A/n: Thanks to everyone who reviewed and who continues to put up with my shit. Here's a new chapter for you!

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Henry and Grace stood beside the swing set, peering at the small hole in the ground a few feet away. The playground was empty of children, and the only noise to be heard was the crashing of waves on the beach. The sun was setting, their hidden town in Maine in the darker end of dusk, and the chill could be felt in the air. Grace shivered slightly, her head turned yearningly towards the disappearing sun. Her eyes fluttered closed for a moment, soaking up the little light lingering on the horizon. She opened her eyes and felt Henry's gaze as a pressure on her shoulder.

He said nothing to her, knowing the reservations she held about what they were about to do. He held his hand out to her, wordlessly asking for her support. She could leave then and there, she supposed, and just walk home. Leave Henry to his fate. And she might have, if she thought it would have stopped him; she knew him too well to even consider that a possibility. Her hand slid into his, their fingers intertwining and tightening around each other. Their gaze returned to the rabbit hole, which to Henry's eyes appeared ordinary and hardly out of place. Grace knew better. She could see the ring of dandelions sprouting up around it, not quite in bloom but ready.

"Are you sure this is it?" Henry asked, eyeing the small hole skeptically. It looked like a normal hole to his eyes, sunken and tiny and dark. There was no shimmer, nothing even remotely magical to indicate that this was special. He felt frustration well up inside him preemptively, his skepticism taking hold. What if Grace had been wrong? What if there was no Wonder-Rabbit here, no way to Wonderland?

Grace glared at him briefly, hurt that he would think her a liar – or, worse, stupid. "Yes," She replied tersely, and crouched down. She crawled to the hole on her hands and knees, eventually lying flat against the ground. She motioned for him to do the same with a wave of her hand, and a single crooked finger. Henry obliged, feeling silly, and lay next to her.

"Hello," Grace whispered, and reached out one finger to gently stroke a partially open dandelion. Henry opened his mouth to ask her what she was doing but her right hand came up to quickly cover his mouth. He grunted and pushed her hand off, taking the clue to keep quiet.

He waited impatiently for a few seconds before hissing a quiet "What are we waiting for?" in her ear. She gave him an irritated glance and looked pointedly at the dandelion again. It was as he stared, his attention finally focused whole-heartedly on the flower, that he saw. Slowly, very slowly, the leaves of the dandelion uncurled, and the head of the flower bloomed. Henry watched in disbelief as the flower awoke, the petals fanning and curling as though to stretch.

"Excuse me," Grace whispered politely to the Dandelion, whose head turned to face her. As it turned, Henry became aware that it did, in fact, have a face. "We need to get to Wonderland. Could we please have some of your pollen?"

The Dandelion seemed to consider the request, the leaves swaying in the breeze. "Well," And Henry was astonished to hear a tiny, matronly voice boom from the golden flower. "Since you asked so politely, I supposed it could do no harm… Only, I would ask one favor in return," It said, smiling sweetly; it made Henrys skin crawl.

"Such as?" Grace inquired in the same syrupy tone; her hand tightened around Henrys, though her expression remained impassive.

"I want memories, from each of you," The Dandelion said softly, her tone sad. "I am a flower and have none of my own – and my life is too short to make them,"

Grace inhaled sharply, her brow furrowed as her stomach twisted uncomfortably at the thought. "Which memories?" She asked a little more sharply, knowing the importance of being specific.

The Dandelion peered at them closely; Henry could feel the tendrils of magic curling around him uncomfortably. She smiled widely, her mouth opening widely; the teeth were pointed and sharp, making the small flower seem menacing and wretched. "I want the memories of your mothers,"

"What?" Henry exclaimed, his eyes widening. "You can't be serious!"

"I am a flower, boy, I do not jest." The Dandelion replied coldly, her eyes peering into his coldly. "That is my price."

Graces lips pressed together in a thin line, her complexion pale and waning. Henry turned his head to her, his eyes wide and almost-panicked. "Why do we even need the pollen? Why can't we just jump?" He asked, not liking the idea at all.

Grace shook her head emphatically. "We can't," She whispered, biting the inside of her cheek. "The pollen shrinks us down to the right size to make it down the Rabbit Hole without alerting the rabbit, if it's in there. If we just… jump, the Rabbit will punish us for trespassing."

"So?" He asked, confused, not understanding why that was a problem. It was just a bunny - what was it going to do? Twitch at them?

"A Wonder-Rabbit isn't just a… rabbit, Henry. It's a sentry, a guard, of the portals to Wonderland. The entire species is devoted to the service of Wonderland – and that includes keeping intruders out. The holes, magical or not, are large enough to accommodate a human – and its not because they were trying to be considerate to humans. If it catches us, it will kill us."

Henry bit his lip in frustration, felt his resolve waver for a moment. "Which memories of our mothers?" He asked, clarifying.

"All of them," The Dandelion replied airily. "My life is short, child. Barely a summer here and I wither and die. I would like to have memories to while away my hours,"

Henry swallowed with some difficulty. If they didn't do this, his mother was going to die. They couldn't just jump in, and they didn't have time to find an alternative. He couldn't give up his memories of Regina – he'd forget why he was in Wonderland in the first place – which meant he would have to give up his memories of Emma. The lump in his throat grew and he felt a tremor travel down his spine. No, Emma would find a way to get his memories back. There was always a way. But his mother was going to die if he didn't do something.

"Alright," He said at last, nodding. "I agree."

"What?" Grace snapped, her eyes wide and panicked. "Henry, no! Your memories… you can't ever get them back! A Flower of Wonderland doesn't just cast a spell - there is no reversing it," She hissed, shaking her head emphatically. "If you give up your memories, they will be gone!"

"I can't just let my mom die, Grace. I can't." He repeated, his voice cracking. "She was put in this position because of me – me, Grace. She stood up to Cora and now she's dying. I – I can make new memories with Emma," He said firmly, not quite believing what he was saying.

"Henry, no," Grace said firmly, glaring at the flower.

"The girl's right, lad," Henry and Grace craned their necks over their shoulders to see Killian standing by the swing set, disapproval etched into his face. "You're smarter than this. Don't be rash – only fools are rash,"

Henry listened carefully, remembering the Captain with fondness, but noticed Killian edging ever closer to them. "No! There's no time! Grace?" He questioned, pressuring the girl to make a decision.

Grace felt a moment of conflict and confusion, felt pained at the thought of losing the few precious memories she had of her mother, but felt more fearful of Henry facing Wonderland on his own. "Do it," She said aloud to the Dandelion, bracing herself.

"As you wish," The Dandelion replied, and blew pollen in their faces.

"No!" Hook roared, lunging forward to yank the children back; but it was too late. The children sneezed and shrunk immediately, feeling dizzy and nauseous as a side effect of the pollen. Henry stood and pulled Grace up with him, the two holding hands tightly to keep each other upright. Killians knees hit the ground roughly, and the childrens' world tilted on its axis as the ground shook beneath them. Grace stumbled backwards and felt her foot slide out from under her, and she turned her body to brace herself against the impact – but only air was felt beneath her hand. Henry, who kept a tight grasp on her wrist, was tugged down the hole after her and didn't even have the presence of mind to scream before the darkness consumed him.

Killian stood and peered down the hole. "Brave, foolish child," He hissed, irritated.

"Well now, you can't blame him," The Dandelion said, and grew in a cloud of purple smoke, leaving Cora standing in its wake. "He comes by it honestly," She said waspishly, brushing herself off.

"Why?" He all but snarled at her, his hand going to the hilt of his sword.

"Be careful, Captain," She warned, looking pointedly at where his hand rested on the hilt of his sword. "The child is none of your concern. Just do your part in obtaining my daughter's cure, and you will have your dagger," She reminded him of their deal, and moved away from the rabbit hole.

Killian offered her one final glare before unsheathing his sword and taking a single, bounding leap over the Rabbit hole, which resized itself accordingly and closed itself on top of him as he began his descent.

Emma left her apartment and walked down the street at a brisk pace, her duffel bag strapped to her back. She'd hoped that she'd be able to see Henry before she left but he had disappeared from the hospital before she could say goodbye. Her heart panged sadly at the thought of being separated from him again so soon after she'd come home, but she hoped that he understood. She'd made her trek to Gold's Pawn Shop and noted that Gold was already there, waiting, but Jefferson was not.

"Ms. Swan," He greeted her softly, his tone neutral as ever.

"Mr. Gold," She replied, fidgeting slightly; she felt uncomfortable in his presence, knowing that he had orchestrated her birth and subsequent abandonment.

"Are you prepared for this?" He questioned, his tone growing more serious.

Emma hesitated in her response, still unsure if he was to be considered an enemy or an ally – she didn't think he would ever be a friend. She decided to be honest, and forewent the show of bravado. "If you mean to ask me if I'm prepared to battle a Jabberwock – which, from what I understand, is a very nasty dragon – and willingly and knowingly strand myself in another world, then the answer is no. I'm not prepared. But I'm willing, and at this point that's all that matters,"

He chuckled and the look he gave her was one of muted amusement. He shook his head, and the next look he gave her was one of admiration.

"Ready?"

Emma turned, half-startled, by the sound of Jefferson's voice; she hadn't even heard him approach. "Yeah," She replied, offering him a half-hearted smile.

He returned it with a weak smile, and looked distinctly troubled by what they were about to do.

"Are you?" She asked, concerned.

He laughed a dark, hollow sort of chuckle. "No," He replied quite honestly, and Emma could see a mix of rage and sorrow in his eyes. "But you need a guide, and you'll get no better guide than I," He pulled his gloves a little more firmly on his hand. "So let's go, before I change my mind,"

Gold nodded and led the two of them inside. He had made room, it seemed, for the mirror. It was large and somewhat narrow, and were it not for the hypersensitive tingle she felt when she looked at it, she would have assumed it to be a normal mirror.

"All you have to do is run right through it," Gold instructed softly from behind them, his tone resigned. "But before you do, here," He handed Emma a small hand mirror. "This is made from a broken piece of looking glass. It won't create a portal for you to return home, but it will allow you to communicate between worlds. I've already given one to your parents."

Emma took the mirror and looked up at him. "How does it work?"

"Simply breathe onto the glass, and speak. If your parents are nearby – and I doubt they'd let it out of their site – they will hear you calling them."

Emma nodded and tucked the mirror into the side pocket of her duffel bag. "Thank you," She said, meaning it, and turned her gaze back to the mirror. She took a deep breath and swallowed her anxiety. "Let's go," She told Jefferson, and noted with some surprise that he was offering her his hand. She accepted it, and was surprised to feel him squeeze it gently. When she turned her head back to the mirror, she broke into a run, jerking Jefferson along with her. She closed her eyes instinctively before she hit the mirror, and was surprised to feel the material of the glass part. It felt like gel, of some kind. It didn't really stick to her skin, but felt almost gummy. She fell to her knees and was dimly surprised to see grass. She took a breath and noted that the air itself tasted different.

"Emma?" She heard her name dimly and looked up to see Jefferson leaning over her, concerned. "Come on, up you get," And he pulled her to her feet. "It can be a little disorienting,"

She felt the fogginess clear after a few moments, and took the time to look around properly. They were in a courtyard. It was well manicured; the flowers looked neat and trim, and the grass was short with nary a blade taller than the other. Yet, Emma noted with some confusion, everything else about it looked old and worn down. The stone benches were chipped or broken in half, and the bird baths were tipped over.

"I don't understand," Emma whispered, confused and distracted by the oddity.

"It's a memorial," Jefferson said, explaining the oddity. "It's where the last few members of the royal family made their stand against the Queen of Hearts, and were executed. The Queen made sure it was preserved, to remind everyone that she could not be defeated, and must never be crossed."

"Halt!" A voice snarled at them, and Emma turned to face the man who had spoken. The Guard seemed quite wary at first, nervous and twitchy and angry, but stilled when he caught sight of Emma. Tentatively, he lowered the halberd, his eyes growing wide. "Is it… Can it really be you?"

Emma looked at Jefferson, uncomfortable with the way the guard was gazing at her. "Can it really be… who?" Emma asked, frowning.

"You're her! You have to be! Blonde hair, blue eyes, the mad companion – it all fits!"

"I am not mad!" Jefferson snapped, exasperated, and shook his head.

"Who is it that you think I am?" Emma questioned tersely, resisting the urge to snap at him. Her head ached from traveling through the portal, and she felt unsteady on her legs.

"You are the savior of Wonderland!" The man proclaimed, falling to his knees.

Emma swallowed and looked at Jefferson, who merely shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. She sighed. "I'm really beginning to hate that word. Look, there's been a misunderstanding," She began her explanation, hoping that he would see reason quickly so they could be on their way.

Grace and Henry tumbled down the Rabbit hole, clinging to each other as they descended. Though their descent was quick, doubtless aided by gravity even when traveling through a portal, they noticed the many off shoots the tunnel had, with knickknacks and brickabracks pressed into the mud and stuck along the walls. When they finally reached the winding tunnel's end, they seemed to be a given a push and tumbled onto the grass.

Henry shook his head, attempting to get rid of the disorienting sensation buzzing in his brain. Grace lightly smacked her ears, as though she had water in them and looked at Henry with mild dismay.

"Well, we're here," She said, excitement creeping into her tone. She winced when, after a firmer smack, her ear popped .

"Aye, and now what shall I do with ye'?"

The children, still in their shrunken state, looked up in blatant fear. A very, very tall Rabbit stood over them, walking on its hind legs like a human. Two swords were strapped to its back, and his belt was equipped with all manner of sharp and evil looking weaponry.

"We needed to get to Wonderland, to save my mother," Henry said quickly, trying to explain. "She's been poisoned and –"

"I care not, lad. My sympathy is reserved for my family, and everything else is for business. I know a few people who would pay a hefty sum for two human children,"

"That's slavery! It's illegal!" Grace snapped bravely, taking a subtle step back and squeezing Henry's hand to indicate that he should do the same.

"Not here it's not. Law of the Red Queen states that any children or beast left unattended are fair game," The Rabbit informed them coldly, and reached down to pick them up. The children scuttled backwards, attempting to avoid the Rabbit's hand. Henry woefully wished that they were the right height again – the baseball bat had shrunk with them, and was useless.

"Who said the children were unattended?" Hook asked, having just slid out of the Rabbit hole. He got to his feet and brandished his sword, making his point quite clear to the Rabbit. Henry envied how steady Hook was on his feet, and dimly wondered if it was because he was used to walking on the deck of a ship.

"Ye' lay claim to them?" The Rabbit asked straightening, turning to face the Captain.

"Aye," Hook agreed, and waited.

"Then it shall be ye that I punish for trespassing on my property," The Rabbit proclaimed, brandishing his sabers. "And I'll take the children as payment for your life, as is my right by the laws of Wonderland,"

A dark, dangerous smile grew on Hook's face. "There is no Queen of Hearts anymore, mate, and even if there was – " He paused, his tone amused. "I'm a pirate," He said, and lunged, catching the Rabbit off guard and forcing him to drop a saber in surprise.

"Laws hold no sway over me."

A/n: *snort* Poor Henry and Grace. You've been Cora'd. Anyway, please review and let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!

Peace, love, and happiness to you all!