One moment she was standing there, enveloped in a swarm of inky darkness, and the next moment she was just gone. Vanished into thin air. Like she was never even there in the first place, leaving behind nothing but the clatter of a steel blade as it fell to the ground where she had once been. And on the smooth steel was the name of a girl that nobody ever expected would succumb to such darkness.

　　Teresa Holmes.

　　No one moved a muscle or made a sound as they stared at the fallen dagger that now spelled out her name. A name that meant something to each of them; a daughter, a friend, a soulmate. It was Emma Swan that broke that deafening silence.

　　"No." The Savior's voice was a whisper as she pushed herself away from Killian, who held her with an arm encircled around her waist. "How could she do that? Why would she─?"

　　"Because she's stupid, that's why," Regina said, cutting the Savior off mid-sentence.

　　Henry's eyes snapped towards his adoptive mother, and he meant to say something, however, found himself speechless. He knew in his heart that what Teresa did wasn't out of stupidity. What she did was brave and selfless. She saved both his mothers by sacrificing her own soul to the darkness.

　　"Regina!" Snow White gasped, insulted by what she said about the teenage girl.

　　Regina looked at her. "What? It's true."

　　"No, it isn't," Robin Hood insisted, knowing in his heart that the six-year-old little girl he raised wouldn't have done something like this if not for good reason. His eyes darted from the dagger and toward Henry, wondering if perhaps the boy had something to do with it, given the newfound revelation of their soulmate bond.

　　"There had to be another way," Regina insisted.

　　"There wasn't," Snow White frowned. She knew Teresa cared for her grandson and didn't want him to lose his mothers like she lost her own not that long ago. Somehow, she knew Teresa felt like she had nothing left to lose, and yet Emma and Regina would have lost so much. So she did what she did because she cared about them. And though it warmed Snow White's heart, she feared this would not end well.

　　Snow White knew that Teresa's soul was not pure, it never had been. The teenage girl had a darkness inside of her that planted like a seed a very long time ago, when the girl had taken her first life. And now, with the power of the Dark One and her own ice magic flowing through her veins, Snow White feared that Teresa Holmes could be lost to them forever.

　　"That thing was going to kill you, and Emma," Snow White continued after a moment. Her eyes drifted toward her daughter, who wore an expression of guilt. "She saved both your lives."

　　"Don't you think we know that?" Regina spat, gloved hands settled on her hips. "But this doesn't make her anything more than a teenager acting out of stupidity."

　　Robin shook his head as he stepped forward to address the group. "I have known Teresa since she was a child. Since she was six-years-old. She wouldn't do what she did without good reason."

　　"For what reason would she have to sacrifice her own soul to the darkness?" Emma asked. "It doesn't make sense. She's just a kid."

　　"It makes perfect sense, Emma," Snow White spoke in a soft voice. "Teresa did this because she cares for Henry." At the mention of his name, everyone turned to look at the boy as he stood frozen in his place and staring numbly at the dagger. "She didn't want him to lose his parents as she has."

　　If they weren't guilty enough about a teenage girl sacrificing her soul to protect their own, Regina and Emma felt it even more now that they knew what it cost their son. Teresa was his soulmate from what they've learned from The Apprentice, and now she was lost to a darkness that would devour her soul. They couldn't imagine what Henry must be feeling.

　　"She's the Dark One now," Henry mumbled, approaching the dagger with hesitant steps. He bent down to pick it up and found holding it in his hands only made his heart grow heavier. Turning it over in his hands, his eyes fell upon her name, and his skin grew pale at the sight of it.

　　Teresa Holmes.

　　"Now she's a problem for all of us," Regina muttered.

　　"Regina!" Robin exclaimed, eyes wide in disbelief, as he looked at his beloved in disbelief. "She's still good, she will always be good."

　　"I'm afraid Regina is right, mate," Killian agreed. The former Evil Queen's eyebrows shot up in surprise. She never expected that the pirate would ever agree with her on something. "The crocodile wasn't exactly a ray of sunshine as the Dark One."

　　"You're both right," Snow White voiced, and they all turned to look at the woman in surprise.

　　David looked at his wife in disbelief. "Snow," he frowned, shaking his head. "How can you think we cannot save her?"

　　Henry turned, dagger still in his hands, as he faced his grandmother. He couldn't believe it either. The one person who always has hope didn't have one ounce of it for Teresa Holmes right now, and that scared him. Did that mean that his friend, his soulmate, was a lost cause?

　　"I may not have known Teresa for a very long time, or as well as Robin, but there is something that she has told none of you before," Snow White began. She bit her lip, hesitating for a moment, and then sighed. "She has a darkness inside of her. It has been there ever since she took her first life during my war against Regina. I could see the change in her after it happened. And even now, I can see that darkness in her eyes every time she fires an arrow."

　　Robin's eyes glistened with unshed tears. He had been too shocked about what happened to even remember that piece of her past until now. It had been so long ago when she took her first life. But she seemed so well after it happened that he always assumed it didn't bother her as much as he thought it would. But now that Snow White claimed she could see the darkness in Teresa's eyes every time she held her bow, he feared that the teenage girl was going to be lost forever.

　　Everyone was in shock by what Snow White said to them about the teenager. They never expected to hear that Teresa Holmes had killed someone before. The girl was so kind, so caring to them all. She was good with kids and always willing to help whenever they were faced with danger. She didn't seem like a killer to any of them.

　　Regina scoffed. "And you didn't think to share this with any of us before? It would have been nice to know that her heart wasn't pure. So, you know, we could have kept Teresa away from the dagger!"

　　"Snow White is not the only one to blame." Robin's eyes were filled with sadness as he stepped toward Henry and claimed the dagger for himself. He shook his head at the sight of her name engraved on the smooth steel. "I knew about her sins as well. Marian and I both did. Teresa told us one night. She asked how she was supposed to live with herself after what she had done. I never thought it would lead to her becoming the Dark One someday."

　　"You and Marian helped her before," Emma said. "Can you do it again? Bring her back from the darkness?"

　　Robin shrugged. "I don't know."

　　"Well, won't you at least try?" Emma asked.

　　"Teresa always believed that she would see her parents again. The thought of reuniting with them one day always gave her hope, gave her the will to keep going," Robin explained. "But this time she's lost her mother. For good. And her father may as well be dead. But that doesn't mean all hope is lost. I will not stop until I bring Teresa back."

　　Emma nodded, glad to hear. "So, um, how do we even find her now?"

　　"I don't know." All eyes fell on Regina as the woman ran a hand through her dark brown hair. "I mean, it's not like she rode off on a unicorn. She got sucked up by a vortex of evil."

　　"Where is she?" Robin asked. "Where has she gone?"

　　Henry glanced down at the dagger in Robin's hands, putting two and two together. "We can use that. I mean, if we can't find her, we can summon her, right?"

　　Robin met the boy's gaze and held his stare for a long moment. And then, with a heavy heart, he lifted the dagger to the moon and stars. "Teresa," he called, voice strained and hand trembling. He swallowed thickly before calling the girl by her new name. "Dark One, show yourself. Please."

　　All of them looked around in a desperate search for the young archer, but there was no sign of her anywhere. All they heard was the rustling of leaves on nearby trees as a gentle wind blew through the street. Robin frowned, pleading with the girl to come back to them, "Dark One, I summon thee!"

　　Regina stepped towards her beloved, sad eyes, staring into the side of his face. She hated seeing him in so much pain. She reached up and brought his hand down, taking the dagger from him gently. "Robin, it doesn't work that way."

　　"Why?" Robin asked.

　　"Yes," Killian agreed with the archer, stepping forward and ripping the dagger from Regina's hands. He turned it over in his hands, frowning at the sight of Teresa's name on it. "I thought this bloody thing was supposed to summon the Dark One from any corner of the world?"

　　"Well, there's your answer," Regina said. "She's not in this world."

　
｡｡｡
　

　　Upon realizing that Teresa Holmes wasn't in this realm, everyone went to Gold's shop and headed straight into the back room, where Mother Superior was sitting with The Apprentice, who was now on his deathbed. They were desperate for answers.

　　"Apprentice," Emma spoke with urgency. "The Darkness, it's claimed Teresa. Do you know where it took her?"

　　The dying man's eyes widened at this news. He always knew that the soulmates would find themselves together one day, but now that one of them was the Dark One? That changed everything. Their very prophecy was at stake now. "It's claimed her? No. No, that cannot be."

　　"Well, it's true," Regina snipped impatiently.

　　"Henry," The Apprentice met the boy's gaze. "Tell me, can you still feel her?"

　　The boy's eyebrows furrowed. "Feel her?"

　　"Yes." The Apprentice's voice was weak, his skin milky white and eyes swimming with concern for the prophecy that has always been his favourite above all with the journey it took to bring the soulmates together. "She is your soulmate, Henry. You can always feel her presence. So tell me, can you feel her soul now? Can you still feel the good within her?"

　　"I . . . I don't know how to . . . feel her soul. I'm sorry," Henry stammered, feeling absolutely useless. He's never been able to feel anything between before ─ or at least he didn't think so ─ so why now?

　　"Why don't you give it a try?" The Apprentice suggested.

　　Henry sighed, shoulders sagging in reluctance. He glanced at his mothers, who gave him an encouraging nod, then closed his eyes and concentrated on Teresa. The room waited in anticipation. His eyes snapped open a few moments later, lips forming a prominent frown. "I don't feel anything."

　　"It is worse than I thought," The Apprentice said gravely. "You must find her as soon as possible."

　　"Why do you think we came here?" Regina said, her patience growing thin.

　　Robin gave her hand a gentle squeeze and leaned close to her ear, whispering, "Regina, calm down."

　　"We want to find her, but . . ." Emma narrowed her eyes at the dying man. "What has you so worried? Is there something wrong with her? Is that why Henry can't feel her?"

　　"This isn't the way things were supposed to happen," The Apprentice said. "The prophecy stated the soulmates would come together and share the strongest bond in all the realms. That their magic would be stronger than anything and save so many lives. But the Dark One cannot feel and doesn't care for anyone but themselves. You must understand the urgency to save her soul. Their very prophecy is at stake."

　　Emma furrowed her brows, her crossing arms over her chest. "Why would this affect the prophecy?"

　　"The soulmates are stronger together," The Apprentice explained. "And with their bond comes great power. Power even stronger than your own magic, Emma."

　　"Hold on." Regina glanced at Henry with wide eyes. "Will this have any affects on my son?"

　　The Apprentice shook his head. "Henry will be fine. It is Teresa that you need to be worried about. If Henry can no longer feel her, then she may never return to the light again. That she will truly be lost forever. And that cannot happen, for the sake of many lives, and for the sake of their power." He paused. "You must, by any means necessary, save her soul."

　　"We will," Emma promised.

　　"Where can we find her?" Regina asked.

　　"She is now where all darkness is born," The Apprentice replied. "In your realm."

　　"Then take us there," Killian insisted.

　　Snow White slapped the pirate's arm, clicking her tongue. "He is dying, Killian, or have you forgotten? It'll kill him. He cannot help us, let alone sit up."

　　"She is right. I'm far too weak now. But this will help." The Apprentice weakly raised his hand and conjured a wand. "It is a gift from the sorcerer, from Merlin, on the day I became his apprentice. In it is all the light magic. Light magic that doesn't even come close compared to the power of the soulmates or the Savior, but it will help you find the way."

　　"So it can take us to Teresa?" Robin asked with hopeful eyes.

　　"Not on its own. In order to cross realms, it must be wielded as it was forged with both sides of the coin. Light and . . . the dark." His eyes closed, and the wand slipped from his grasp, clattering to the floor as the man took his final breath.

　　"I guess that's my cue," Regina muttered. She walked forward with a sigh and picked up the wand. She waved it over her head, but nothing happened. So she waved it again and again and again, but nothing happened, causing Henry to frown and turn away.

　　"Enough!" Killian exclaimed, voice laced with annoyance and frustration. "You're going to embarrass yourself and waste our time."

　　"Watch it!" Regina snapped. "I know what I'm doing."

　　"Well, that's not enough," Killian retorted. "You heard the man. It needs darkness. You've gone soft."

　　Regina glared at the pirate. "You wanna see soft? Why don't I use that hook to show you your intestines?"

　　The two of them got face-to-face, causing Emma and Robin to step forward and force them apart. "Oh, you've got the fire, love," Killian said, "but not the blackness, not anymore. How's this for irony? You've done too much good. No, we need someone wicked."

　　"No. No. No." Regina shook her head. "Not my sister. That witch is more than wicked. She's deranged."

　　"Regina," Emma sighed heavily. She took a step towards the former Evil Queen, and glancing briefly toward their son, who was staring off into space with furrowed brows as if he was in deep thought. "She sacrificed her soul for us. If we have to join forces with the Wicked Witch, it's a risk that I'm willing to take. We need to do this. Not just for Teresa, but for Henry, too. You heard what the Apprentice said, their prophecy needs to stay intact. The power that they have when they're together is too strong to just allow it to fade away. We have to save her, no matter the cost."

　　It was then, as Henry Mills stared at the wand in his adoptive mother's hand, that he realized they didn't need Zelena at all. He knew how to get to the Enchanted Forest without releasing the Wicked Witch from her cell. "Guys!" he gasped, capturing their attention. "Teresa came back to Storybrooke after she left for Arendelle. Which means we can get to the Enchanted Forest the same way she came here."

　　Snow White's eyes lit up in realization and a grin spread across her face. "The magic beans."

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a/n: I hope that you're enjoying the story thus far, dearies! Care to make any predictions before they reach the Enchanted Forest and Camelot? I'd love to hear what you guys have to say!