Teresa Holmes was sick and tired of all the lies, and just wanted someone to tell her that truth for once. She wanted to know everything about her life that she had forgotten, everything that her friends and best friend slash boyfriend have been keeping from her since the moment she woke up in the hospital a week ago. But nobody would tell her anything, not even Henry Mills, and that hurt the most.

But, no matter how much Teresa wanted to know these things, she had ultimately decided not to dwell on the past. She wasn't going to spend whatever time she had left in this world being angry at everyone and trying to remember the person she used to be. She wanted to move on and discover the new Teresa Holmes that had been reborn the day she woke in the hospital.

She started by sleeping in later than usual this morning and getting a long shower, before she finally made her way downstairs to join Snow White and Neal for the day. The toddler was sitting in his highchair eating some Cheerios while his mother was sitting at the kitchen table, recording a video with her cell phone. When Teresa realized it was a video for David, she kept herself out of sight to give the woman some privacy.

"Hey, Charming," Snow began, and baby Neal cooed in the background as he played with his Cheerios. "Remember when I said I wanted things back to normal? Well, look at us now." She tried to smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Maybe this is our normal."

Teresa's face fell and her heart ached for the raven-haired woman that was desperately trying to contain her emotions. Even though she didn't remember much about Snow White and David and their epic love story, she knew that they were the kindest people in all of Storybrooke and that they didn't deserve to have a sleeping curse put upon their shared heart.

When the woman continued going on and on, saying so many things that she wanted her husband to hear, Teresa knew she should give Snow White some space. But the moment she stepped back to leave, she bumped into some of Neal's toys and they started making loud noises. Teresa grimaced and sighed before turning the corner and entering the kitchen, where she found Snow White looking at her.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

"No, that's okay," Snow White reassured. She turned back to face the camera, saying things like goodbye and I love you to her husband before saving the video and setting the phone on the table. "I was just leaving David a message for when he wakes up. To be honest, recording videos and leaving him notes is the only thing keeping me sane right now."

"I'm sorry," Teresa frowned. "I can't imagine what you're going through. What you both are going through right now."

"I'm not going to sugarcoat it," Snow White sighed. "It's been really hard, being so close yet so far away at the same time. I just wish things could go back to the way they were."

Teresa scoffed as she entered the kitchen in search of some food. "You and me both." Once she had poured herself a bowl of cereal, she joined Snow White at the table, and the woman looked at her with a curious expression.

"Is everything okay?"

The teenager hesitated, before finally shaking her head in response. "No, it isn't. Something happened yesterday and I'm just . . . I don't know how to deal with it yet."

"What happened?" Snow White asked.

"I know everyone has been hiding something from me ever since I woke up in the hospital," Teresa told her, and Snow White blinked in surprise, clearly having not expected the conversation to go down that route. "I'm not sure what kind of things have happened to me, but for some reason, all of you are protecting me from the truth, which I have a right to know."

"Teresa . . ."

"No, please, let me finish," Teresa cut her off, and the woman nodded in response, remaining silent as she leaned back in her chair. "I confronted Henry about it when he took me into the woods yesterday. He told me that I'm his girlfriend. Or, well, that I was his girlfriend. None of that really matters now, though. The old Teresa died."

"You're right," Snow White said. "We, um, we have been keeping things from you. But, we were only doing what we thought would be the best thing for you. You had just woken up, and we didn't want to make you upset. We didn't want Doctor Whale to have to sedate you again."

"Is it really that bad, the things you are all hiding from me?" Teresa asked. "I mean, it must be, if you all believe that I would react that way. Did I . . . did I do something terrible? Something unforgivable? Was I an awful person? Please, just tell me what it is, Snow. This is killing me, knowing that everyone is lying to my face."

Snow White hesitated only for a moment, before she reached out, taking Teresa's hands in her own. "If I tell you . . . you have to promise me that you won't run off into the woods. Because the last time you went off on your own out there, we lost you. And we can't lose you again, Teresa. Not right now. Not ever. Okay?"

"Okay," Teresa nodded. "I promise that I won't go into the woods. Just tell me, please."

"Well, I suppose this all begins with your late night adventure to the hospital," Snow White began. She leaned back against the chair, crossing her legs and arms as she continued. "I guess maybe you couldn't sleep one night, so you left the house using your magic. The cameras at the psych ward captured a discussion between you and Hyde."

"Hyde?" Teresa's brow furrowed. She remembered Henry mentioning that name before. Apparently, Hyde was from the Land of Untold Stories, and had come to Storybrooke. How, she didn't know, Henry had left that part out. But what she did know was that Hyde had been a dangerous man and he was now dead. "Henry told me that Hyde was dangerous. Why would I want to speak with him in the middle of the night?"

"We don't know why," Snow White replied. "All we know is that when you left the psych ward, you were never seen again. Wherever he sent you, wherever you went, something happened and we couldn't find you for days. We feared the worst when Henry said he couldn't feel you."

"Feel me?"

"Oh, he didn't . . . he didn't tell you that, did he?" Snow White asked.

"Tell me what?"

"You and Henry are very powerful beings," Snow White revealed. "There was this man, the Apprentice, and he told us about a prophecy. We don't know exactly what your prophecy says, we don't have the scroll here in town, but we know you're both part of it."

"So, this prophecy," Teresa began with furrowed brows, "it had something to do with me and Henry?"

Snow White nodded. "You and Henry are soulmates. Both of you have this connection that nobody else in every realm has. You are able to sense each other's emotions and physical form to locate the other. Together, you have the strongest power in every realm. But, apart, the world is left in terrible danger."

"Woah, woah, woah," Teresa stopped her. "I'm sorry, but what? How is the world in danger without our power? And what kind of power are we even talking about here?"

"We aren't sure," Snow White replied. "All the Apprentice told us was that you both share a very unique bond that has been prophesied for centuries. He told us that if you were ever separated, that if one of you lost your soul, or if either of you died, it would leave us all in danger. Because without your power, none of us will be able to survive the storm."

"What storm?" Teresa asked. "What are two teenagers even supposed to prevent?"

"We don't know," Snow White shrugged. "I wish I had all the answers you were looking for, Teresa, but I don't. All we know is that if the soulmates⎯⎯if you and Henry⎯⎯aren't alive, if your souls aren't intact, then your bond and your power will fade away and all the realms will be helpless."

Teresa leaned back against the chair, reaching up to massage her temples. A headache was beginning to form already. "Okay," she sighed. "So, without my soul and memories, what happens to our . . . bond? To the prophecy?"

"When your soul was taken from you, the bond was severed. But, we don't know if this is permanent or temporary, we'll have to get your soul back to find out," Snow White explained. "That is why you can't feel anything about Henry anymore. You may still love him, that will never change. Love was never part of the prophecy, you both found that on your own. But the bond and your power? You will never know the things you both shared anymore. That's why we are trying to find Ravenna."

"And this Ravenna person, they took my soul?" Teresa asked.

"Yes," Snow White nodded. "Ravenna is a very powerful being. She came from the Enchanted Forest, like us all. We believe that Hyde is the one that brought her here, that she was on the dirigible when it crashed in the woods."

"Why would she take my soul?"

"Do you remember what we told you about the Enchanted Forest? About where you came from, what your life was like?"

Teresa nodded. "My mother, Ingrid, abandoned me when I was really young. Robin Hood found me in the woods all alone. He took me in, raised me as his own. He was like a father to me. I met you and David, Ruby and Granny. Then, Emma and Killian brought me here, to Storybrooke."

"Well, what we didn't tell you, was exactly how we met⎯⎯you and I," Snow White said. "I was hunting in the woods when a person came out of the shadows and attacked me. I dropped my weapon when they took me by the throat, so I wasn't able to fight for my life. But then you showed up. You saved my life, Teresa."

"I did?"

"Yeah," Snow White smiled. "You shot them with an arrow and then they just disappeared."

"And this person," Teresa gulped, "it was Ravenna, wasn't it? I shot her with an arrow and now she is seeking vengeance?"

"That's what we believe, yes."

"So, where is she now?"

"We don't know," Snow White frowned. "We've been searching ever since you were found, when Regina realized who was behind all of this. But we haven't found anything. We haven't been able to find Ravenna or the Evil Queen anywhere."

"Do you really think it will work?" Teresa asked. "That if we find Ravenna, if we somehow manage to defeat her, that we can get my soul back? Will I be able to remember my life?"

Snow White offered her a small smile. "That's what we hope. We are doing everything we can to get your soul back, Teresa, and we won't stop until we do. I promise."

"That's a pretty big promise."

The raven-haired woman cracked a smile. "Yeah, it is. But I mean it. We aren't going to stop until we find Ravenna and get your soul back." Her smile then dropped, expression turning serious. "And there's . . . there's some other things you should know as well."

Teresa's throat went dry when she saw the expression on Snow White's face. Whatever this other thing was, it wasn't good. But, that didn't stop her from wanting to know. "What is it?"

"It happened after you met me in the Enchanted Forest," Snow White began. "At the time, I was a fugitive. The Evil Queen had posters up everywhere. She wanted to find me. She wanted to kill me. You were giving me more food when this girl recognized me. You knew if she handed me over to the Evil Queen, that I would die. So, to protect me, you . . . you . . ."

"What?" Teresa breathed out, her heart racing as she watched the woman struggle to speak. There were tears welling up in her eyes and Snow White couldn't even look at her anymore. A part of Teresa that wanted to know what she did, but at the same time, she felt like she already knew what happened, for the expression on Snow White's face gave it away. But she wanted⎯⎯no, she needed to hear it for herself. "What . . . what did I do to that girl, Snow?"

The raven-haired woman looked up, tears in her eyes, and she said in a strained voice, "Y-You killed her."

Teresa couldn't breathe. It suddenly felt like there was an elephant sitting on her chest, pressing down on her lungs and stopping them from working. She had killed someone. She had blood on her hands. Innocent blood. Blood of a girl that didn't deserve to die. Blood of a girl that she thought was better off dead.

"And . . ." Teresa swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat and blinked back her tears. "And then what happened?"

"The girl's father came here," Snow White continued. "Hyde brought him here with the others. He found you on the docks, and he . . . and he killed you. With the same arrow that took his daughter's life. Killian found you, brought you to the hospital. But your wound was too severe. You died, Teresa, and it's all my fault." Strained sobs burst from her throat. "If you had never met me, you would never have taken a life. You would have been happy with Robin and the Merry Men. You never would have died."

He killed you.

You died, Teresa.

Those words played on an endless loop inside Teresa's mind, round and round like a broken record. She couldn't stop hearing them. It was like torture. She killed someone. An innocent young girl that didn't deserve to die. And then karma caught up to her. She had died for her sins with the same arrow that killed the girl. But finding out she was a murderer, a prophet, and a soulmate wasn't even the most confusing thing. What confused Teresa the most, was that if she died, how was she alive right now? How was she still breathing if her heart had stopped beating?

"How am I alive?" Teresa asked, her voice barely audible, barely a whisper. But somehow, Snow White had heard what she said.

"After you died, you went to a place called the Underworld," Snow White explained. "That's where you reunited with Alice."

Teresa's eyes widened. "Alice died?"

Snow White nodded. "She died many years ago. Something happened to her in the Underworld, but she was promised a second chance if she helped you. When you got there, you found her. Or, well, I guess maybe she found you. You both searched for a way out, and you eventually found it through a selfless act. You both risked your life for people you didn't know and were given a second chance at life. And then a few days later, Ravenna took your soul and memories away."

"Oh, my God," Teresa whispered. She stood from the table, wobbling on her feet for a moment. All the information was sinking in all at once and she still felt like she couldn't breathe. She turned away, rushing towards the front door.

"Teresa!" Snow White called after her. "Where are you going?"

"I-I just need some air," Teresa replied shakily. "I need some time alone to process everything right now. Please don't follow me."

"But⎯⎯"

"I promise I won't go in the woods," Teresa reassured, before rushing out the door and slamming it shut behind her. She ran down the porch steps, pausing to take a few deep breaths at the bottom, before heading down the sidewalk.

　
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After a very long walk around town, Teresa had found herself at Granny's. It was the only place she could think of to go for comfort. The only place where she could sit down and relax and think about everything Snow White had told her earlier. She knew that Granny's was a good place to go if she wanted to be alone for a little while, for she would have been pestered with thousands of questions if she had gone to Regina's house, Emma's house, or even the Jolly Roger.

She entered the diner, and the aromas of breakfast made her stomach grumble. Teresa suddenly remembered how hungry she was after skipping dinner last night and not eating her bowl of cereal this morning. After she and Snow White started talking, she completely forgot about the bowl that was sitting in front of her. She was too consumed in every word the woman had said to her to eat.

Teresa immediately collapsed in an unoccupied booth, and Granny walked over after a moment, greeting her with that familiar smile she had come to take comfort in. "Morning, Teresa." She looked around in confusion. "Where's Henry?"

She turned away, looking down at her hands. "He won't be coming. It's just me today."

Granny could sense something was wrong, that something had happened between Teresa and Henry. But she didn't say anything. She knew that Teresa didn't like to talk about her problems, that the girl was the type of person that came to you when she was ready to open up. "No problem. What can I get you this morning?"

"Um, I'm not sure," Teresa frowned while looking at the menu, unable to remember what she would usually order for breakfast. "What do you recommend?"

"Well, you can't go wrong with a good Granny's waffle and a side of scrambled eggs. And lucky for you, that happens to be my specialty."

Teresa smiled as she extended the menu for Granny to take. "Waffles with a side of scrambled eggs, please. And, um, a cup of hot cocoa with⎯⎯"

"Whipped cream and cinnamon?" Granny finished with a wink and a smile. After writing everything down, she glanced down at the girl. "You know, I always used to think that would be a terrible combination, but Henry has good taste."

"Yeah, he does," Teresa agreed, forcing a smile onto her face at the mention of the boy.

"Alright, well, sit tight. Your order will be out in a jiff," Granny concluded the conversation with another sweet smile, before she walked away, giving the order to the chef and attending to her other customers.

Teresa leaned forward and dropped her chin in the palm of her hand as she stared out the window. She watched as the sun broke through the clouds, birds flew, autumn leaves fell, squirrels chased one another up trees, and people walked about. She saw Violet at one point, and she so badly wanted to flag the girl down and ask if she wanted to join her for breakfast, but decided against it.

"Hey," someone spoke from her right, and when she turned to find the source of the unfamiliar voice, Teresa found a girl with dark hair and chestnut eyes standing there.

"Hello," Teresa greeted in confusion. "Uh, I'm sorry, but do I . . . do I know you?"

"Oh, right, sorry," the girl apologized. "My name is Josie. Josie Van Helsing. And this here is my little sister, Victoria."

"Hi," Victoria shyly greeted, and Teresa offered the young girl a smile.

"You sort of rescued me a couple weeks ago, before . . . before everything happened to you. Well, you and Henry rescued me." Josie smiled down at her little sister. "I was lost, but you both reunited me with my family."

"I did?" Teresa asked.

Josie nodded. "Yes, you did. I know you don't remember me, or anything for that matter. But I never got to properly thank you for everything you did to help me. Would it be okay if we joined you for breakfast? My treat? I mean, unless you were waiting for Henry⎯⎯"

Teresa shook her head and motioned for them to sit down. "No, no, it's okay. I'm not waiting for anyone. You can join me. I'd actually really like the company of someone who hasn't li⎯⎯"

"Who hasn't, what?" Josie was confused.

Who has lied to me, Teresa wanted to say, but she didn't. She held her tongue. Josie didn't need to know what was going on. So, instead, she forced a smile onto her face. "Nothing. Nevermind."

"Oh, okay." Josie still seemed skeptical, but she didn't press for more. She just plopped down in the booth, her little sister sliding in to sit down beside her. "Thanks for letting us join you."

"Thanks for giving me some company," Teresa smiled. "So, where do you both come from?"

"Nightmoor," Josie replied.

Teresa was confused. "Nightmoor? Where is that?"

"It's in the Enchanted Forest," Josie explained. "But it's not exactly sunshine and rainbows there. Nightmare is where all darkness in the realm comes from. It's the home of every dark creature you can think of."

"Sounds . . . lovely."

"Not exactly," Josie chuckled. "Nightmoor might be my home, but it is a very dangerous place. Just stepping over the threshold of your home would be putting your life at risk. You never know what kind of darkness is lurking outside."

"Is that why you all left?" Teresa asked.

Josie shook her head. "My father, Abraham, is a vampire hunter. He protects Nightmoor from Dracula's creatures of the night. He trained me to hunt them as well. But one night, while we were out hunting, this witch came to us. She sought vengeance against my father and used a spell to send me away. To take me away from him as punishment for what he did to her."

"I'm sorry, that must have been awful."

"It was," Josie frowned, remembering how lonely and scared she had felt. "Her spell took me to the Land of Untold Stories. I'm not sure how long I was there, though. Times worked differently in that realm. But, I eventually hitched a ride with the other people Hyde brought here. That's when I met you and Henry, and was reunited with my family."

"We missed you," Victoria said, looking up at her sister through her long eyelashes.

Josie smiled down at her. "I missed you, too."

Teresa smiled at the interaction, watching as the sisters shared a brief hug and Josie kissed the young girl on the head. "I'm glad I⎯⎯we were able to help you find your family, Josie. Nobody should have to be alone like that."

"No, they shouldn't," Josie agreed. "So, what about you, Teresa? Did you find your family here in Storybrooke as well?"

"I guess you can say that."

Josie furrowed her brows.

"My family is gone," Teresa elaborated when she saw Josie's expression. "My mother died, and I never knew my father. And the closest thing to a father I ever had died as well. It's just me now."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have⎯⎯"

"No, it's okay," Teresa reassured. "I don't mind talking about them."

"So, your father," Josie began, "your mother never told you about him?"

"Apparently, his name was Sherlock Holmes."

Josie's eyes widened. "Wait⎯⎯your father is Sherlock Holmes? The Sherlock Holmes?"

Teresa nodded.

"I met him!" Josie exclaimed with a grin. "He was in the Land of Untold Stories with me. He was . . ."

With wide eyes, Teresa leaned forward, desperate to know the rest of that sentence. Desperate to know more about the father she couldn't even remember. "What? What was he doing there?"

"I overheard a conversation between your father and Hyde. He was looking for a potion to find the thing he wanted most in the world," Josie explained, her grin widening. "That was you, Teresa. He was looking for you."

"Oh, my God," Teresa gasped, her heart lifting at the news about her father. She leaned forward, desperate for more information. "Well, do you know if the potion worked? Did he come to Storybrooke with you and the others? Is he⎯⎯?"

Josie silenced her questions with a shake of her head. "He didn't come here with us, Teresa." The platinum blonde sunk back against the booth with a frown. "I'm sorry, but that was a long time ago. Sherlock, your dad, used the potion and left the Land of Untold Stories. Even if I didn't know him well, I always hoped he would find what he was looking for. He seemed desperate to find you. I understood how he felt at the time."

"I don't think he ever found me," Teresa frowned.

Josie shook her head optimistically. "Maybe he did and you just don't remember meeting him."

Though she didn't believe that was true, Teresa pursed her lips and shrugged, "Maybe . . ."

"If I managed to find my family," Josie said, "then I believe you can still find your father. If it will help, I'll talk to my father when I get home and see if he knows anything. My family scoured the lands looking for me when I disappeared, so they must have heard something about the great Sherlock Holmes along the way."

Teresa smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Josie."

"You're welcome."

"Do you want to color with me?" Victoria suddenly asked. She was holding up some crayons toward Teresa, a shy smile on her lips.

"I would love to color with you," Teresa replied. She reached out, grabbing some crayons and the piece of paper that Victoria offered her. Placing them down in front of her on the table, she started to draw whatever came to mind.

And for just a little while, Teresa Holmes was able to forget about all the lies she was being told and all the pain from her past as she sat there in a booth at Granny's with the two Van Helsings, coloring with young Victoria and getting to know one another better.

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a/n: Well, this was an expected filler chapter. This was meant to be based on an episode but I ended up writing something else. And I actually really like this chapter? It had a nice pace, plus we got to see Josie and Victoria Van Helsing, who weren't supposed to be mentioned again until act three.

Also, Josie knew Sherlock in the Land of Untold Stories? Very interesting. How do we feel about that little twist to the plot? Do you think the other van Helsings know something more about Teresa's father? Do you think Sherlock ever met Teresa and she just doesn't remember him? I would love to hear your thoughts!

I would also like to announce that we have officially reached the halfway point of this book! We are nearly done with the events of act two and will soon be diving right into a very spooky act three that is full of chaos! I hope that everyone is ready for what I have planned!