The women sat in silence working. The eldest spinning thread, a maiden inspecting and weaving a never-ending tapestry, whilst the youngest cut and removed loose threads from their masterpiece. The old woman sat up with a jolt, "It has been done sisters." The maiden and the child turned their eyes to the tapestry searching for any infinitesimal change. There in the center of the cloth two parallel threads connected and intertwined. The change, although minor, pulsed and rippled through the tapestry alighting the chamber in a magical glow. "We were right. They are the catalyst," said the maiden.
"Yes, we have achieved the first step, but there is still much to do."
Emma and Regina appeared in the foyer of the mansion in the exact spot they left hours before. The only difference being, they were now crouched intently studying the den. The minor injuries sustained on their misadventure were gone, and their clothing showed no signs of damage.
What are you two staring at?"
Both women immediately straightened as if ice water had been thrown down their backs. They whirled on the unknown threat, hands linking automatically, within their opposite hands magic flared: for Regina a fireball and for Emma a protective shield around them. Snow stood rooted in her spot clutching Baby Neal to her bosom. Her eyes rounded, surprised by not only the rapidity, but also the fluidity of movement by both women.
"What the hell Snow, what are you doing sneaking up on us like that. Regina could have torched you both. And then snap," she snapped her fingers for emphasis, "two shrimp on the barbie!"
"Yes, Mary Margret, how did you get into my home?"
Mary Margret hiked the baby higher against her hip, "Well I didn't break in, if that's what you're thinking," she said indignantly. She rushed over and captured Emma in a tight one-armed embrace. "I brought Henry here. He wanted to pick up a few things."
Emma ran her hands through her hair and expelled a groan of frustration."Oh my god, Henry! Regina, he must've been worried when one us didn't him pick up from school today. I wonder how much guilt ice cream we'll have to give him." Regina snorted with a nod of agreement. "He'll get over it one day isn't going scar him for life. Mary Margaret, thanks for bringing him home."
Mary Margaret stared at both women, "One day?" She shook her head and Baby Neal mimicked the head movement of his mother. "Oh Emma, you and Regina have missing for three days. We've been worried sick. Your father has barely slept a wink. He's been out trying to find you and everyone else."
"Say what now?" Emma asked incredulously. She looked at her watch, and checked her cell phone, both devices confirmed it was 5:18, Wednesday evening. She shows her mother both items. Regina also has the same results after checking her phone as well. "See, we've only been gone three hours," stated Emma as if what was happening made perfect sense to everyone but Mary Margaret. Regina finally spoke, "What do you mean by everyone else?"
"I don't care what that says, you've both been missing since Wednesday. The fact that neither of you picked Henry up from school was odd; I figured both of you may have gotten sidetracked and forgot to call. When we tried calling both your phones they went straight to voicemail. The later it got the more worried we became. Then Grumpy called into the station around six, he told David there was a break in at the mansion."
"That's ridiculous, a break in, why on earth would he do that? Surely no one would be stupid enough to beak into my home. Well, except for that Robin Hood fellow. Tell me, did my home smell of forest when you arrived," Regina sniped.
"You're right Regina, it wasn't a break in, but your front door was open. It didn't seem as if anything was disturbed or missing. I mean, except you and Emma, but it was our second indication something was definitely wrong. However, we had no idea what it could mean. After we checked the mansion for the both of you and found nothing significant, David and I decided to go and see Gold in the morning. That's when this took another weird turn."
"How so, Miss Blanchard?"
"The next morning before we could go to see Gold, Belle came to the loft. She needed our help. Apparently, Gold went missing during the night."
"So Gold is gone," questioned Emma.
"But it doesn't stop there."
"Of course it wouldn't," Regina sighed.
Mary Margaret continued, "Blue requested we come to convent immediately. She told us three of her fairies were missing. After that, we had no clue what was going on. Belle has been out of her mind with worry. She insists Gold would never leave so abruptly without word. She stays in the library all day, and at night she scours through Rumplestiltskin's books."
Regina pinched the bridge of her nose. She was annoyed. She was starting realize that their brief sojourn into wilds was not Emma's doing. A fact their clothes and the apparent time fluctuation indicated. And now there were more people missing: people with magic. She knows the two incidents are connected. They were too similar for them not to be, but unfortunately she didn't know what the connection was.
Emma started pacing back and forth in the entryway. She sighed in frustration, "So essentially you're saying the citizens of Storybrooke are being picked off one by one, like...like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, or something." It's moments like these when she wants just grab Henry, run and never look back. Life here was never simple. It was never peaceful. They moved from one catastrophe to the next. The more Emma paced the more agitated Regina felt. Regina felt the blonde's need to run.
"Emma stop, you're upsetting Baby Neal," Regina placed her hand on the blondes back in an attempt to calm her. Surprisingly, Emma's anxiety deflated at the brunette's touch. She looked over to her equally anxious little brother who had jammed his thumb into his mouth as a form of self-comfort. Although he was only 18 months, Baby Neal was already showing signs of possessing magic. Regina informed Mary Margaret his empathic abilities were impressive for one so young, and would probably continue to develop as he grew older. Her brother looked at her with big watery green eyes and outstretched his arms for her to take him, "Mmma up." He gestured again waving his arm. She took him from his mother's arms and hugged him tightly to her while kissing him on the cheek. He giggled and immediately outstretched his arms for his intended goal,"Gigi up."
"Really little man, is that how it is," Emma said,"You were just using me to get the girl." Emma handed Baby Neal over to Regina, who he hugged enthusiastically around the neck. "Love you Gigi," he said as he snuggled further into neck." She hugged the small body closer to her and placed a kiss atop his dark curls. She knew he was using magic to ease the tension in room. She also knew it was innocent and instinctual on his part, but they would soon be approaching a time when he realized he could affect others. That may be too much power for one so young. She hadn't discussed it yet with Mary Margaret, but they were moving closer to having the conversation of binding Baby Neal's magic.
"Mom, Emma, you're here!" A top the staircase, on the landing Henry peered over the railing into the foyer. He beamed and took off running down the stairs two at time, skipping the final four and jumping into the area. He barreled into his mothers, who both enveloped him in one armed hugs. "You're here," he repeated over and over again, until his relieved commentary became an anguished sob. "You're here," his voice cracked, and he hiccuped through his tears. His hands fisted their clothing, as if they would disappear if he let them go . "I was so worried. I thought someone took you guys, like Greg and Tamara took Mom. I thought I would never see you again," he wailed.
It had been years since she had seen Henry so distressed. Regina pulled her son to her, his head burrowed into her neck as he openly wept. She began running her fingers through the hair at the base of his neck then sweeping downward to run soothing circles along his back. On the opposite side she held Baby Neal, his head tucked along her neck as well. He had his thumb in is mouth and reached out to magically soothe his nephew. Emma stood unconsciously rubbing comforting circles on Regina's back, while the brunette cooed Henry. "Hey, kid you know we'd never leave you, right?" Henry nodded against Regina neck. "Nothing can keep us apart kid, we'll always..."
"Don't finish that sentence, Miss Swan," Regina huffed. That had earned her a genuine laugh their son.
It was was an awkwardly surreal moment for Mary Margaret, as she watched her children and her grandson encircled around her former enemy. To a stranger, they would look like a simple family unit. She laughed at the complexities of the actual situation. She hugged her herself, feeling unconnected to the unit forming in front of her. Sadness and envy warred within her; shouldn't she, the one who suffered most, be the one her family sought comfort from? Instead they found it in the woman who had torn them apart. Although the thought was fleeting, Mary Margaret was ashamed.
Henry was so reluctant to leave their side last night, Regina decided they would have a mini slumber party. They ordered pizza and ate cookies and ice cream. Upstairs they gathered in Regina's bed, told stories, had tickle wars, pillow fights and ended with the three falling asleep in Regina's bed with Henry snuggled between them.
Regina moaned. She was in that pleasantly fuzzy place between sleep and being fully awake. She felt warm and comforted. She snuggled further into her cocoon, which reflexively tightened. As she rose into wakefulness she realized her cocoon were the arms of the Sheriff. One arm pulled her close with Emma's hand splayed protectively on her stomach, while the blondes other hand massaged Regina's breast. Emma's hand which cupped her firmly kept rhythm with the brunette's hips which were sensuously grinding into the torso behind her. As the reality of the situation crashed down she squeaked and shoved the slumbering woman away from her. Emma startled awake from the none too gentle push, continued rolling off the bed and onto the floor. This was not how they fell asleep last night.
"Wha...what the hell," Emma sat up, rubbing her head. "Did you just shove me off the bed?"
"I'm sorry; I must have been having a bad dream," she lied.
Emma looked up on the bed, "Hey, where's the kid," she asked groggily. As soon she asked her phone rang. Emma stood and went to the en suite bathroom. "Aren't you going to answer your phone, Miss. Swan." The blonde shrugged, "Right now I have more pressing matters than a missing Dark One and fairies, and oddly enough a cup of coffee is taking precedence over that too, maybe breakfast, a shower," she said, as she sniffed herself and then closed the door behind her. Emma's phone rang again, then a third time. The fourth time Regina answered the blondes phone.
"Sheriff Swan's phone."
"Regina, where's Emma! She needs to get over here now! He's gone! Neal, he's gone!" Mary Margaret sobbed frantically through the phone.
Regina hopped from the bed, "Don't worry we'll be there soon." She threw Emma's phone to the bed and ran out the door calling for Henry. He wasn't in his room. She called his name again at the top of he stairs hoping he might be downstairs. She went down and checked each room, becoming tenser by the second, Henry wasn't here. She bolted up the steps and opened the bathroom door.
"What the hell," Emma said, her mouth projecting frothy toothpaste spittle.
"We've got to go!" Regina burst through the doorway, changed her clothes magically, and grabbed Emma's arm. They both disappeared in a cloud of lavender smoke.