juliet •peter pan•

TWENTY-FIVE

Emma looked into a room to find Jefferson sharpening scissors. She closed the door and walked down the hall. She opened a door and found Mary Margaret tied to a chair. She started to set Mary Margaret free. "What is going on?" Mary Margaret sighed. "Emma, thank god." Emma raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here? Is Jade here." Mary Margaret shook her head. "I was in the woods, trying to get away. This man appeared out of nowhere and grabbed me. Why are you here?" Emma paused. "I've been trying to find you. You escaped, remember? How did you get out?" Emma helped Mary Margaret up and they exited the room.

They heard a gun cocking. Emma saw Jefferson, holding the gun. "I see you've found Spot." Emma held her hands up. "I've already called for backup." Jefferson chuckled. "You haven't called anybody... for the same reason you didn't tell me about her. You don't want anybody to know you're here, which means nobody does. So now tie her back up."

"Your telesope. You've been watching me. Why?" Jefferson sighed. "I need you to do something." He opened the door. Emma saw a row of hats and cloth and scissors on the table. He sat her down and dropped some cloth in front of her. "Make one like that." Emma tilted her head.

"You want me to make a hat? You don't have enough?" He folded his arms. "Well none of them work, or else you wouldn't be here." He sat down. "Now make a hat and get it to work." Emma stammered. "I don't-" Jefferson sighed. "You have magic, you can do it." Emma looked around briefly. "The hats, the tea... your psychotic behavior... You think you're the Mad Hatter." Jefferson rolled his eyes. "My name's Jefferson."

Emma sighed. "Okay, you've clearly glommed onto my kid Henry's thing. They're just stories. The Mad Hatter is a character I read in Alice in Wonderland. A book that I read." Jefferson looked around. "Stories... stories? What's a story? When you were in high school, did you learn about the Civil War?" Emma nodded. "Yeah, of course." Jefferson shrugged. "How? Did you read about it, perchance, in a book? How is that any less than any other book?"

Emma folded her arms. "History books are based on history." Jefferson started to grow impatient. "And storybooks are based on what, imagination? Where does that come from? It has to come from somewhere." He scoffed. "You know what the issue is with this world? Everyone wants some magical solution to their problem, and everyone refuses to believe in magic." He gestured to the hat with his gun. "Now get it to work."

Emma sighed. "Here's the thing, Jefferson. This is it. This is the real world." Jefferson chuckled. "A real world." He leaned towards her. "How arrogant are you to think yours is the only one? There are infinite more. You have to open your mind. They touch one another, pressing up in a long line of lands, each just as real as the last. All have their own rules. Some have magic, some don't. And some need magic... Like this one." He handed her scissors. "And that's where you come in. You and your friend are not leaving here until you make my hat. Until you get it to work." Emma narrowed her eyes. "And then what?" Jefferson looked on. "Then I go home."

He snapped his fingers. The door opened, and Jade walked in, her hands tied together. "And Fido here is going to help you, seeing that both of you have incredible magic." Emma looked at Jade. "She's just a kid." Jade gestured to the ropes around her hands, and Jefferson untied them. "A kid with knowledge of who she is and what she is capable of." Emma raised an eyebrow. "I don't understand." Jade turned towards Jefferson. "She doesn't know. Let her and Mary Margaret go. Isn't one magic-wielder enough?" Jefferson shook his head. "I need you and Emma." Jade sat down and grabbed the scissors.

Emma sighed. "I cannot make it work. What you're asking me is impossible." Jefferson shook his head. "No! It has to be. If it's not, I'm never going home. I'll be cursed to live in this house forever." Emma shrugged. "What is so cursed about your life? Look at this place, it's beautiful. It doesn't seem cursed to me." Jade finished a hat, and looked inside the hat. "Found your problem." Jefferson switched his gaze. "What is it?" He asked eagerly. "There's no magic in this realm." Emma shook her head. "Okay, now I'm confused."

Jefferson threw his hands up in the air. "You think I don't know that. I'm just trying to get my daughter back." He walked over to the hat, and Emma knocked him out with the telescope. Jade stood over Jefferson. "Hope you find your daughter." She then ran to the other room.

Jade opened the door to the other room to find Jefferson aiming a gun at both Mary Margaret and Emma. "Off with his head." Jade swept her leg under his and knocked him onto the ground. She then grabbed his gun from him and spilled all the bullets out. Emma and Mary Margaret exited the room and Jade followed.

Outside, they walked up to Emma's car. Mary Margaret sighed. "So, I guess you'll be taking me back now." Emma tossed Mary Margaret the car keys. "Here. Go." Jade's eyes widened. "Emma, what are you doing?" Mary margaret looked at the keys, then at Emma. "You want me to run?" Emma sighed. "No, but it's your choice. Just know something - running ain't easy, I've done my share of it. And once you go, there's no stopping."

Mary Margaret exhaled. "Everyone thinks I killed Kathryn." Emma grabbed Mary Margaret's shoulders. "Mary Margaret, you have to believe me. You have to trust me. I know it seems impossible, but I can get you out of this." Mary Margaret tilted her head. "Why is it so important to you what happens to me?

Emma sighed. "Because when Regina framed me, and you bailed me, I asked you why and you said you trusted me. And then when I wanted to leave Storybrooke 'cause I thought it was best for Henry, you told me I need to stay because that was best for him. And I realized, all my life, I have been alone. Walls up. Nobody's ever been there for me, except for you. And I can't lose that. I cannot lose my family." Jade folded her arms. "Family?" Emma chuckled. "Friends. Whatever. You know what I mean. Wouldn't you rather face this together than alone?" Mary Margaret handed Emma the keys, then Jade realized something. "Emma, Regina was talking about an arraignment."

After she dropped off Mary Margaret, Emma stopped the car. "Jade, I know you want to figure out everything, but Henry needs you as much as he needs me. I'm going to take you home, and if you have any troubles with your aunt, I'm here." Jade smiled. "Thanks Emma." She got out of the car and walked over to the tree near her window. She climbed into her window and into her room where she saw Henry. He smiled, and ran to hug her. "Jade, you're back." Jade hugged him back and smiled. "I'm not leaving again anytime soon."