SunFlower | K. Jones

023

When the two arrived at the old barn Zelena was using to perform her spell, Emma was already there.

"What is this?" Aurelia shouted, over the noise coming from inside the barn. "It's Zelena's time portal," Emma said, checking her phone. "David left a message, somehow she died and triggered it."

"We have to close it," Aurelia said. "We don't know how to do that. We need to leave" Hook said.

Before he could reply, the barn doors whipped open, the force of the portal pulling them all to the ground. The three of them were dragged across the dirt and Emma was barely able to grab Aurelia's hand before she could be dragged in.

Hook was holding onto Emma, digging his Hook into the dirt to keep himself steady. "Hold on!" Hook shouted at the two girls. "I can't!" Emma screamed as her grip loosened and she and Aurelia were sucked into the portal.

Hook groaned, knowing he had to follow them. He removed his hook from where he lodged it, falling in after them as the portal closed.

Aurelia landed next to Emma with a groan, Hook falling right after her. Sitting up, she brushed leaves and dirt from herself, as she looked around.

"No, no" Emma groaned, realizing where they were. "It appears we're back in the enchanted forest" Hook sighed.

"Wasn't that portal meant to go back in time? I mean we could be anywhere. This could be during the Ogre Wars, or a plague, or the future which could be even worse because we wouldn't know what would happen, or-"

"I think I know where we ended up," Emma said, cutting Aurelia off. "What? When?" Aurelia asked, looking at a tree that Emma was staring at. It was a wanted poster for Snow White.

"How did we end up here?" Hook asked.

"When we were falling through, I was thinking about Henry and the story we were reading at Granny's," Emma said.

"What story?" Aurelia asked. "Of how my parents met," Emma said.

"You think that time portals work like any other sort? They take you back to where you're thinking of?" Hook asked.

"Not where. When" Emma said.

"Excellent deduction. Alas, it appears they share another quality. They don't stay open for the return trip" Hook sighed.

"So we're trapped here? In the past?" Aurelia asked.

"I should've left Storybrooke the instant we defeated Zelena. This is exaclty the kind of thing that doesn't happen in New York!" Emma exclaimed.

"Look, we've been in dire straits before. There's no need to be antsy. We have our wits. We just have to focus on being constructive" Hook said.

"You're right" Aurelia nodded. "We just need to relax and think. I'm sure the three of us can come up with some way to get back to the future."

"How are we gonna figure out how to get back to the future? Who do I look like, Marty McFly?" Emma asked.

"Marty McWho?" Hook asked.

"You know, the kid with the lightning and the DeLorean, and he back in time" Emma tried to explain.

"Like a wizard?" Aurelia asked.

"No. Marty McFly is not a wizard. He's...wait. Maybe a wizard is exactly what we need. Rumplestilskin. We can find Rumplestilskin!" Emma exclaimed. Hearing horses running in the distance, Hook grabbed the girls, pushing them to hide behind a bush. "Black knights!"

Aurelia looked as a brigade of knights on horseback came running past, followed by a black and white carriage. It stopped in front of a small group of villagers who the knights were rounding up.