Identity- Once Upon A Time

The Hidden Mansion

Emma thanked Lily for giving her this lead and promptly exited out of the hospital to go and find Regina. She pulled up to Regina's house in her yellow buggy and knocked on the large white door. Regina's house always had a look of cold elegance about it, empty but rather regal. A few moments went by and footsteps met with the click of heels unlocked and opened the door revealing a slightly stressed Regina.

"What do you want now Swan?" Her black hair was messy and slightly singed at the ends, signifying a failed spell. Her white shirt had patches that were slightly greyed from whatever ash she had been using.

"I need you to help me Regina." Emma brushed the hair out of her eyes that had been blown by the wind. "I figure that Gold won't help me anyway without a paying a price. I just can't risk that right now, so I'm asking you to help me."

Regina sneered, "You think there won't be a price either if I help you? I'm not some goody-goody who goes around helping people like your parents."

"I know," Emma's expression turned stern. "I just need your help this once, I won't ever ask again."

Regina pressed her hand against the white door and scoffed. "Just what is so important to you that you would come begging for my help? Besides, if Gold can't help you what good would I do?"

"Well, you have an extensive knowledge of magic items right?"

"I suppose," Regina had started to close the door until her pride got the best of her. "What is it you are trying to get at?"

"I need you to help me find an abandoned house... It's really important for the police reports."

"An abandoned house? That's it? You are going to crawl to my doorstep and ask me to search for a treehouse?"

"I once saved you from getting killed by Gold, you owe me. Remember when you locked Belle up? He was going to do far worse than just crush your heart and you know it." Regina placed her hand across her chest in recollection. Emma was right, the dark one almost killed her for locking up his girlfriend. Emma luckily was able to convince Gold that it wasn't the right choice, but Gold was ready to kill them both on the spot at the time.

"Fine," Regina sighed. "But don't think that doing this is any sort of peace treaty between us, I just repay debt."

"So are you in?" Emma smirked.

"Oh don't act so high and mighty, Ms. Swan."

Emma and Regina were transported to the spot in a cloud of purple smoke. They found themselves in the place where Lily was first found by Emma and David. It was currently early autumn and the first leaves of fall were turning red and gold. The clearing that they had found themselves in shone brightly due to the dewy leaves reflecting the rays of the morning sun. As Emma and Regina paced about the clearing, they saw no house in sight.

"Now what? We are in the middle of nowhere!" Regina exclaimed

"Walk this way," Emma pointed in the direction in which she recalled Lily running toward her. "I remember her running from over there."

"Her?"

"The girl who's house we're searching for."

"So this is all just for a mystery girl who's name we don't even know?"

"No," Emma sighed, recalling the hospital visiting just earlier that morning. "Her name is Lily."

"Anything else I should know before searching for this girl's hovel?"

"There's not much else we do know. The girl doesn't have any memories."

"Oh, excellent. We are searching for a house that may or may not exist for a teenage girl with amnesia. Brilliant detective work Ms. Swan!"