Time Will Tell

Chapter Thirteen

The Enchanted Forest; Present Time

"Regina, is that...the mirror?" Emma inquires as her curious eyes catch a glimpse of the sparkling golden frame out of her peripheral.

Green eyes immediately lock onto the light shining from the mirror and she honestly hasn't a clue what possesses her to walk closer to the object after it sucked her in the last time she came in contact with it, but there is some kind of magnetically charged pull. Not only does her body feel this obsessive need to be closer, but she cannot find the courage to pry her eyes away from the light. Her feet are carrying her closer without her permission and she knows she should come to a screeching halt, but she cannot seem to force her body to stop walking towards the alluring piece. Off in the distance, she vaguely hears Regina's voice, but the words that are seeping into her brain sound all muffled and distorted.

Suddenly, she feels Regina's fingers wrap around her wrist, causing a familiar warmth to spread through her veins and snap her back to reality.

"Swan, stop! We don't know where the hell that thing will send us next. It's a portal, but I don't think it allows us the option to decide where we want to travel to," Regina gently explains, encouraging Emma to turn her head, ever so slightly over her shoulder, and to fall hopelessly into those warm chocolatey orbs staring back at her with concern.

"I know, you're right, but I can't help the way I feel right now. I'm being drawn to it," she flatly replies as if she's somehow being possessed by this damn mirror. "Maybe this time we can control it, if we work together. Take my hand," she urges, her palm open and offering the invitation.

Regina shakes her head, the fear so evident in those dark orbs no matter how skilled she is at masking her emotions. Except... it is too late. The glass morphs into thick liquid, oozing and stretching out toward both women until it's coiling maliciously around their bodies, squeezing their last breaths to evaporate the yelps begging to release from their tongues before jerking them inside.

Everything is pitch black at first and all Emma can comprehend is the bitter, icy bite against her flesh. So, she tries to control their destination, summoning thoughts of Storybrooke and images of Henry in hopes that it will guide them home. She only allows those two thoughts to consume her brain as she squeezes her eyes closed and begs for that quant town once again.

She feels the death grip release her body, encouraging her to open her eyes again and see her home once more. However, she is still surrounded by darkness and feels absolute emptiness around her. Very slowly, a beam of light pours through the blackness, generating an image of a young girl crying on a bed with...is that Tinkerbell wrapped around her?

Emma's head instinctively snaps to her right at Regina for an answer. However, the mayor is awfully pale and frozen in place as she watches the image play out before her. Emma scrutinizes her, her eyes falling to land upon the bottom lip that Regina is obsessively biting down on, before she travels lowers and acknowledges how high the woman's shoulders are raised with tension.

"Regina?" She tentatively calls to her, but the brunette either is ignoring her or is drowning her out while she remains intently focused on the image before her.

Emma turns her attention back to the young girl, who she believes in her heart is Regina, whispering so softly to Tinkerbell on a blue flower with this damn mirror behind them. What the hell is going on? She is utterly confused and she's becoming overwhelmed with the fact that she doesn't know where she is or what the hell is being displayed like a freaking movie in front of her. And by the frightened look upon Regina's face, she knows that whatever is about to happen, the mayor does not want it to be seen.