Chapter 8

It didn't take Ariel very long to find Storybrooke and once she arrived in this mysterious town, she began to swim onto shore. As soon as she was close enough to the shore to be able to walk with her legs, she immediately took off her bracelet and put it into her purse so her legs would appear. Her purse was enchanted so everything kept inside it would stay dry. Even after being in the water. Pan had enchanted it for her a while ago out of what she thought was kindness. Only to find out that he wanted her to be his spy for certain things around the island. That's when she realized he was evil and she fled.

Ariel then began to walk out of the water and onto the land. She wasn't really sure how she would find this Emma, or where to go but she just kept walking until she got more into town. She found herself walking in what appeared to be the main street of the town, which held lots of colorful storefronts. Locals would be seen going about running their errands.

Emma was on her way to see Gold, with Snow following behind her. She was briskly walking towards Gold's pawnshop not paying too much attention to her surroundings, when she began to notice a red headed woman wearing mermaid like clothing, with a purse around her, right across the street from where she was at. She wasn't sure who the hell this woman was but she knew she didn't seem to be from around here in Storybrooke. She just seemed out of place.

"Who the hell is that?" asked Emma, pointing with her chin in Ariel's direction.

Snow then began to look in the direction Emma was looking and immediately perked up.

"ARIEL?" Snow yelled out and Emma looked at her for a second before looking back at the mysterious woman.

"Wait, you know her? Who is she?"

"Her name is Ariel and she's a friend!" said Snow, as she got off the sidewalk, looking in both directions to cross the street.

Immediately Snow ran up to Ariel to greet her with a big smile and that's when Ariel finally noticed where she heard her name being called over from. She immediately smiled back up at Snow and then opened her arms to gesture to Snow to hug her and Snow did just that. Snow was so happy to see Ariel after so long. Emma followed behind Snow, hesitantly because she knew this would take time out of getting to Neverland faster. Yet, she followed behind her mother anyway.

Once the few seconds' hug broke, Snow immediately began to ask several questions.

"How did you get here? Were you here the whole time? Because I never once saw you during the curse or even after. Where have you been? Where's Eric? Is he here with you?"

Ariel didn't respond and Snow started to wonder why.

"What's wrong!" asked a confused Snow.

Ariel then put her right hand up to her throat and tapped it twice trying to gesture that she had no voice. She then took out her notebook and pen from her purse and began to write. It took a few minutes for her to write but once she was done, she turned the page over for Snow and Emma to read.

"I can no longer speak. The Evil Queen took my voice after I had helped you. Without my voice, I couldn't go to Eric and tell him who I was so I traveled to Neverland. That's where I met up with Pan and his lost boys. The lost boys taught me to read and write since I couldn't speak. But that's not the important part as to why I'm here. Your husband David sent me. He found me in Neverland and told me everything. He told me about how the Evil Queen is trying to change for her and the Saviors' son, which by the way, I still find way too hard to believe that. Yet; I still came here on behalf of the little boy Henry."

Emma then immediately jumped into the conversation after reading what Ariel had written.

"You're saying Regina took your voice? I can probably give it back to you. But only if you tell us EVERYTHING that David wanted you to tell us. I know there's more to this. He wouldn't try to get a message to us unless something went wrong. Do we have a deal?"

Ariel's eyes got wide in happiness at the thought of getting her voice back. She knew she'd be able to tell them everything way easier with her voice so she nodded her head in agreement.

Emma then nodded her head and said "Okay! I'm not sure exactly how to do this. But Regina once told me that all I have to do is want something and it'll work. So stay still!"

Ariel nodded her head in agreement once again, as Emma put up both her hands and held them over Ariel's neck. Her hands were almost touching Ariel's skin. Emma closed her eyes and began to want Ariel's voice back. She wanted it with as much might as she could possibly think of and immediately Emma's hands started to glow white. Emma could feel the magic flowing through her hands and into Ariel. After a few seconds, Emma's hands stopped glowing white and she could feel the magic had stopped flowing through her hands.

Emma then opened her eyes. She slowly lowered her hands.

"Try to talk!"

Ariel was a little hesitant at first. She wasn't sure if she would be able to talk but she knew there was at least a chance so she then closed her eyes for a few seconds before reopening them. She put her right hand up to her neck to try to feel her voice and she then started to speak.

"I'm Ariel!"

Ariel then smiled in joy and even laughed a little bit knowing that it worked. Her voice was back. She could talk again. She could sing again. She felt so happy.

"Oh my gosh. It worked! Thank you so much!"

Emma smiled back at Ariel and Snow also smiled. Snow showed her joy by pulling Ariel in for another hug and Ariel hugged back. Once they were done celebrating Emma giving Ariel's voice back, Emma then began to get serious.

"Alright, I gave you your voice back, now tell us everything!"

Ariel then looked to Emma and slowly started to tell her what David wanted them to know.

"David told me that you had been shot and were in the hospital unconscious. He wanted to know how you were and once you woke up, to tell you something very serious!"

Emma looked at Ariel with worry now.

"I was shot and was in the hospital, but I woke up about 30 minutes ago and left. I couldn't waste another minute to join them and start helping with the search to find my son Henry in Neverland. Especially after my mom here told me that they all left without me because they weren't sure when I'd wake up!"

Snow then began to look concerned now and that's when she immediately asked. "What's happened in Neverland that Charming had to find you to get a message to us?"

Ariel then continued.

"David wanted me to tell you that it's not just Henry that needs to be saved. It's now Regina too. She has been captured and every time they get close to where she is, she gets magically transported into a new location on the island. Pan gave them a map to find Regina but Pan won't let them get close enough to rescue her. I was extremely hesitant at coming here to tell you this, because she's still the Evil Queen to me. She took my voice. My love. My life. I am not sure I can ever forgive her. But if she really is trying to redeem herself like David and Neal both told me; then I'll try to look past everything and help you rescue her."

Emma's eyes now widened with panic.

"Oh my god Regina's been captured? I have to get to Neverland. I have to save Regina and Henry!"

Emma began to panic even more now. She started breathing heavily and she couldn't calm herself down. She needed Regina and Henry both. She couldn't lose neither one of them. She could feel her heart pound fast in her chest at the thought of losing Regina and Henry.

Snow had never seen Emma like this before but she was still very weary about trusting Regina. Only now she finally realized how much Regina actually meant to Emma. She's never noticed this before. It wasn't hard to put two and two together. Snow then tried to calm her daughter down the best way she knew how.

"Emma, sweetie it's going to be okay. We're going to find them and bring them both back. I promise. We always find each other!"

"I can't lose Henry or Regina. I can't. Henry needs us both. We're a family!"

"And what does our family do best? We find each other!"

Emma then slowly started to calm herself down. She knew her mother was right. They still had time to find Gold and see if he had any way possible to take her to Neverland. He's the Dark One after all. He must know a way; right?"

"You're right. You're totally right! We will find them both and bring them both home. I'll call it Operation Save Regina and Henry! Although Henry would probably have a better name!" said Emma with a little crooked smile. Her eyes were almost tearing up from panicking just moments ago.

"That's right we will find them and I think that's a great name. Operation Save Regina and Henry it is! Now let's get to Gold's shop and make him help us! What do you say?"

Emma shook her head and then looked to Ariel.

"Thank you for coming all this way to tell us this. Would you like to tag along with us and help us save my family, if you're up to it?"

Ariel smiled at Emma. It was then that Ariel finally realized how much Regina actually meant to Emma. She didn't even know Emma but she could see love when it was real,and Emma's love for Regina was definitely real. It was so evident in Emma's facial expressions. This made Ariel a little more open minded to Regina actually redeeming herself.

"Of course I'll tag along! Anything to help my friend Snow and her family out!" said Ariel still smiling.

"Thank you!" said Emma

Snow also thanked Ariel for tagging along and after a few seconds of thanking Ariel, they all started to walk down the street to Gold's pawnshop.