STORYBROOKE, Maine

"How was your date with Whale?" Rebekah asked, sitting at the kitchen in Mary-Margaret's apartment with her friend. Regina had given her the morning off, but she worked in the afternoon. So, she decided to wake up early and bring her friend coffee and pastries (mostly so she could pester Mary-Margaret for details about her date last night with Storybrookes resident doctor.)

"Ah-ha!" Mary-Margaret said as she set down her cup of coffee, "-I knew you were just trying to sugar me up!" Rebekah shrugged innocently and her friend laughed. "It was...not good." She frowned.

"Why?" Rebekah frowned too. She was the one who told Mary-Margaret to ask the handsome doctor out. He always flirted with her while she was volunteering, how did it turn out bad? "What happened? Did you start telling him that you want kids?"

"No!" Mary-Margaret said, voice going high.

"Liar!" Rebekah laughed, "Your voice always changes when you are lying."

"-I didn't!" Her voice went higher. She narrowed her eyes and Rebekah when she started laughing again and then sighed, "It may have come up – he thought I said I wanted fifteen kids."

"Wow."

"Thought I said. He wasn't paying attention because Ruby was bussing tables." Mary-Margaret said causing Rebekah to wince, ahhh, she understood now. The uniform Ruby wore was not exactly modest. And it certainly distracted all the men who were in the diner. "I told him that I had fifteen kids in my class.... but then I told him that of course I wanted kids of my own," Rebekah shook her head as she chuckled and Mary-Margaret made a face as she continued on, "-and I might have said I wanted...marriage...true love."

"Mary-Margaret!" Rebekah laughed.

"I know." She groaned. "I basically laid out everything I wanted on the table and when I looked to see his reaction he was yet again staring at Ruby."

Rebekah frowned, "I'm sorry you had such a horrible night." She apologized.

Mary-Margaret simply shrugged, "I ran into Emma." She said, changing the subject. "She's living in her car."

Rebekah's eyes widened, "-Wait, does that mean she's staying?" Mary-Margaret nodded her head with a smile that Rebekah matched. "Henry is going to be so happy!"

"Regina won't be." Mary-Margaret said with a little amused smile.

"When has Regina ever been happy about anything?" Rebekah shot back and Mary-Margaret raised her cup in the air, touché, "-I swear, it's like Regina doesn't want any one to be happy. The minute she sees someone so much as smile she has to butt-in and ruin it!"

Mary-Margaret raised her brow at Rebekah, "Care to elaborate?"

She shook her head and sighed, "It's nothing...just Regina being her usual controlling self."

Rebekah was still upset about Regina telling her to stay away from Jefferson, threatening Rebekah with not being able to see Henry if she let Jefferson be in her life. What was she supposed to do now if she saw him around town? Run in the other direction? Pretend she didn't see him? Maybe she should just become a hermit and never leave her own house.

"I ran into Jefferson at the movies yesterday and when Regina saw us talking outside she just went absolutely crazy. Yelled at me telling me to get in the car and then yelled at Jefferson – who she says is 'trouble'," Rebekah used air quotes. "-And then threatened to keep me from seeing Henry if I ever spoke to Jefferson again."

Mary-Margaret made a face, shaking her head in anger. "That woman is...awful!" She said in a huff. "Who is she to decide who is allowed to have a happy ending?"

Rebekah gave her friend a look, happy ending? "I've only spoken to the guy twice, it would have been a little too soon to start planning a future."

She gave Rebekah a skeptical look, "So why are you so upset that Regina won't allow you to see him anymore?"

"Because I'm twenty-seven and I don't need my big sister telling me who I can be friends with, let alone talk to. I swear, Regina acts like she has some sort of claim over me and everyone I associate with."

"She still lets you be friends with me and she hates me, which I still don't really know why."

"-Well, Regina has never threatened to keep me from seeing Henry because you're my friend. And don't feel too bad, Regina hates everyone. Herself included."

That made Mary-Margaret frown, "That's sad."

It was.

But Regina had every chance in the world to change and she never had. Rebekah doubted she would change how she treated people now – even if it meant that she would actually become likeable. The whole town feared her. When Henry picked Regina as the Evil Queen in his storybook, he wasn't far off. Rebekah looked down at her phone for the time and picked up her coffee and grabbed a donut. "I have to pick up Henry – he's so excited for the field trip."

"Well, I figured I love volunteering so much, I might as well get my kids involved in the Volunteer Outreach Program. Besides, it's good for the patients to have people visiting them."

"Speaking of patients, you haven't mentioned John Doe in a while. Did he wake up yet?" Rebekah asked as she put on her jacket and grabbed her purse.

"Not yet. But I think he will wake up eventually."

Rebekah simply smiled and then told her friend that she would see her when she came to pick up Henry from school later in the day. (Regina was allowing her to pick up Henry and bring him straight home before she returned to the office.)

She left the apartment and hurried over to her car, stopping though after feeling the sensation of someone watching her. Rebekah turned, looking to see if anyone was behind her. There were many people walking around the area, but none of them were staring at her. But she could have sworn she could feel someone staring at her. She brushed the feeling away and unlocked her car so she could go pick up Henry.

Rebekah couldn't wait to see the look on Henry's face when she told him that Emma was staying in Storybrooke. It would make the rest of what she was sure would be a very miserable day completely worth it.

_________________________________

WONDERLAND

Rebekah sat down on the side of the road, back facing Jefferson for the last hour. He had lied to her, tricked her, and was willing to sell her to Rumpelstiltskin in order to pay off his debt. When she had jumped in the portal with him to escape being taken by Rumpelstiltskin, they were taken to another land. Once their feet were on the ground and the hat fell back on Jefferson's head, Rebekah had yanked her hand out of his and walked away from him, sitting on the side of the path that would lead them to wherever Jefferson intended to go.

She didn't speak to him, and he didn't try and speak to her. He just took a seat a bit away from her and watched her. The entire time. Rebekah felt his eyes on her for an hour before she finally huffed out in frustration.

"Will you quit that?" She said in anger. "You haven't stopped staring at me since we got here!"

"That depends," Jefferson said to Rebekah, "Are you going to keep talking to me or continuing on with the silent treatment."

He sounded irritated and that made Rebekah furious. She quickly got up off the ground and spun around to face him. "-You deserve the silent treatment!" She said, pointing at him. He rolled his eyes and Rebekah stomped her foot down on the ground, "How in the situation that we are in currently, do you think that you have the right to be angry?" She shouted. "-I am the one who gets to be angry!"

Jefferson pushed himself up off the ground and walked over to her as well taking large, angry strides until he was in front of her, "-I risked my life to make sure that Rumpelstiltskin didn't take you!" He pointed at her now. "-I broke a deal with him, do you understand what that means? It means that no longer are we just running from your sister – but we're running away from Rumpelstiltskin as well!"

"Well, maybe you should have paid your debt to Rumpelstiltskin, ever think of that?!" She jabbed him in the chest.

He huffed in anger, his finger now jabbed her above her collar bone and Rebekah gasped in shock and anger, "Maybe you should stop being difficult and thank me for not handing you over to him!"

"I will never!" Rebekah yelled.

Jefferson laughed harshly. "You'll never thank me for saving you?" He spat out.

"-You didn't save me, you lied to me! You made me think that you were a decent man but you're nothing more than a con-man preying on a vulnerable and helpless girl!"

"You are not helpless!" He scoffed, "You found a way to get away from your sister and you took it – that's not being helpless, Bex!"

"Stop calling me that!" She shouted, "You are not allowed to! I forbid you from calling me that!"

Jefferson laughed again, "Oh, you really are a princess." He sneered and stepped around her, walking off. Rebekah spun around and watched him leave, moving her hands to her hips in anger.

"You can't just leave me here!" She yelled after him.

"I don't take orders from you, princess!" He yelled over his shoulder and continued to walk away from her.

"Fine!" Rebekah yelled back as she crossed her arms over her chest. "But don't expect me to be here waiting for you to come back!" She said and then went in the opposite direction as Jefferson, looking over her shoulder to see that Jefferson was no longer in sight. She walked, arms still crossed over her chest muttering to herself about what an awful man Jefferson was.

Rebekah had walked for an hour, feeling as if she were walking the same stretch of road in a loop in that time. Her feet were aching, the heels she had been wearing creating blisters on her feet. The young woman sat down against what look like a giant mushroom, her back leaning against it as she pulled of the skirts of her dress and took off her shoes. She grunted, yanking off the heels, "Awful man!" Rebekah still muttered under her breath only to yelp when the mushroom she was leaning against began to move.

Rebekah crawled away from it, seeing that there was a large creature on top of it, she grabbed her high heel and pointed it at the creature. "Stay back!" She threatened. The better look she got of the thing, Rebekah realized that it was an overgrown Caterpillar. It wore small round glasses with red lenses on its large nose with a red top hat on its head.

"Who are you?" He drew out his words slowly. "Friend or foe?" He brought a pipe to his mouth and blew a smoke circle into Rebekah's face as it inched closer to her.

Rebekah coughed, waving the smoke away. "I don't want to cause any trouble." She said, dropping her shoe and stood up, wiping off the dirt on the skirts of her dress. "I'd like to be a friend."

The caterpillar laughed, "No one truly has friends in Wonderland."

Rebekah's eyes widened. Wonderland. Why would Jefferson ever take her to Wonderland! Did he not know that her mother had been banished here by Regina the day of her wedding? She had only managed to escape once but Regina sent her back. Cora took their father along with her and it was the last time Rebekah had seen either of them.

If Cora found out that Rebekah was in Wonderland – she would just become her mother's prisoner, just as her father had become.

"I need to leave!" Rebekah said, spinning herself around in hopes that somehow Jefferson had come to find her. But he was nowhere to be found. Rebekah grabbed her heels, and ran forward, trying to find a way to get to Jefferson. Without him, she couldn't leave this realm. Jefferson was the one who could create a portal – she was stuck without him.

"Easy, child." The caterpillar said slowly, following after her.

"No, I can't be here." Rebekah stopped and turned around to face the caterpillar again, "-I need to find my friend. I need to leave before my mother finds out I'm here..." She trailed off, looking in every direction for Jefferson.

"Who is your mother?" The caterpillar asked.

Rebekah frowned, not knowing if she could trust him. "Cora Mills."

"The Queen of Hearts?" He said loudly. "Oh, child, I will find you a safe haven." He said, turning and going behind the mushroom. Rebekah followed after him, finding a new road behind the mushroom. "-I can take you somewhere no one in Wonderland would ever be able to find you." The caterpillar said, moving slowly down the road. "A place where you will be safe."

She followed him with bare feet while she held her heels in her hand, she had no other choice. It wasn't safe to be out in the open, knowing her mother, Cora likely had spies all over Wonderland. "And what is this place called?" Rebekah asked the Caterpillar who blew another smoke ring through his nose.

"Underland." The told her, "It's part of Wonderland that only a few know about."

"And I will be safe in this place?" Rebekah asked as they arrived at door on a tree stump. "Cora won't find me?"

"Find you she will not." The Caterpillar said back to Rebekah as the door opened. Somehow, he had managed to get through the small entrance. Rebekah followed, and just as the door shut, she was pulled back a bit as Jefferson's coat, that had still been on her shoulders, that was now shut between the door that led to the Underland, and the outside of Wonderland. Rebekah looked back at the coat, only a bit stuck on her side of the door, not enough for her to tug back to her.

"Wait, my coat." Rebekah said.

"We will find you another coat, but we do not have time. Quickly now, follow me."

Rebekah looked back at Jefferson's coat one last time before she ran after the caterpillar to keep up with him.

Rebekah had picked up Henry, taken him home where Emma was waiting for him, and pretended to not notice the young boy leave with his birthmother. Instead, she drove back to work and told Regina that Henry was at home studying and that he had had fun on his field trip. Regina didn't seem to care, she only raised her eyebrow at Rebekah and shooed her away as she continued on with her meeting with Sidney Glass. Mary-Margaret had invited Rebekah over, telling the young woman that she had invited Emma as well, but after work Rebekah just wanted to go to her apartment, pour herself a glass of wine and kick her feet up while reading the latest book Mary-Margaret had loaned her. No interruption's, just peace and quiet, and wine.

On her way home, Rebekah had to stop at Granny's to pick up her dinner, opting out of eating it at the diner, and instead had called ahead and ordered it to go. On her way back to her car, Rebekah felt the skin on the back of her neck start to prickle, causing her to stop walking. She quickly turned around to see if anyone was there but only saw a few people walking around town, none of them watching her.

It was the same feeling she had had earlier when leaving Mary-Margaret's.

Rebekah frowned but turned back around and walked in the direction of her car. But when she felt like someone was watching her again, she did not stop. She continued on going to her car and unlocked. However, once she was unlocking her car door, she looked at her driver's side mirror to see who was watching her. It was there she saw who it was.

"Can I help you, Graham?" She hollered loud enough for him to hear across the street, but her back was facing him as she opened the car door. She watched him try and duck behind the car across the street but walked back out, running his hand through his hair.

"Rebekah, I thought that was you." Graham said, walking over to Rebekah, who turned around to face him, arm resting on her opened door.

"You thought that it was me... getting into my own car?" Rebekah blew air out of her mouth, as if she were absolutely shocked, "Wow, Sherriff, you're quite the detective." She said, eyes wide and brows raised. "Do you want to tell me why you're stalking me?"

"I'm not, I wouldn't-" Graham began to say only to have Rebekah give him a look, letting him know she wasn't buying his story. "-I'm just...keeping an eye out on you."

Rebekah rolled her eyes and shook her head, looking up at the dark sky as she raked her fingers through her hair. "Regina put you up to this?" She looked back to Graham, hands now resting on her hips. Graham pressed his lips together and avoiding her eyes. She sighed, "Well, when you report back to Regina what you found, make sure to let her know that I did not see Jefferson today. I'm pretty sure she scared him away for good."

That made Graham frown. "I uh," He scratched the back of his neck, "I'm supposed to go to his house tomorrow." Graham told Rebekah, causing her to scrunch her face in confusion. "-Just to check in. That's what Regina is having me call it." Rebekah opened her mouth to start to complain, but Graham stopped her. "If there's something you'd like me to tell him...I would."

Rebekah thought on it, she trusted Graham – and even though he was rolling around in her sister's sheets, Rebekah knew that Graham had always been like an older brother to her. There were times he would even stick up for her when Regina would try and cut her down verbally.

"How do I know you're not just going to go back to Regina and tell her what I would have wanted you to say to Jefferson?" Rebekah said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Because I wouldn't do that to you." He told her, "I agreed to follow you around to make sure that you're safe and that Jefferson wasn't around – that was all. I never told Regina that if somehow you needed to get a message to Jefferson, I wouldn't take it from you and bring it back to her. In fact, that was never even mentioned." He said, grin lopsided. "All she told me to do was follow you around. And if you were to happen to," He pulled out his ticket book and pen, holding it out for Rebekah to grab, "-Drop a message on the ground. She'd never have to know. I'd just be doing my duty as Sheriff to keep these streets clean. And if Jefferson were to end up getting a ticket tomorrow morning...again, I'm only doing my job as Sheriff."

She smiled as she took the ticket book from him, opening it up and tore one of the pieces of paper out, scribbling on the back of the ticket quickly – something that would let Jefferson know that she Regina had told her to stay away from him, that she had threatened to keep Henry away from her and she couldn't take that risk. She had apologized and told him that she really enjoyed the time she did spend with him.

Rebekah tucked the piece of paper back into the ticket book and handed it back over to Graham. "And should I expect you to keep stalking me?" She asked once he took it. Graham shrugged his shoulders and smiled lightly. Rebekah couldn't help but chuckle. She got into her car and waved goodbye to Graham before she started the car up and drove off.

At least there was a way for Jefferson to know that she wouldn't be ignoring him if she were to ever see him in town again. That she didn't hate him. Why she felt the need to make sure he knew that? Rebekah still didn't know. But she felt like she owed him an explanation. When Rebekah got home, she ate her dinner, poured herself a glass of wine and kicked her heels off, resting them on her coffee table as she began to ready her book. Eventually, she felt herself starting to doze off, eyelids getting heavier with each passing second. Rebekah put her wine glass on the table, as well as her book, and instead of walking across the apartment to her bedroom, the young woman curled up on her couch, throwing the blanket that was always resting on the back of the couch, and fell asleep.

That night she dreamt of giant flowers and rabbits running through fields. She had run through them laughing – no, crying? Someone had grabbed her hand but when Rebekah looked up to see who it was, their face was only a blur. But they were urging her forward. They jumped and that's when the dream ended. And Rebekah continued to sleep, dreamless this time.

_________________________________

UNDERLAND

Rebekah looked around, feeling overly dressed compared to every other person who in the same room. She still wore her dress and jewels while most of the patrons of Underland wore hunting clothes, dressed in leathers. She looked for someone else who might be in a dress – but found no one.

She followed after the Caterpillar, moving her hand in the air to wave away the smoke. "-What are those things?" Rebekah asked, coughing after inhaling smokie blown in her face by a woman wearing an all leather jumpsuit, hair pulled back tightly in a braid, inhaling from some sort of instrument Rebekah had never seen before, a long flexible tube carried smoke to the woman's mouth from a glowing blue glass. She had seen many of them as she followed the Caterpillar. He had been smoking from one when she first met him.

"Hookah." He drew out the word. "A gift from a Genie that came to Wonderland."

"A Genie?" Rebekah said in surprise, "-The kind that grant wishes?"

The Caterpillar laughed, sliding up until his large body was resting on multiple pillows. "Is there any other kind?"

"I don't know," Rebekah said honestly, "I've only ever heard stories."

"From your mother, perhaps?" He asked.

"No," she shook her head, "My mother never told me any stories. My sisters husband would read stories to his daughter and since I was around the same age as her, he would invite me to join them. The stories he told us were about how a Genie would grant three wishes. But that was all."

The Caterpillar blew smoke rings in the air, "And what would you wish for?"

Rebekah thought on it, what would you wish for? She frowned. A new life? A new name? A new family? "Happiness." She said, looking up at the Caterpillar. "And...to be free." She added as well.

"Freedom and happiness." The Caterpillar said, chuckling. "What if I could give you something that would help grant you those wishes?"

"A genie?" Rebekah said in a laugh, thinking it wasn't a possibility.

The Caterpillar gave her a wide toothy grin. "Yes." Rebekah smiled at his answer. "But first...lets get you a change of clothes – you stand out too much and you don't want anyone knowing you are here...I think a disguise is exactly what you need." The Caterpillar beckoned a woman over who took Rebekah's hand and lead her away from the giant bug, leading her into a room in the far back of the Underland.

Caterpillar was right, she was safer in the Underland. Why Jefferson would ever bring her to Wonderland was something Rebekah just didn't understand. But, he had left, and she had found safe haven.

_________________________________

STORYBROOKE, Maine

Jefferson woke up to someone banging on his door. He groaned, getting off the couch he had fallen asleep on the night earlier and headed to where the loud banging continued. Only two people knew where he lived; Regina and Gold. He didn't want to see either. Jefferson got to the door, grabbing his scarf and wrapping it around his neck to hide his scar. He had earned that scar thanks to Regina. And, the woman who gave the order, Cora.

"What?" He opened the door, raising his brows when he saw that it was neither Regina or Gold. "Sherriff Graham," He said in surprise. "What brings you all the way out here?"

The Sherriff pointed to the car in his driveway, the one Regina had gifted him with when the curse first happened. She had given him a luxurious life but made him keep his memories – perhaps she thought that a big house and shiny things would make him forgot all she had done to him – all that she had taken away. All that she was still taking away.

He had gone to find Rebekah and Grace the very first day of living in Storybrooke, this land with no magic, and Regina had been waiting for him.

She threatened him, and Jefferson had asked Regina what else she could possibly take from him? He already lost his wife and child because of her, lost his head as well. What else was there?

And then she showed him a heart in a box. "Who might this heart belong to, you ask?" Regina had smirked, but just from the look in the woman's eyes, he knew it belonged to his wife. "Stay away or I will crush her heart in my hand right in front of you."

"You wouldn't kill her, I know it. You couldn't before." Jefferson said back to Regina, not believing her.

"Would you like to test this theory of yours?"

Jefferson refused to take that risk.

So, he stayed away from Rebekah and Grace, watching from afar for the past twenty-eight years. The only good thing that came out of this curse was that he was out of Wonderland, and knew his wife and daughter were safe. Rebekah, still under Regina's control, he worried about daily for the last twenty-eight years that at times, he felt himself going mad. The Mad Hatter. That's what they called him back in Wonderland. Jefferson still felt that way sometimes not being able to hold his daughter in his arms or even go near his wife.

He stayed away in his large house out in the woods, kept the fancy car Regina had gifted him with, and stayed away.

But by chance, Mr. Gold had called him, and on his way to his shop he ran into his wife. Rebekah had looked up at him, eyes wide after she had literally bumped into him as she exited Mr. Gold's pawn shop. He was speechless. He hadn't been this close to her in so long. She apologized and he was mute. Rebekah had done the thing she always did whenever she found herself in an awkward situation, not knowing what to do – she sucked on her lower lip, teeth dragging it as she waited for him to speak. He didn't. So, she started to leave, apologizing again Jefferson knew that he had to say something – to keep her from leaving because it had been so long since he had heard her voice and he missed it. He spoke, feeling his face heat as she looked at him, as if she were trying to remember.

But she didn't know who he was – didn't even know if he lived in town. And then she called him 'The Hermit' and he couldn't help but laughing seeing the horror flash in her eyes when she realized she had said it out loud.

Some people's personalities had changed with the curse. At first, when Jefferson first met Rebekah, she had been a pain. But the more time he spent with her the more he found himself falling for her. She had amazed him daily, had him laughing like no other had before, and he smiled...he smiled so much. He smiled so much that sometimes his cheeks would hurt for hours! And she would tease him when he complained and it'd make him smile again and she'd laugh.

Jefferson loved her laugh.

The day outside of Gold's, she had said his name; Jefferson.

God, he missed hearing her say his name.

Graham began to talk, pulling Jefferson out of his mind, "-Your car was seen bumping into a car outside of Granny's diner last night."

"-Ridiculous!" Jefferson said in anger, "I didn't even leave my house last night! I didn't leave my house all day!"

"Well, there were witness so I'm afraid I had to write you a ticket." Graham told Jefferson, hanging him the folded-up piece of paper. Jefferson looked down at it, confused.

"-I,"

"I should get going now – but you can come by the station to fill out an accident report for me to file. I need your statement." He grabbed Jefferson hand, opening up his palm and placing the piece of folded paper inside it and then shut it. "Have a nice rest of your day, Jefferson."

And then Graham left.

Jefferson went back inside and looked down at his palm. It was a ticket, but the way it was folded, Jefferson was able to tell that there was nothing written on the side that should be filled out. He opened it and turned it the paper over and saw a message written on the back.

Jefferson,

I'm sorry about Regina. And I'm sorry, but I can't see you anymore. I know we've only spoken twice but – I wanted to let you know that I think I could have really enjoyed being your friend. But what Regina is threatening to take away from me if I continue on with our friendship is something bigger than friendship or even myself. I hope you'll understand – but if not, I'd just like to say that I think you are a really great guy, Jefferson and I was lucky to know you for the short time I did. And just because we can't have contact doesn't mean you should stay locked away in your house either.

I'm sorry things ended up this way, Jefferson. I hope you can forgive me.

-Rebekah

Jefferson blinked, swallowing hard as he read over her words for the second time now.

Graham had delivered a letter from Rebekah – and he had hinted to Jefferson that he should write something back to her 'fill out your statement', that's what he had said.

Jefferson quickly ran to his office, sitting down at his desk and grabbed a piece of paper and a pen, writing Rebekah back.

_________________________________

Regina had come into the office absolutely furious, telling Rebekah that the John Doe from the hospital had disappeared. "How does comatose patient disappear?" She had asked only to receive a glare from Regina. Rebekah's older sister told her that Sheriff Graham would be leading a search for John Doe and her head perked up at the mere mention of Graham. "Maybe I should help." Rebekah suggested.

Regina looked at her sister, suspicious. "Why would you want to help?"

"You just told me how sick this man is – he must have been taken. There's no way he could just walk out of the hospital. And if he's been taken, he needs to be found and brought back to the hospital immediately where he can be monitored."

That seemed to make Regina less suspicious. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt for you to help assist Graham. You'll call me if you find him?"

"Of course!" Rebekah had said, getting up from her desk and grabbing her purse, "You'll be my first call."

Rebekah had called Graham and met up with him, saying that Regina wanted her to help. He was with Mary-Margaret and Emma, and while Emma and Graham were ahead of them, Mary-Margaret told Rebekah about the night before, about reading to John Doe and him grabbing onto her hand.

"Do you think...somehow reading that fairytale is what woke him?" Surely Mary-Margaret didn't actually believe that, right?

"No, of course not." Mary-Margaret said, though she didn't sound so sure.

Rebekah looked up at the sky. The sun had set and it would be getting too dark to search for John Doe for much longer and they all started to search a little faster, Graham and Emma still leading them.

Graham bent down, touching the ground. "what is it?" Emma asked from behind him.

"The trail runs out here." Graham said, looking straight ahead at the surroundings.

"-You sure? 'Cause I thought tracking was one of your skills." Emma said sarcastically.

Graham stood up, looking around, "Just give me a second." He told Emma. "This is my world. I got it."

Emma looked back at Mary-Margaret and Rebekah and frowned, "Right. Sorry." She apologized to Graham.

Mary-Margaret turned to Emma once Graham was ahead of them, "-What did he mean 'his world' – isn't finding people your thing, too?"

"Sure," Emma said, hands on her hips. "...Just...the people I find usually run to places like Vegas."

"Oh," Both Rebekah and Mary-Margaret said.

"Not a lot hit the woods"

"-It's an interesting job," Mary-Margaret commented, "-Finding people. How'd you fall into it?"

Emma swallowed and Rebekah recognized the signs – Emma was uncomfortable with the question. But, she still answered. "Looking for people is just what I've done...as long as I can remember." She looked away from them.

"What made you start?" Mary-Margaret asked and Rebekah widened her eyes and pressed her lips together, trying to get her to see that this was something Emma clearly was uncomfortable talking about. "Your parents?"

Why would you mention her parents?!

Emma snapped her head in Mary-Margaret's direction, shocked to hear her say that. "Henry told me that your – that you were from a similar situation of his own." She worded it carefully, not wanting to offend Emma. "Did you ever find them?"

Emma answered Mary-Margaret by saying; "Depends who you ask."

They all spun around at the sound of branches snapping behind them and suddenly Henry came running down holding onto a flashlight.

"Henry Mills!" Rebekah began to scold him. "-It is way too late for you to be out in the woods by yourself!"

"I'm not by myself anymore. I'm with you guys." He then looked to Mary-Margaret. "Did you find him yet?"

"No, not yet." Emma said, "And your aunt is right, you shouldn't be here."

"I can help!" Henry said, looking up at his birth mother. "I know where he's going."

"What?" Rebekah said in confusion just as Mary-Margaret asked, "And where is that?"

Henry looked to Mary-Margaret, "He's looking for you."

"He's looking for her?" Rebekah echoed what Henry said, "-Kid, he's never even met her – well, officially that is." She corrected herself when Henry gave her a look that let her know he was about to sass her.

Instead of listening to Henry go on again about the damn fairytales, Rebekah took that time to run up ahead to Graham. When she was at his side, she asked, "Write any tickets lately?"

He looked over at her in confusion, breathing hard as she tried to concentrate and Rebekah gave him a look; the note? "Oh, uh – I did." He answered. "But I've been so busy today with John Doe that I haven't been able to get to the station to take any statements." Rebekah smiled softly. Jefferson had gotten her note, and Graham had found a way to tell her that Jefferson would be writing her back.

Why they were talking around in circles avoiding saying the actual words while out in the middle of the woods was unknown to Rebekah – but at the risk of Regina somehow finding out, she was willing to talk in circles all day. She swung her flashlight a bit at her side and Graham grabbed her by the arm, grabbing the flashlight away from her and pointing it at a branch.

"Guys!" Graham yelled for the rest to come over.

Rebekah looked down at what he was pointing his flashlight at, she looked at Graham who had a grim look on his face. Mary-Margaret, Emma, and Henry came over and saw it as well.

"-Is that..." Mary-Margaret said, looking down at the hospital ID. But that was not what she was referencing.

"Blood." Emma said. There was no mistaking it.

John Doe was near – but if they didn't find him soon, he'd likely die from either his injuries or from the cold.

Or...both.

_________________________________

UNDERLAND

Jefferson hated this place – the smell, the darkness of the rooms, and the clouds of smoke he'd have to go through making it hard for him to see anything that might be in his way. Why the hell would Rebekah go to Underland?

He had gone back to where he left her and she was gone. It wasn't surprising that she'd wonder off on her own, but it didn't make it any less frustrating. The young woman was a pain in his side – but he wouldn't leave her. Not after hearing who ruled over Wonderland now.

The Queen of Hearts, or, as Rebekah might know her as; her mother. Cora Mills now ruled over Wonderland and if she found out that her daughter was here? She'd likely take her head just out of spite towards Regina. So, Jefferson ran the entire way back to where he had last seen her and found she was gone. He followed her tracks, though – he had never been good tracker – and ended up at one of the many giant mushrooms. The imprints from her heels were gone, no where to be found, but the large trail of goo on the mushroom meant that if she had been here – she would have met the Caterpillar. A hustler of sorts.

He would offer her shelter if she was frightened, and there was only one place that giant bug would take her to keep her hidden away. Underland. Jefferson followed the trail of goo and ran towards the tree trunk when he saw his jacket trapped between the door that would lead to the Underland. He yanked at the jacket hard, even putting his foot against the tree trunk as he tugged hard. But soon he was falling on his backside when someone opened the door.

"What do you want?" They yelled, waving the smoke out of their face. The older man with yellow teeth and gray hair recognized Jefferson immediately after the smoke was cleared, the man laughed, holding not to his belly. "Jefferson! I heard you said you were done with Wonderland!" He said, grabbing the jacket that was now on the ground. "Oi, I thought this looked familiar...what do you want to trade for it?" The man smirked.

"I'm looking for someone," Jefferson said, grabbing the coat away from the older man who scowled at him. "-She was wearing this." He held up the jacket.

"I ain't seen no one wearing your jacket, Jefferson." The man said, leaning against the door.

"A young woman, about this tall," He moved his hand to where Rebekah's head would be while standing next to him. "Green eyes. Dark hair. A smart mouth." He said, still peeved with Rebekah, "She...smells like lavender and honey." How that might help, he did not know. But it was worth saying if somehow it did lead him to Rebekah. "She has a little rasp when she talks if she gets angry, and when she's really mad her nostrils flare...sometimes when she thinks she's being cute she'll arch her brow at you to tease you or like she's trying to challenge you-"

The old man laughed, "You sound taken by this young woman, Jefferson!" He teased. "Do you fancy this girl?" He asked, still laughing.

"Have you seen her or not?" Jefferson glared.

The old man shrugged, "I seen a girl like that."

"Is she inside?"

He shrugged again, "I don't recall. My memories shot to hell these days...maybe if I were given something for this information – my mind might start to clear up."

Jefferson shook his head, pulling a ruby ring off of his pinky finger. "Here."

The old man took the ring, sliding it on his finger, "I want the jacket too." He said, pointing to the leather material in Jefferson's hands.

"-Do you know who much that ring costs?!" Jefferson said, not wanting to give him the jacket. "-It's enough to buy a hundred leather jackets!"

"Yeah, but I want that one." He smiled, his yellow teeth on display. "I mean, unless you don't want to know where your girl is."

Jefferson breathed in deeply through his nose and handed over the jacket to the old man. "Where is she?"

The old man put on Jefferson jacket and grinned again, "She came in with the Caterpillar. Last I heard Caterpillar was promising to make her wishes come true – he's got tons of genies now."

"Genies?!" Jefferson said, shoving past the old man and running down the stairs. If the Caterpillar tricked Rebekah and made her believe that a genie could truly grant her wishes – she'd be in trouble. Never trust a genie! That's one of the first lessons he ever learned from his father. Genies are tricksters – any wish a person made had to be worded carefully so the Genie wouldn't find a loophole! Jefferson shoved past people once he was off the stairs and ran straight to where the Caterpillar would always sit. The bug wasn't there. And neither was Rebekah – but her heels and jewelry were now in the bowl the Caterpillar used to hoard all of his treasures.

He went towards the bowl to grab Rebekah's jewels and someone snapped his hand with a whip. "Not yours." A woman growled. "Those are Caterpillars now."

"The girl who wore those jewels – where is she?" Jefferson looked to the woman, short dark hair with yellow eyes and pearly white razor-sharp teeth.

"She's gone." She said, laying down on the pillows.

"Gone where?"

"Caterpillar thought he might be able to trick her with a Genie – make her become one, but then he realized that he'd get so much more out of it if he just gave her to the Queen of Hearts. The guards just took her." She yawned, putting on one of Rebekah's jewels.

Jefferson had the urge to snatch the jewels away but he knew if he did that all hell would break loose and he'd never get to Rebekah in time. So instead, he headed in the direction of where he knew Caterpillar would summon the guards – if he was lucky, he'd get there before they were even out of Underland.

Rebekah felt a chill as a wolf howled in the distance. They were nearing the Toll Bridge when the wolf first howled and Rebekah, though she knew the wolf wasn't near them, spun around to look behind her, just to make sure. There was no wolf but...she could see something in the distance.

"Where is he?" Rebekah heard Mary-Margaret say, but she kept her green eyes on the wooded area behind her while they all went towards the creek.

"The trail dies at the water line," Graham said.

Rebekah took a step towards the woods, trying to get a better look at what she believed to be some sort of home but spun around when she heard Mary-Margaret yell.

"Oh my god!" The woman tossed her flashlight into the water and ran forward, "Oh my god!" She shouted again. "Oh my God!" She chanted over and over and Rebekah saw what her friend was running to – or, who she was running to. It was John Doe – he was in the water.

"I need an ambulance at the old Toll Bridge." Graham said over his radio as he and Emma ran forward. Rebekah stayed back with Henry, moving her arm around him to bring him closer to her, almost as if she were shielding him from what he might see. Emma, Mary-Margaret, and Graham all carried John Doe to where Rebekah and Henry were standing, setting him down just a little bit away from them.

"Is he okay?" Henry said, terrified. "Is he going to be okay?" He said, tears filling his eyes. Rebekah moved so she was standing in front of him, hands on his shoulder to keep him from seeing anything. Auntie Bex," Henry said, his voice frightened. "This isn't how it's supposed to be..."

"Henry, eyes on me." She instructed him, "Okay, don't look."

Emma ran forward and Henry moved into her arms, hugging onto her tightly as she said the same thing Rebekah had just to Henry, Don't look.

Rebekah placed herself in front of Henry and Emma, watching as Mary-Margaret began to perform CPR. She pressed her mouth to his and for a long moment didn't move back up. But when she did, John Doe began to cough up water, gasping for air as Mary-Margaret held his face in her hands.

"You saved me," Rebekah heard the man say quietly, looking up at Mary-Margaret.

"-She did it. She did it!" Henry said causing Rebekah to look back at him, "-She woke him up!"

"Yeah, kid." Emma said, a little in shock, "She did."

The ambulance arrived and Rebekah rode with Graham in his patrol car while, May-Margaret rode in the ambulance with John Doe (who had no idea who he even was), and Emma and Henry drove in her yellow bug. Rebekah had called Regina, telling her sister that they had found John Doe, telling Regina that the man was suffering from a case of amnesia.

Rebekah and Graham got out of the patrol car once they were at the hospital, running into the hospital as they carried him in on a roller gurney, once they were inside the hospital and Dr. Whale was with them, the nurses shut the door to stop them all from following after Dr. Whale and John Doe.

A woman showed up, shouting for someone named David and ran past the group, opening up the door the nurses had just closed and ran towards John Doe.

Rebekah watched as Dr. Whale tried to escort the woman away from John Doe, who she was referring to as 'David', and looked to Mary-Margaret when she asked, "Who is that?"

"His wife."

They all turned around when they heard the voice coming from behind them. Regina.

So, it seemed that John Doe, David, had a wife.

"His name is David Nolan." Regina explained, telling Rebekah that his wife was named Kathryn. She seemed almost giddy about the fact that David was married and seeing the crushed look Mary-Margaret wore. Rebekah slipped out, not needing to hear Regina gloat.

As she was leaving the hospital, Graham chased after her. "Rebekah!" He shouted her name, causing her to turn and face him. "I uh," He said once he was standing in front of her, "There should be some paper work arriving to the station tomorrow, I hope, that I will need you to pick up for Regina." He told her. "I'll call the office when it arrives and you can come get it."

Rebekah smiled softly, moving forward and hugging Graham. "Thank you," She whispered in his ear. He hugged her back, whispering to her that it was no problem.

Graham offered to drive her home but Rebekah told him that she wanted to have just a little bit more fresh air before returning to her apartment and would walk. He had frowned, not liking the idea of her walking by herself at night.

"I'll be fine, Graham." She assured him. "My apartment is only a couple blocks away."

He didn't look thrilled, but he didn't argue with Rebekah about her walking by herself back to her apartment.

Which was good.

Because Rebekah wasn't going back to her apartment.

She was going back into the woods to find what she believed to be a house. Rebekah felt drawn to it – how could she not listen to her gut that was telling her to go to it?

_________________________________

UNDERLAND

Naïve.

So naïve! How could Rebekah allow something like this to happen again? The young woman walked forward, in front of the two guards who were taking her to The Queen of Hearts, who Rebekah knew from the Caterpillar was her mother, Cora Mills. She had trusted the Caterpillar just as she had trusted Jefferson, only to look like a fool yet again.

The guards had dragged her through the tunnels of Underland as she tried to fight them, kicking her legs at the ones who had been behind her trying to make it difficult for them to drag her. The boots she now wore had rocks in them from her dragging her feet and finally the guards stopped and pushed her up against the wall, putting his dagger to her throat, "The Queen of Hearts says she wants you brought to her alive – but she never said anything about us not being able to smack you around if you resist – so I'm going to ask you this only once – do you want to see your mother with broken fingers, perhaps a black eye, or even a bloody noise? Because that's what's going to happen if you aren't a good little girl and follow orders."

Rebekah had breathed in deeply and agreed to not resist them anymore. They made her walk up front, her feet aching from the rocks in her shoes. The boots were better than her heels, though. Her heels that the Caterpillar had taken from her, as well as her dress and jewels. At first Rebekah thought he was just trying to disguise her so Cora wouldn't find her – no, he wanted her fancy things and found a way to get them without even having to lift a finger.

She wore dark brown pants now, a white tunic with a burgundy leather vest that was held in place by a thick brown belt around the middle of her stomach. The Caterpillar had even had one of his people, a woman, pull her hair back into braids. Rebekah had trusted him. Perhaps she wasn't naïve – she was just desperate? She didn't know where Jefferson was or if she'd ever see him again and she knew that she was not safe in Wonderland – it was survival instincts, she supposed.

She had found someone who had offered her protection and she grabbed at them. Because she was terrified. She was alone in a land she didn't know – not to mention that Cora was in said land – she just wanted so desperately to believe that there were good people, or creatures, in the world willing to help someone in a dangerous situation.

It turned out that the Caterpillar was not one of these good people.

"Her Highness has been waiting so long for one of her daughters to show their face in Wonderland," One of the guards chuckled. "-I'm sure she would'a preferred it be the Evil Queen – but she's sure if word gets out that her youngest is in Wonderland, Regina Mills will come to get her and save her from their mother."

Rebekah laughed at that and one guard shoved her forward, nearly knocking her over.

"Keep walkin', princess!"

She did as she was told, hands tied behind her back and listened as the guards began to talk again.

"-How'd you even get in this realm?" One of the guards asked, poking her in the back with his sword causing Rebekah to flinch a little, moving forward to avoid getting pricked again. "Your sister closed all the portals."

"Not all of them."

Rebekah turned around when she heard the voice and watched as Jefferson stood behind the guards, grabbing them by their heads and smacking them together to knock them out.

"Jefferson?" She said in shock, almost not believe it was actually him, "You came back...you found me." Rebekah watched as he grabbed a dagger from one of the past out guards and walked towards her. She stumbled backwards in fear. He didn't come to rescue you – he wants to bring you to Cora himself.

He sighed, "Your ropes." He pointed the dagger at Rebekah's hands that were still tied behind her back. Jefferson walked around Rebekah until he was behind her and cut through the ropes. She turned to face him when her restraints were gone and looked up at him. He was smirking down at her. "I like the new outfit."

"Why did you come for me? You could have left – you'd be rid of me."

Jefferson simply shrugged, taking off his top hat and set it on the ground, he looked up at her as he was crouched over the hat, "Maybe I realized that I don't want to be rid of you." He spun the hat and the portal began to open. He held out his hand for her to take and this time, there was no hesitance before Rebekah grabbed his hand. She just grabbed it, smiled softly at Jefferson, and jumped.

_________________________________

STORYBROOKE, Maine

Rebekah had gone back to the Toll Bridge where the path would lead her to the house out in the woods. She walked until she found road that would make her journey much easier. When she approached the house, she paused. It was a large house, even bigger than Regina's. But it looked vacant. Rebekah walked forward and over to the abandoned house.

It looked familiar – like she had seen it before.

Rebekah felt like a memory was trying to tug its way to the surface but each time she got closer, it all became a blur. There was no memory of this abandoned house – maybe she had just seen it before in a picture. Most of the houses were documented and Regina had her file each one away. That's how she even knew that there was someone who lived out in the woods all by their lonesome. Jefferson. Rebekah looked away from the house and over towards the direction where she knew from going over documents that Jefferson's house was.

Go.

Her mind told her not to. That it was dangerous enough that Rebekah had written a note to him – going to his house would be a death wish!

But...

She shook away her worries and headed in the direction of Jefferson house. Rebekah got to the big home in just under ten minutes and stood at the front door, hand raised to knock but not being able to find the courage to do so. If Regina were to ever find out...Rebekah sighed, dropping her hand to her side. Why did she feel like it was worth the risk? That this man she had spoken to twice was that important to her that she'd be willing to lose contact with Henry over? He was a stranger. He was no one to her when Henry was everything...how could she be still standing at the door?

Rebekah closed her eyes and shook her head, realizing now how thoughtless and careless she was being.

She left, not looking back.

Henry was her family – Jefferson was a stranger.

She couldn't risk it.

Even if her heart was screaming at her to do just that.