Thanks for the reviews, they really help keep me motivated to keep writing, especially when things get crazy with school (as they will in the next couple of weeks).
For now we go back to Storybrooke and return to Oz with the next chapter.
"Belle!" Mary Margaret exclaimed as she pushed open the library doors frantically, Emma and Henry not far behind.
"Mary Margaret…Emma, Henry, lovely to see you today, can I help you find a book?" Belle asked, confused my Mary Margaret's apparent excitement to be entering the library.
"Not quite…do you remember the conversation we were having about how stories from our lands and other lands like it came to be in this world?"
"Yes…although I have to say I'm not quite happy with Disney's version of Rumple, why do you ask?"
"I want to see my mom" Henry said stepping forward slightly.
"I'm not sure I understand." Belle asked confused.
"Regina left Storybrooke, she traveled to another realm to stop a threat that exists to magic. We didn't know about her plan until after she was gone." Emma explained, resting a hand comfortingly on Henry's shoulder.
"I don't know anything about portals that is really Rumple's point of expertise, but I don't know how much help he will be. It took him years to make it to this world." Belle explained with a sympathetic look.
"We understand that. And honestly I think Regina might kill us if we came after her. Henry just wants to see her is all, talk to her if that is possible. Can you tell us what you told me that one time at Granny's about the dreams." Mary Margaret asked.
"It's just a theory, and honestly Mary Margaret, I'd had a little to drink." Belle responded, looking over at Emma and Henry nervously.
"But it made sense to me, and honestly it is the best lead we've got." Mary Margaret responded.
"We're not asking for results, just help" Emma said, hoping that Henry wasn't getting his hopes up too high.
"Fine. Well it was a question that had been bothering me ever since I woke up from the curse; how are there stories of our lives here? I mean it was a weird thing to get used to finding out to everyone else in this world you are a cartoon character. And then I noticed similarities with some of the other stories here to the stories of our land, about elves in a land called Middle Earth, a centaur in Narnia, and there were stories of knights in England. Don't you remember thinking those were fairy tales but it turns out it was just this world's history or stories from other worlds. So I started doing research, after all I am surrounded my books and I came to a sort of a conclusion. There are all sorts of worlds all around us separated by walls, most of the time impassible, except for by certain creatures and by the use of devices such as magical beans and curses. But the walls get a little thinner when we are asleep. And two people who are asleep can share memories if there is a kind of connection. Often I don't think it is even a known connection, for example it could be that their great-grandson saved the other's life somehow. Another thought I had is there are certain people who are just different, their souls like to wander a bit more. I believe they are called artists here. Anyways I think that their unconscious finds it easier to find another in a different realm, it is their way of exploring the unknown. And it works since they are able to spin the things they see in their mind into the most beautiful and vivid of stories." Belle finished gesturing to the shelves or books around her.
Mary Margaret smiled and nodded, turning to Emma and Henry with an excited look on her face. Emma looked on shocked and a little confused, "but dreams are just one night, they get a whole story in one night?"
"There could be more than one dream, Rumple has also stated that time does not pass at the same rate in different lands."
"Have you told him anything else about your theory?" Emma asked.
"I might have gone into detail after one too many glasses of wine…I think about this a lot."
"Well thank you for sharing" Mary Margaret said.
"And what did Rumple think of this?"
"He said it made sense, there was nothing wrong with the facts. But he never saw Bae in any other world in his dreams. But perhaps he was holding on to the past, perhaps grief messes with the connection. Like I said it is only a theory." Belle said, looking at Mary Margaret hoping that she would see reason.
"Maybe I can help to prove it." Henry said, chiming in. "I think I am sort of artistic, I have a connection to my mom. I don't really feel grief I just want to see her."
"Henry I don't want you to get your hopes up, there are a lot of ifs in this scenario." Emma pleased
"But you've got to hope." Henry replied, "now I think we should get going, I'm feeling tired."
"Good luck Henry." Belle called as Henry, Mary Margaret and Emma headed out.
Green spires contrasted stronger against a bright blue sky as his Mom and Hook walked towards the gates where a man in a tall hat stood waiting to welcome them to the Emerald City.