Dawn had barely broke as Rumpelstiltskin pulled out his keys to open up his shop, ready to begin his monotonous routine that he had been forced to partake in the last twenty eight years. The sound of shoes hitting pavement caught his attention. He usually got up early enough to avoid the townspeople so the noise was an interesting change to his daily routine. Lifting up his head in the direction of the sound, he could see the pirate's spawn running down the street in a hurry. What was Emma allowing her son to do so early in the morning? She needed to take better care of her son, especially since he was the only one she had. If he could, he would give up everything just to get a second chance with Bae again.

He frowned when the boy made his way towards his direction. Henry's eyes looked relieved as soon as he saw Rumpelstiltskin . He stopped in front of the older man hunched over, catching his breath.

His hair was unkempt and he looked distressed. That's when Rumpelstiltskin realized that something must have happened to Emma. He had a feeling that he wasn't going to like what he found out.

"Henry, what happened?" Rumpelstiltskin finally asked, after Henry looked like he could talk.

"My mom and I were kidnapped by the M"- Henry closed his eyes, catching himself from a slip. Opening his eyes, he continued his account- "A man who said that Paige was his daughter. He needed to make things right and be reunited with her. Mom made me run to get help," he explained, still panting.

"I see...we must make haste and find her," the Dark One said through gritted teeth, starting to walk down the street to the sheriff's station.

He knew who Paige was. As the Dark One, he kept tabs on the people he made deals with and their families. If he recalled, the Mad Hatter was very fond of his daughter, and his actions with Henry and Emma suggested he had grown desperate.

Rumpelstiltskin felt like hitting something. Nothing seemed to be going right ever since they tried to break the curse. First the egg and now Emma had gone missing. He had an idea that Emma could disappear because of the witch but couldn't really say for sure. Hell, she may have escaped Jefferson's house. The only person who had the answers was Jefferson, but they needed to find him. One thing was certain, if Emma disappeared, she had to come back. Otherwise, Storybrooke would be stuck in limbo forever and he had no hope of reuniting with Bae.

Eventually, Rumpelstiltskin and Henry made their way to the sheriff's station. David looked like he just got in by the way he threw the keys on his desk. He noticed Henry and gave him a questioning look. Rumpelstiltskin thought he could be civil with David for Emma's sake, but Rumpelstiltskin's hand absently gripped on his cane.

"Is everything alright, Gold, you seem perturbed?" David asked with a frown.

Rumpelstiltskin gave David a faux smile to hide his anger of wanting to hit Charming with his cane for breaking his deal. He would get his revenge on Charming later. He needed to find Emma Swan. Her disappearance was throwing a wrench in his plan.

"Emma Swan has gone missing"- Rumpelstiltskin began before gently nudging Henry forward- "Henry, tell Mr. Nolan everything you told me."

After Henry's recounting, David managed to secure a large number of volunteers to scout out all of Storybrooke. Of course, Jefferson wasn't at his house. Eventually, they were able to catch him. He made an escape in the woods but was easily captured. When he was secured, Rumpelstiltskin brought back Henry. Henry came and gave a positive ID on Jefferson , causing the man to be locked behind bars.

Rumpelstiltskin was rather impressed of Emma's boy. He wasn't a sobbing mess like he expected him to be. He was taking the situation well for a child his age. He said he missed his mom but knew she would return. Henry's belief was impressive, and he definitely didn't take after his mother in that trait.

"We can't find her," David admitted with a heavy sigh. His appearance was disheveled from trekking the woods.

"He won't talk. What are we going to do about Emma? What about her son?" Rumpelstiltskin wasn't going to babysit Henry for days. Maybe he wouldn't have minded much if Henry didn't look like Killian Jones.

"We won't know unless he talks," David answered with a shrug before frowning. "For the time being, Emma is missing. Henry is going to need to stay with someone. Kathyrn and I aren't on good terms right now, " he admitted sheepishly.

Rumpelstiltskin wanted to roll his eyes. In their cursed state, David and Snow managed to find each other and there were rumors that they were having an affair. The conflict between Mrs. Nolan and David was probably due to the rumors. Rumpelstiltskin's thoughts were broken when David continued.

"I know Mary Margaret is his teacher and she has a spare room. It's probably best if Henry stays with her. It's… probably best if I run the idea by her at first," David suggested hesitantly.

"That would work," Rumpelstiltskin agreed, nodding his head in approval.

At least, Henry would be safe with Snow White. He intended to keep his promise to Emma that no harm would come to her son. Now that the Henry problem was dealt with, Rumpelstiltskin had to find out how Emma disappeared.

After Rumpelstiltskin's approval, David left the station to carry out his task, leaving Rumpelstiltskin alone with Jefferson. Rumpelstiltskin wobbled towards the cell, his cane tapped against the hard floor. He couldn't wait till magic returned so he could get rid of his handicap. He stopped properly in front of the bars to see that the prisoner had his head down. Eventually, Jefferson noticed he was being watched. His head lifted up, and his eyes were showing his distrust when he saw Gold standing before him.

The former Dark One had to admit that Emma's disappearance provided him with a golden opportunity. If he was persuasive enough, he could make Jefferson carry out his plan so that he didn't have to get his hands dirty. Of course, it couldn't be implemented until Emma returned.

"Tell me what happened to Emma Swan," Rumpelstiltskin said, his voice sounded more like an order.

"Why should I tell you, Gold?" Jefferson smiled slightly, thinking he had some leverage over Gold. Rumpelstiltskin's eyes narrowed in anger. Jefferson didn't realize he was dealing with the Dark One.

"Let's just say you aren't the only person who knows who you really are," Rumpelstiltskin said cryptically.

"What is it you want?" Jefferson asked, eyes narrowing.

Rumpelstiltskin could see the cogs running through Jefferson's head as he tried to come up with the meaning behind Rumpelstiltskin's words.

"I want to make a deal with you, Jefferson. I'm not offering as Mr. Gold," Rumpelstiltskin admitted, his tone business like.

If Jefferson kidnapped Emma to help him be with his cursed daughter, then he knew about his own cursed identity and had no allegiance to anyone. Rumpelstiltskin was lucky Jefferson wasn't working for Regina.

"You're the Dark One." Jefferson's eyes widened in recognition, causing Rumpelstiltskin to smile impishly.

Rumpelstiltskin always liked it when people feared his name. It made him feel empowered. Now that Jefferson knew who he was dealing with, it made Rumpelstiltskin's task simpler .

"Yes," Rumpelstiltskin confirmed. " How about that deal?" He questioned, his mouth upturned in a smirk

"What is it you want and what are you offering?" Jefferson frowned, considering the offer.

"Tell me what exactly happened between you and Emma Swan. As to what you will gain, it really is a two for one deal. One, you can get your revenge on Regina. Two, the curse will be broken and you will finally be reunited with your daughter."

Jefferson's eyes became crazed when Rumpelstiltskin mentioned Regina. Regina really screwed up with Jefferson. Not that Rumpelstiltskin was complaining, since he knew he now had a willing pawn in his game.

Jefferson got up from his bed, grabbing the prison bars with both his hands, leaning forward. "Okay, I accept," Jefferson answered, his eyes darkening at the prospect of revenge.

Rumpelstiltskin leaned forward conspiratorially, making sure Jefferson was at good listening distance to hear every word. "Good, now listen carefully," he instructed, ready to reveal his plan.

The world spun around Emma as she fell through another portal,taking her God knows where. She wondered if her life was going to consist of falling through more portals. She didn't have too much time to think as she was spewed out of the spiraling vortex and landed somewhere on the ground with a thud. Opening her eyes, she was staring at a blue sky. A searing pain was felt on her back. Her eyes winced as she tried to get up. At least, she didn't land in water this time. She took in her surroundings and saw that she was surrounded by trees. She landed in the Enchanted forest. She was certain of that fact,but it was a question of when. A speck of grey caught the corner of her eye. The hat was sitting on the ground intact. A smile formed on her mouth as she ran to it. Maybe she could get the stupid hat to work and return to Henry. When her hand reached out to grab it, a flash of light came from the whistle and hit the hat, causing it to be engulfed in flames.

"No! That was my only way back. Dammit, Rumpelstiltskin. No inherent magical properties my ass!" She yelled, pulling the whistle off her neck. Clenching her hand around it, she pulled her hand back ready to throw it as far as she could. Her arm stopped at the last second. She couldn't get rid of the thing because it was cursed and her only way back. She knew the only way back to Storybrooke was to summon that evil witch who wanted to steal her life and magic. The thought of summoning her immediately was tempting, but she needed to heed Rumple's warning and find his cell with the squid ink. After fastening the chain around her neck, she placed the whistle inside her shirt. If it remained out of sight, she wouldn't be tempted to use it.

The air was very quiet she suddenly noticed. She thought back to her outburst and frowned. Surely her outburst could have caused the birds to escape the trees. She couldn't recall a single bird making an escape from her noise. The whole situation was ominous.

The sound of crackling flames caught her attention. Looking down, Emma saw flames on her right hand and she panicked. She moved her hand frantically, trying to put out the flame. But it didn't disappear. She then attempted to rub her hand in the dirt to try and put the flame out, but she caught the grass on fire.

She wanted to smack herself when she realized that she caused the flames from her anger. She forgot that magic came from emotion. This stupid place was filled with magic. She could feel its pull coursing through her veins. She forgot it was a part of her like everything else. Reaching to her side, her hand came up empty. Jefferson took her gun from her when he kidnapped her. Great, she was stuck in the Enchanted Forest with no food, money, and didn't want to rely on magic because she would tire herself out. She wanted to use it as a last resort.

It was likely Emma was going to be trapped here for a few weeks because she didn't know where she was going. Well, she wasn't going to let this obstacle stop her. She was going to find Henry no matter what it took.

Days seemed to have passed as she walked on her current path. She thought it odd that she didn't encounter a single animal on her travels. She hadn't slept well in days, worrying about a wild animal attacking her while she slept. She walked around a path and read a sign that was written in Old English and could barely make out the sign and decided to follow the feeling in her heart which she felt was the right way.

She stopped when she approached a clearing. The scene before was chaos. There were houses that looked like they had been ransacked. One house was burned to the ground. Carts were overturned and weapons were thrown around looking like the apocalypse hit, except medieval edition. If that was the case, where were all the people?

No one was going to notice her picking up a weapon. With a shrug, Emma chose a fallen longsword and checked to make sure the blade wasn't dull. It would protect her from whatever she encountered in the Enchanted Forest. It wasn't heavy, and it would work for her. Fastening the sword and sheath at her side,she felt a little comfortable that she now had a weapon to protect herself. Still, she needed to know what she was dealing with by finding higher ground.

Seeing a hill in the distance, she made her way towards it. The incline was very steep which suggested it had a good vantage point. Her path took her to a cliff, and she had to keep herself from falling. After maintaining her balance, she frowned, taking in the sights. From her viewpoint, she could see across many miles. Her eyes widened when she saw the other part of the valley. The part of the valley she was on was perfectly pristine and the vegetation was healthy. On the other half, everything was black. Emma had a feeling that the black half was where Regina's curse hit. The curse seemed to have destroyed everything in its path. In the distance, Emma could see a large castle. She wondered if that was the castle Rumple referred to that once held his prison. She knew one thing. If she was going to make it to the castle, she was going to need to stock up on provisions.

Stocking on provisions was easier said than done because she couldn't find any food. Well, she did find some food but it was questionable. If she didn't die eating these berries it would be a miracle. During her walk, she saw the oddest sight. People seemed to be frozen. Some were standing upright and some in the middle of their tasks. She didn't know what had happened here, but she had a feeling that the frozen bodies explained why this part of the Enchanted Forest was in pristine condition. It also explained why she hadn't seen an animal since her return to this realm. If that was the case, it was fine with her. She didn't want to deal with any magical creatures on her way to finish her quest.

Her feet kicked up dirt as she walked. The number of miles she had covered already eluded her. She really wished she had a change of scenery. The constant sight of trees was starting to become dull. Perhaps, she spoke too soon. In the distance, she could see large black specks. Eventually, when she covered more ground she wasn't surprised to see that the black specks were more people frozen. This time two people were standing side by side dressed in black. Her eyes were first drawn to the woman. She had dark brown hair and was wearing a black cloak which made her look like an old bat because of the wrinkles on the woman's face. Her eyes were closed but even then, she looked like she wasn't someone to cross. To the woman's right, was a male dressed in a black leather duster, a cutlass at his side, and his black hair made his figure unmistakably look like Killian.

Walking closer to get a better look, Emma studied the man and frowned, crossing her arms. The whole time she traveled she was following the tugging on her heart. The tugging led her to him, which meant that the person standing before her was none other than Killian Jones. Stupid personal Geiger counter. She thought with a glare.

She knew she had a connection to him in the past, but she hoped that time would diminish the bond between them because she couldn't feel anything in her realm. Their separation seemed to halt it, but when she returned to the Enchanted Forest, everything she was forced to forget came back with a vengeance. Running a hand through her hair in frustration, she paced in front of him, trying to decide what to do. Her curiosity seemed to get the best of her as she decided to stop in front of him.

He was perfectly preserved in time. Rumple said it was twenty eight years since he last saw Killian. He looked the same since she last last saw him on the Jolly.His eyes were closed, but she could see the dark circles under them. She wondered if he was tormented by nightmares. Her heart felt like it was going to break when she saw the hook on his hand. He somehow was able to survive for three hundred years like Rumple, but from the look of his appearance, it wasn't easy for him. She snapped her fingers in front of his face, thinking it would get a rise out of him. However,he continued to remain as immobile as he was seconds ago.

"What did you get yourself into?" She muttered under her breath, her hand hesitated in front of his face. He looked so serene and asleep. She missed that look. Maybe she could indulge herself in this memory just this once. Her hand cupped just under his chin, her thumb lightly caressed his cheekbone just under his eye. His face was still as soft as it was ten years ago.

She had lingered long enough. She had to get back to Storybrooke, and she would talk to Rumple about Killian and find out why the Enchanted Forest was frozen. She bit her lip, wondering if she should kiss him. Kissing him was a bad idea because it would open a can of worms that she tried to hide for the last ten years. This interaction was enough. She finally got her closure and knew once she returned to Storybrooke, there was no coming back to this forest. There was nothing else she could do here. With one last caress, she went to remove her hand from his face. Before her finger left his face, she felt a burst of static between her finger and the place where it was caressing.

Her breath hitched at the sensation, and she froze like a child who was caught doing something that was forbidden. She technically wasn't doing anything wrong. As far as she knew, she was the only person awake in this realm. Her body relaxed at the thought until she tensed again. She shook her head when she thought she saw Killian move. Her tiredness must be playing tricks on her. Her reasoning only lasted a few seconds until the man in front of her opened his mouth, letting out a groan.

You have to be kidding me. It's not like I kissed him. I just touched him for crying out loud! Emma put her face in her hands. This wasn't happening. Why did he have to wake up now? She took a step back in fear, putting distance between her and the once frozen pirate. She knew she wasn't going to be able to escape before he opened his eyes completely. At least from this distance, she wouldn't be standing in front of him awkwardly. She continued to watch in horror as he craned his neck, trying to get the kinks out from standing in his position for twenty eight years.

His eyes fluttered open and his serene blue eyes met hers. He blinked a couple of times to refocus his vision, but his eyes wouldn't stop looking her over. Emma felt uncomfortable of his assessment. Did he recognize her?

"You are a pleasant sight for these poor pirate eyes," he said flirtatiously as his eyebrows waggled at her suggestively.

Emma's breath hitched when she heard his accented voice after ten years. Her outward appearance seemed calm, but inwardly her emotions were all over the place. She was honestly screwed. She didn't know what she could possibly do to get herself out of this situation, nor could she tell if he recognized her. After deciding to move on, her past was suddenly thrown back at her. It was going to take all her wits and cunning to resist Killian's charm. If she played it smart, she could turn this situation to her advantage. Well one lesson to take out of this entire situation was to never touch a frozen person in the Enchanted Forest ever again.

Next: Subterfuge