That night I had to carry Snow home. She was too distraught to walk even a mile. All she could say was "I failed her". There was no consoling her. Her body was shaking uncontrollably, and she could barely breathe between sobs. I tried to hold her, but she didn't want me. The only person she wanted was the one person I couldn't give her.

After she had cried herself to sleep, I dragged my body over to the kitchen table and allowed myself to lose it. This whole time, from the beginning of trying to find a portal to actually getting into the Enchanted Forest, I have contained every emotion. There was never time for me to feel anything but determination. It took everything I had to get from Point A to Point B, and everything in between just didn't matter. For the first time I opened the gates to all of the pain I feel as well as inflicted. What kind of man loses his daughter not once, but twice? How could I let this happen to my family again? How could I let this happen to Snow again? This wasn't how I imagined my life to be. I envisioned all of us together making memories. I imagined one day Emma would ask me about the day I met her mother, and I would be able to tell her how it was her mother's ruthlessness and courage that lured me in. This was not the life I promised Snow, and it is not the life Emma deserved.

Sitting by candlelight, I created maps of the town. There had to be at least one person who would be willing to help. We exhausted all of Blue's resources. Rumpel was resisting every advancement I made. He wanted no part in helping with Regina's recovery. He sighed a great relief when she slipped into that portal. His magic wouldn't be threatened with her another world away. That left me hopeless and with no answers. Through the night I desperately tried to come up with some solid movements for when Snow woke. But as the sun filtered through the apartment I realized that my chances were getting slim.

Every few minutes I would get up to check on her, and found that she was sleeping soundly. I placed a glass of water by her bedside with a note. Time was running out. The more time I wasted, the closer Emma was becoming with Regina. I locked the apartment with my wife sleeping, and headed into town that was barely awake. Granny's was closed. Belle was just walking into the library, and the mailman was heading out on his rounds. It didn't stop me, though. When I finally came to the Pawn Shop door the sign read closed. I was never one to listen to signs. Instead I kicked the door open.

Rumpel was standing at the counter, almost like he was expecting me. That smirk he always wore, the one that made everyone else feel inferior, was plastered on his face. He denied me the first time, and now he was waiting to just humiliate me again.

"I was wondering when I would see you again."

"So, you heard about what Regina did."

"Word travels fast around here."

"I know you don't want to help Regina, but you're not helping her. If you do this you would be helping Snow and Emma."

"And you think that appeals to me? How would helping your family benefit me?" He came around from behind the counter and leaned on his cane. He was just taunting me.

"I will owe you. Whatever you want, I will do."

"You have nothing I want. In fact, you have nothing. You got rid of Regina, isn't that enough? You and your wife can now sleep easy."

He laughed at me. Shaking his head, and walking around the corner he reassured me that there was nothing he wanted from me. Simply put, he just didn't want to help me. There was no reason he needed to help me when it was in no way going to help him. I begged him to reconsider, but to no avail. So I walked away from the Pawn Shop in no better of a position than I was walking in. At least now I had really dried up all of my resources.

With my hands in my pockets, I took the longest route back to the apartment. The only way Snow and I were going to be okay is when Emma is safely back in our home. But until I could tell Snow when exactly that day was going to be, she wasn't going to be able to live. Finally, I walked back into the apartment with my pride on the ground. I was surprised to see Granny was in the kitchen pouring three mugs full of coffee. Ruby was helping Snow get out of bed. She made progress and had changed into real clothes. Our eyes caught each other's, and in that moment, I could feel every ounce of pain she was enduring. I threw the keys on the table and made my way to Snow's arms. My forehead rested against hers, and I kissed the tip of her nose. She pushed me away gently. I wasn't used to her pushing me away. But I took it as a grain of salt, because of the circumstances. I followed Ruby in Snow into the kitchen and we all sipped our mugs at the table.

Snow's lips barely touched the rim of her cup when she started in silent sobs. My arm wrapped around her shoulders and I kissed the side of her head, but there was nothing left I could say that hasn't already been said a hundred times. She knew better than me that we were going to find Emma and our family would be reunited again. Time was all we were dealing with. Too much time could do damage beyond repair. We were working against the clock, and that made all of our nerves tense. Snow was the only with her emotions on her cuff, so her emotions were running beyond her control.

"Did you ask Rumpel?" Granny asked.

"This morning. He hasn't changed his mind. He still refuses to help."

We exchanged ideas and plans for about two hours before we quickly realized we were not getting anywhere. We weren't getting any closer to Emma then I was last night. Ruby made sandwiches and passed them around the table. She and Snow were discussing Emma's bedroom and all of her belongings. It was a great morale booster for all of us to concentrate on something other than rescuing her. Because the fact was, once she was home with us, we would have her living in this apartment and we would need to hammer out all of the logistics. For the first time in forty-eight hours I think I saw Snow have hope. It was a small glimmer in her eyes that vanished as quickly as it came, but nevertheless it was there. She stood in the center of our bedroom, mentally measuring every wall and memorizing the floor plan.

"Maybe we should do a little recon…" Granny whispered while the girls were busy chatting.

"What do you mean? How can we do that?"

"Who knows Regina better than anyone else?"

"No one. She wouldn't let anyone close enough."

"Except two people: Emma, and Sidney Glass. He knows the way her mind works. He'll know if she hid magic somewhere. And he'll know where to find it."

Finally, with some sort of plan, Granny and I excused ourselves. We told Snow and Ruby we were slipping out for a brisk walk around town to clear our heads and talk to some people. Right now, Snow needed to relax. After the emotional rollercoaster we've all been through it didn't make sense to put her in an even harder emotional situation. It was safer for her and Ruby to be home and focusing on the positive. Granny and I jumped in my truck and took a drive to Mr. Glass' house. I have never really carried on a conversation with him, but I knew of him. He was just as slimy as Regina. Maybe even a little more so. But I would take help from even the dirtiest scum if it meant finding my daughter.

I pulled up along the curb at The Mirror, our daily newspaper. Last I heard he had been fired, but with the curse being broken all rules had been thrown out. Granny stormed in first, I just followed. We had discussed in the car that she would leave all of the talking to me. She would act more as a strong-arm if I needed it. This was definitely going to be a team effort. If it was going to take both of us to get some information then neither one of us were too proud to do whatever was necessary. Everyone in the office pointed us in Sidney's direction. No one hesitated to turn him over. We came upon his office door, with gold letters etched on the glass. My fist balled up and knocked. But it took more than five knocks before Granny took it upon herself to open it. It was an enormous office. The laptop on his desk was obviously in use just seconds ago. We divided the room in two. Granny searched the closet while I walked towards his desk.

My hand, I'll-be-it trembling, reached for the computer mouse. There were documents of unread news articles pulled up. Granny called to me, when I turned my head I saw her bow raised to the chest of the one and only Sidney Glass hiding in the closet. His hands were raised as he tentatively stepped out of his hiding spot. I grabbed his arms and forced him against the wall.

"How do I get to the Enchanted Forest?" He shook his head repeatedly.

"I don't know." He spit out.

"You do know. My daughter is in danger. If you know how I can get back to the Enchanted Forest then it is in your best interest to clue me in." He was a low-life. He was going to look out for himself and for Regina, and that's where the list ended.

"I know just as much as you do. Regina never told me anything."

"I don't think he's telling us everything." Granny said.

My fists pushed him further into the wall. His face grimaced, and his body squirmed under my hands. Intimidation was a strength of mine. Glass was going to crack, I could tell. His alliance with Regina wasn't nearly as committed as I thought. His fear was stacking. Any moment it was about to become too much. I just didn't know how far to push him.

"I don't know anything! She never told me about her plans." A wave of disappointment washed over him. He was just as upset about Regina's sudden departure as all of us were. "If I knew anything I would tell you."

This man was known for being a sleuth. He rifled through everyone's business, and tried to tear down reputable people with their past mistakes. Sidney Glass was a male equivalent to Regina. They worked well together because they were cut from the same cloth. Neither of them had regard for anyone else. He wouldn't protect anyone but himself and Regina. There wasn't one part of my conscious telling me to trust him. I knew better then to believe that this man was going to help me willingly. Slowly, I lowered my fists and stood back. Looking into his eyes I could see the abandonment he was filled with. Regina was the only person who could tolerate him long enough. Now that she left without him, he was stuck in a town where no one cared if he survived here.

"You wouldn't tell me anything. I'm not naïve. I don't believe that you have an allegiance to anyone but yourself. But I do believe that you are going to do whatever it takes to survive. I have a feeling you will see it my way, because soon, my way is going to be the only way."

"There is nothing I can give to you. Regina didn't trust me. She didn't invest anything in me. All I know is that she used the hat to open the portal. She kept everything under lock and key." Glass adjusted his coat and straightened himself out.

Looking around the office I noticed that a majority of its contents were filled in boxes. It was like he was planning an escape of sorts. Granny was rummaging through one box. She pulled out a picture frame with a beautiful picture of Emma and Regina. She raised it up to show me, and I looked back at Sidney.

"You may think I'm disgusting and a rat, but I care for Emma. If I knew how to help her I would." He grabbed the frame from Granny's hand and threw it back in the box.

We were hitting a wall. He felt my anger, and he was scared, but I couldn't force him to give me information he may not even have. There was one thing I believed, he felt something for Emma. It felt platonic and strategic, but it was still an emotion. Granted, it was an emotion that was tethered to his heart, because he cared for Regina. Something inside me told me to trust his faith in Regina. Just as Granny and I opened his office door, he cleared his throat and surprised both of us.

"Regina loves Emma. She has always put Emma first. If you're looking for answers, I don't have any. But I know that Regina does. She may not be here to answer them, but again, that may be to your benefit. She can't stop you from looking for answers wherever you may find them." Half sitting and half standing on the desk, he folded his arms and gave us a very cryptic, yet complete answer. Without actually saying it he told us where our answers may be.

It took us just moments to realize the place we needed to be. Once I was in the truck I checked my phone. There were at least five missed calls from Snow. Without divulging too much information I asked her and Ruby to meet us at Mayor Mills' house. All of us pulled up in front of the tall, glamorous, white house at once. Ruby's little blue car roared in front of the gates. Granny and I pulled up behind them.

"What are we doing here?" Snow asked immediately.

Her eyes were still swollen from the night before. Her voice was still shaking. No matter what condition she was in, she was here and she was determined. It felt fulfilling being with her and fighting on the same side. Her sweet little hands rested on my back as we embraced. I could feel her breath against my neck and it grounded me. Hand-in-hand we broke into Regina's house. Somehow, Ruby had learned to pick locks. She managed to unlock the front door with ease. It was almost breathtaking with its largeness and beauty. The staircase was luxurious. The floors were a beautiful mahogany. It was in pristine condition. The sixteen years we had all lived in the same town, I don't think one person has ever been welcomed into this home. Snow's jaw was on the ground. All of us were surprised with just how nice it was. Ruby and Granny took the first floor, while Snow and I ventured upstairs. It seemed like there were around four rooms up here, so Snow took the end of the hallway while I took the other two.

The first room was Regina's bedroom. From wall to floor was covered in white. Her four-poster bed was enormous. The only thing that balanced this room from audacious and classy were the black-and-white photos of my beautiful little girl. She had more pictures of Emma in her room than anything else. Three pictures hung above her bed. Every one captured Emma's raw beauty. They managed to captivate her smile with a few missing teeth. Another had her beautiful curls pulled sweetly into pigtails on top of her head. The last one was my favorite. All of her ten toes and ten fingers were sitting in two adult hands. I remember those fingers and toes so well. I counted every one of those as soon as I held her in my arms for the first time. While I let myself slip into a momentary pity coma, I snapped out of it in time to finish the rest of the bedroom. There was nothing in here we could use. The next room was a guest bedroom with nothing significant inside. I roamed through the hallways, looking under frames and chairs. A thud came from the room at the end of the hall. I peeked inside to see Snow looking through the closet.

"How's it going?" I leaned against the doorframe.

It was obvious this was Emma's room. The walls were painted a gentle purple and covered in flowers and butterflies. Not something I would think Emma to decorate her bedroom with. It was definitely a Regina decorating style. I sat down on her white quilt. Snow fingered every piece of clothing in that closet. She would pull it up to her nose and smell every single one. This room felt like we were walking into a piece of Emma's soul. It was telling of who she is. A stack of traveling books sat on her desk, telling us how desperately she wanted to see the world. Stuffed animals on the windowsill were a sweet reminder of her innocence. Multiple pairs of sneakers were thrown around, being kicked off after a long run. She had trophies and medals dangling from every corner of the room. She was an accomplished athlete. This room told a lot about who she was. She was a focused young girl with dreams. Emma was nearly identical to her mother. It was incredible to see the resemblances.

"She is this whole person, David." She grabbed a magazine off her desk and flipped through the flagged down pages. "She is this person, and we don't even know her. We missed it. All of it."

"But we're here now." My hand reached for hers and pulled her down beside me. "She is this whole, beautiful, young woman. And we have the opportunity to get to know her. We will not lose any more time with her." She shook her head and tried to rid herself of the threatening tears.

"I just keep imagining all of the terrible things Regina's telling her about us. It's killing me that I can't protect her from this."

She leaned into me. We sat in the silence for what felt like an hour. Each of us were imagining a world without Emma. How would I be able to carry on without her in my life? How would I help Snow carry on with this life if we didn't have our child? Even when we do find her, how are we going to compensate for all of the time we lost? We were never going to have answers until we finally had our entire family together.

We decided to pack a bag full of Emma's clothes and belongings for the day we find a portal and can find our child. Snow slung the bag over her shoulder and we were about to descend down the stairs when we heard a vibrating noise that shook every sound wave in the house. Our heads snapped towards the end of the hallway. There was one room we had yet to explore. Slowly, and reluctantly, we walked into the last room at the end of the hallway. It must have been Regina's home office. There was a desk, computer, fire place, and book shelves covering every wall. Snow began rifling through the desk, as I scanned through every shelf. My hope was there would be some sort of trick book that would lead us towards a swinging door hiding every one of her secrets. But I wasn't the one who found something. In the corner of my eye I could see Snow found the source of all that eruption. I placed myself behind her as she pulled out a small golden chain attached to a heart-shaped locket. It was glowing in the sunlight. Her fingers fumbled to open it, but when she did we were both surprised to see a very small map lying inside. It had no significance to me. Snow looked just as confused. Granny and Ruby found us standing in the office, trying to decipher this locket. Ruby thought it was a map to magic, while Granny thought it was a clue to Regina. Something in the drawer Snow pulled out caught my eye. It was a false bottom. There was something underneath it. I pulled it out as far as possible and pulled the slip drawer up. It revealed a ring of keys. There had to be over twenty keys on this ring. No one knew what it was or where it was supposed to be used. Snow put the locket and the keys into the backpack.

Granny and Ruby offered us dinner at the diner. It felt wrong eating when I could be out searching for ways, but I needed to relax. Not just for me, but I needed to relax for Snow's sake too. Granted it was only a couple of burgers and fries, it was still sustenance. I understood Snow's inability to eat, because I too experienced that repulsing feeling in my stomach every time I thought of doing something other than whatever possible to get to our daughter. But it was necessary for us to try and pick up the pieces and move forward. No matter how hard that may seem, it was necessary.

We walked home alone that night. My fingers reached for Snow's as we stepped along the sidewalk. She pulled my hand close to her heart and rested her head on my shoulder. We continued like this all the way to the apartment. She sought comfort in the silence. That was okay with me. Whatever helped her was okay with me. Instead of going to sleep like we planned on, we sat in bed looking at the keys and locket. There had to be reasons and rhymes for these, even if we couldn't see their meaning at the time.

Regina must have hidden these keys because she didn't want for anyone to find them. But why would she leave them here, if she planned on leaving this world? And on the other hand the prestige of the locket led all of us to believe that it was significant.

"What if this is a map to a portal?" Snow asked. She kicked her bare toes under the blankets.

"It could be. But why would Regina need it?" She shook her head and continued to close and open the locket.

I poured myself a glass of water in the kitchen and walked back in the bedroom, turning lights off as I went. Candles were the only thing left we had to see with. They flickered against the white walls. I settled into bed beside her. My lips immediately kissed her cheek. The sadness was washing over her again. She turned to her side. Instinctively, I collected her in my arms and laid my head on her back as it heaved.

"I promised her I wouldn't leave her there." She said between her soft sobs. "I promised her, David. And I couldn't keep that promise."

"You had no control over Regina. You made that promise with every intention to fulfill it. You can't blame yourself."

"How many times am I going to fail her?"

Nothing I said made her feel better. All I could do was hold her while she let go of the regrets and shame she internalized. I don't know how, but at some point we had fallen asleep in each other's arms. Snow shook me awake suddenly. When I opened my eyes the candles were still flickering. In her hands Snow was holding the locket. The locket was vibrating once again. Her eyes were wide and unbelieving. When I looked over her shoulder, I could see she had opened the door to the locket and the map that was once stationary, is now shaking. Slowly, the map dissolves and Emma's face appears. Like a camera, she is face to face with us.