They appeared in the middle of an army. Emma looked around in dismay at the assembled forces, and her mouth dropped open when she saw Belle, sliding off her horse, resplendant in tight purple leather pants and a feathered cloak with a high collar that gave flamboyant a new definition.

"Rumple told me you might just drop by," she said, strolling over. "And here you are. Sorry to spoil your plans, but I really do need that compass." She held out her hand, and Emma stepped back, leaning into Killian slightly.

"I can't let you have it," she said, holding Belle's eyes. "Belle, this isn't right. You don't belong here. Not like this."

"The Enchanted Forest is my home," Belle replied. "And I belong in a seat of power, controlling it all. Rumple knows that, and with him at my side you don't stand a chance. So why don't you all just cooperate, and in return..." she smiled far too sweetly - "I'll let you keep your miserable lives."

"Belle, listen to me," Emma said. "I don't know what Rumplestiltskin's told you, but this isn't you."

"You don't want to live this way," David added. "Believe me. I know."

"You have a life and family and friends," Snow told her. "You aren't evil."

"Oh, so that's what they're calling me these days?" Belle asked, saucily. "Did Regina start that appellation?" She walked over to where Regina stood.

"Your reputation precedes you," Regina said. "It comes with the job."

"A job I'm doing rather well at the moment," Belle said, gesturing around at her guards. "And now I'm going to kill you. And when I do, I'll get my powers back."

"That's not how this works," Regina said with a taunting smile. "You'll just have to be evil without them, I'm afraid."

"Seize them!" Belle cried, and her guards started forward.

"Emma!" Snow called out, stepping in front of her. "The compass! Get it into the lake!" David joined her, drawing his sword.

"We've got this," David shouted, as his sword met the sword of one of the guards. Snow was firing arrows into the crowd, and Regina joined the fray, tossing fireballs and scattering soldiers, trying to clear the way for Emma to get through.

Emma gave Killian a nod and he drew his cutlass, fanning out with Robin to flank her on either side as she moved with them toward the water, fighting their way through.

###

Henry leafed through the book again, furiously writing in his notebook as he balanced it on the edge of the well.

Portal went into snowglobe. WHY?

He chewed on the end of his pen, then started tapping it on the book, as though he were drumming thoughts from his head.

"What was I doing when everything disappeared?" he mumbled to himself. "I was on the dock. I was holding the snowglobe. I was looking for Roland, and I had it in my hand." He shook his head in frustration, willing himself to remember whatever it was that he was missing.

"And before that..." Henry's eyes went wide. "I touched the ash! The ash from the enchanted tree - it must've been on my hands." He stepped back, smacking his hands against his head.

"I sent them into the snowglobe!"

He started pacing. "This is all my fault. This is all my fault."

He stopped in his tracks. "Maybe it needs more ash. Maybe if I cover it - or bury it..." He turned quickly, breaking into a trot over to where he'd left his backpack. He shoved the book down inside, taking extra care not to jiggle the snowglobe too much.

"Hang in there, everybody," he said. "I'll work this out. I promise."

He zipped up his backpack, raising his head as he heard the sound of a dog barking in the distance.

"Pongo?" he said out loud. "Is that Pongo?"

He turned and ran in the direction of the dog.

###

The fight was going fast and furious, and Emma was keeping up as best she could. Belle had hundreds of soldiers with her, and even with Regina's fireballs and her own electric pulses, coupled with the swords and arrows of the others - they just weren't making any headway. Emma dropped back, looking for a clear space so she could gather herself and concentrate.

"I'm gonna poof over to the other side," she shouted. "Keep 'em busy!"

She closed her eyes, focused, and then...nothing.

She started to take another step back and try again, but found that her feet were frozen in place.

"What the...?"

"A binding spell," Rumple replied, stepping out from behind her. "Did you really think simple petrifying powder would hold me?"

"No. But I knew it'd buy us time," Emma said angrily. "And I'm willing to bet I'm strong enough to bust out of this. And you know it."

"I rather doubt that," Rumple said with a self-assured smile. "And now to deal with the rest of the nuisance." He started to wave his hand, but found his arm being grabbed by Emma, who took a deliberate step in front of him. Rumple's eyes widened in surprise.

"Good thing you didn't take that bet," she said, narrowing her eyes.

It only took a split second for Rumple to recover and send Emma flying with a quick burst of magic. Regina saw it happen, sending a volley of fireballs at Rumple that he deflected easily, sending them right back at her. That gave Emma enough time to get up on her feet and send a charge at Rumple, hitting him squarely in the back and sending him staggering. He turned quickly, sending up a whirlwind of smoke and fierce gusting wind, tearing at their hair and making vision impossible.

"Killian!" Emma shouted.

"Swan!"

"Now! Do it now!"

Rumple's head snapped around, realizing just what she meant. Emma didn't have the compass - Killian did, and he was nearly at the water, with Robin clearing the way, firing arrow after arrow at his side. Regina did her best to cover them from where she was, but the tornado Rumple unleashed was making it hard to stand or see, let alone aim.

Rumple flung out his arm, sending the tornado to encircle Killian and Robin, who were huddled together, as if trying to shelter themselves.

"It's over, Miss Swan," Rumple shouted to be heard over the roar of the wind. "In another moment, they won't be able to draw breath."

"No!" Emma blasted Rumple with everything she had, and Regina added her own to it. Killian fell to the ground and Robin went down to one knee.

"Two o'clock!" Killian shouted.

Robin lifted his bow and Killian looped the compass chain over the arrow a split-second before he fired through the smoke and wind, into the swirling blackness.

Robin's eyes met Killian's triumphantly.

"I never miss," he said.

###

"Pongo! Here, boy!" Henry called out, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Pongo!"

"Over here!" he heard a voice ring out. "I hear him!"

Henry instantly realized he'd made a terrible mistake. That wasn't Pongo - it was a search dog. He could hear it barking as they all drew closer, several voices now, calling out to each other. Henry turned and ran as fast as he could, dodging through the trees, scrambling over rocks and fallen logs. He thought briefly about trying to climb a tree, but if they had a dog, they'd find his hiding spot and then he'd be stuck.

He ran harder, holding his side as a cramp tore into him and his breath came in gasping pants. He could hear them more clearly now - they were getting closer.

"Henry!" he heard someone shout. "We're police officers. You need to stop!"

"Shit!" Henry clapped his hand over his mouth, and nearly looked over his shoulder to see if either of his Moms had heard that before he remembered why he was running. He put on a burst of speed, then suddenly skidded to a halt.

He'd almost run right by an ash pile. He ripped off his backpack, tearing at the zipper, then he crouched down and scooped as much ash as he could into the bag, covering the snowglobe.

"Henry!" Another officer's voice this time - a woman. "We've got the wood surrounded - you might as well stop running!"

"No way!" he said, under his breath. He slung the backpack up onto his back and took off again, looping back toward the well where he'd left his bike. If he could get back on wheels, they'd never catch him.

"C'mon...c'mon..." he said, over and over. "How long does it take enchanted ash to work, anyway?"

The dog was getting louder - they must've let it off the leash so it could run him down. Henry was having trouble seeing - his vision was getting blurry from hyperventilating and sweat was pouring into his eyes. He broke through some underbrush and caught sight of the well -

And it was glowing.

A beacon of light shot straight out of it, greenish-yellow and pulsing with power. This wasn't any ordinary light. This was magic.

"The portal!" he gasped. "They're trying to get through!" He ran for the well just as he heard the dog clawing and biting its way through the underbrush behind him, barking madly and alerting the others who were only seconds away. Suddenly, he knew what he had to do.

Henry ripped off his backpack, running right up to the well and slamming into the side of it. He pulled out the snowglobe and threw it as hard as he could down the well, falling sideways as the dog's paws hit his back, knocking him over.

He laid face-down in the dirt, panting hard and coughing from effort, sure he was going to throw up, tasting the coppery taste of blood in his throat from the burn of his muscles and the need for air. His fingers curled into the dirt and leaves, and he waited for the hands that would be hauling him to his feet. He flinched as he felt the first one curl around his shoulder.

"Henry?"

He rolled over, blinking twice to be sure he wasn't hallucinating.

"Mom? Mom!"

He threw his arms around Emma's neck and she held him fiercely, rocking him back and forth.

"You did it! You did it, Henry!"

"Henry!" Regina's voice broke in, and Henry pulled back, reaching out an arm to pull her in tight.

"Mom!"

"I knew you'd figure it out!" she said, pushing his hair off his head. "I knew you would."

"I did it," he panted, grinning ear to ear. "Operation Chameleon. I found you."

"Kid," Emma said, grinning back. "You did good."

She looked over Henry's shoulder as Killian cleared the trees, running up to them, and his lopsided grin along with Henry in her arms made her finally feel like she was home.

###

"Where'd he go?" Officer Kent said, panting after having run so far. This morning's donuts weren't sitting too good right now.

"I don't know," Jeffries answered. She turned to another officer, who was crouched down beside the dog, who was sniffing in circles. "Where'd he go?"

"Jock had his scent," the K9 handler replied. "And then it just disappeared. Just...poof."

"Poof?" Jeffries repeated.

"Poof." He shrugged apologetically.

"What kind of a word is 'poof'?" Kent said derisively. "Nobody says poof."

"All I know is, he's gone," the officer said defensively. "Without a trace."

"Poof," said Jeffries.

Officer Kent put his hands on his hips, looking around and seeing absolutely nothing but trees and more trees. He spat on the ground.

"Poof," he said.

Hang tight, readers - we've got a steamy epilogue coming. And a sneak peek at my next fanfic!