hungry enough to eat this mess, but not yet.

She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. Diaval was right in that learning about Time might be helpful. "Well, my daughter and I thought we could sneak up on him to extract a memory we needed, but seemed he was expecting us."

"That would be the Dormouse. Time's minion. He is really good at getting information without you knowing because he's so small. Reports it back to Time and then does his bidding."

Mal shuddered. She'd always hated little rodents. Very glad that Aurora wasn't another Cinderella with her posy of mice. "So what you about you?"

Diaval chugged his water and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. He looked over at Mal and then stared at the wall straight ahead.

"Well everything was fine. I'd been living here in peace for many years and one day an angry mob descended on my cottage. A young warrior dressed in elaborate armor came forward and declared war on me for terrorizing the residents of Wonderland. The warrior, who turned out to be a young woman from a land without magic, said that she was honorable and wouldn't defeat me without proper warning. The next morning at dawn in the fields her army and I had a great battle. She cut off a toe and then as I was distracted looking for it, her blade scratched my chest every so lightly just over my heart and the next thing I knew I was transported here."

"How did you manage to fight an army alone?"

Diaval rolled his head on the stone wall to look at Mal. "I'm jabberwocky. The dragon species of this realm."

It hit Mal like a ton of bricks. She looked closer at his face. Yes, it had to be. This was Lily's father. Time must have seen them in dragon form create Lily.

"She has your eyes." Maleficent whispered in wonder.

Wonderland, Present Day

Everyone rushed around to get things ready to storm Time's castle to save Emma, Regina, and Alice. They had no idea what happened or what they would be facing, but Killian and Emma's shared heart left no doubt that there was danger.

Dormouse held his tongue as long as he could. When Snow White passed his cage, he decided to speak. "You promise you can protect my family?"

Snow stopped and turned to him. "As well as yourself."

"I don't care what happens to me. Especially after all I've done. But if you are going to go in after your friends, I have some information you must know."

Charming came up beside Snow and put his arm around her shoulder. "Please help us. We will protect both you and your family."

Dormouse stood up. His resolve now was strong. "Time knows of Alice's tunnel. He didn't want her to know he knew though. His plan was to set traps along its path close to the dungeon to torment her. He will never let her save the Jabberwocky." He turned to look at Lily. "The Jabberwocky took his love from him. The Jabberwocky is your father."

Everyone turned and looked at Lily stunned. This was the moment she'd been waiting for for far too long, yet she was speechless and felt nothing but shock. She was expecting to receive this information today, particularly from a mouse!

Leroy crossed over to her and guided her to a seat. He sat down next to her. "We're going to rescue your parents today

Lily turned and smiled at him. Somehow that had been exactly what she'd needed to hear.

Not long later Killian lead the entourage charging into the rescue mission.

Through their shared heart, Snow and Charming knew it was time to calm Killian down. Charming sprinted up to Killian and had to almost jog to keep pace. "Hook slow down."

"Not a chance mate." Killian grumbled.

Charming rolled his eyes. Headstrong pirate. Acting first, thinking later. "We can't just storm the gates. You heard the Dormouse. There are too may risks and unknowns. We have to be strategic."

"And condemn to them whatever horrible fate they are currently in?"

Charming had to get him to realize slow and steady would win the day and not as fast and furious as he was being. "If we are captured then we can no longer help them. Also, if you die, Emma dies. Keeping yourself safe is just as important not as keeping Emma safe." Killian stopped dead in his tracks. "That conversation with Snow about sharing a heart ring a bell now?"

Killian took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He turned and strode quickly to Lily. "What do you think?"

Lily was unsure. She looked at Leroy who had been walking next to her and he gave her an encouraging nod. "I agree with Charming. I don't remember it, but he managed to capture my mother. Mistress of Darkness. And send me back to Storybrooke with no memories of anything. We need to do this right."

As much as it pained him, Killian realized they were right. He turned and the group began walking again.

Snow and Charming this time took up the rear.

"What are you smiling at?"

Snow grabbed Charming's hand. "Each time someone shows Lily a kindness her heart is opening up to love. Everyone is being kind to her now. Treating her like a friend rather than foe."

Charming smiled and gave a small laugh. "I take it that makes you very happy?"

"Of course! Look at her! She and Leroy have become almost inseparable." Snow rubbed Charming's knuckles with her thumb.

Charming shook his head. "Gotta admit, Leroy's got an interesting taste in women. First a fairy, now a dragon."

Storybrooke, present day

Gold stood at the backdoor of the fairies mansion. Through various scouting missions, thanks to the secret key to his cell he had, he'd learned that the Apprentice's wand was being hidden somewhere inside by Blue.

He had no idea where it was hidden but he knew he would feel it when he got close. He'd lived with magic for far too long to not notice it. True the whole mansion was riddled with magic, but fairy magic was different from the magic he'd wielded as the Dark One and the magic of the Apprentice.

Gold pulled out a small tool and began to pick at the lock on the door. He'd seen Emma Swan do it before and his own son had figured it out years ago apparently, so he was sure he'd have no trouble.

Just as Gold had managed to unlock the door, a hand grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.

Up Next: Find out who got Gold; What happened to Emma, Regina, and Alice; A moment with Lily and Leroy

Hope you are enjoying this. Let me know what you think!