AN: Enter our heroes at last!

There is nowhere worse you can be, than alone." What had that woman meant? Why had the words implanted themselves into the Jabberwocky's head? The Jabberwocky had always been alone. Always. Even when she had him, she had been truly alone. It was nothing new, it was all she knew. As she walked through the forest, there was no sound of bird or beast to fill the air or whisper company. The creatures always fled from her, and her walks were surrounded in silence. How was her cricket fairing? Had he found his way back yet? Perhaps she should go back and grab him. But no, if she did that he wouldn't learn his lesson. He wanted to be a hero, like the others in this town. He would have to find his way home on his own. She couldn't do everything for him. She couldn't-

"It's you." she glanced up to find she had wondered to the docks, and there was a familiar face. She smiled, and he drew his pistol, "You threatened Emma." her smile at the pirate grew teeth.

"Did I? I believe I only mentioned paying her a visit. As it turned out, I've found more interesting people inhabit this town." speak of the devil, the famous Emma Swan was rushing up behind her Pirate now.

"Hey, hey, what's going on here?" she had a cup of something warm in each hand, packed and ready to go. She eyed her boyfriend's stance and weapon in hand for only a moment, before turning a rightfully suspicious gaze at the Jabberwocky.

"I'll remind you, I'm sheriff." It was a reminder for both of them, as much as for Hook to lower his weapon. He did, but he didn't put it away.

"I won't ask again." Emma's stance was ready to fight, or give chase, what ever would be needed here, even though both hands were full. She was no less ready for action. The Jabberwocky's stance remained relaxed.

"I was only passing by. Your reputation walks before you, Savior."

"I keep hearing that. Can't say I've met you before."

"I've met it. And I know evil when I see it." Hook spat through grit teeth, earning a side glance from Emma. The Jabberwocky kept smiling.

"Someone you used to work with?" Emma asked, referring to his villainous days of old. He and she answered at the same time,

"Not at all." The Jabberwocky tilted her head and turned her full attention on the blonde, who didn't even grant so much as a shiver.

"Is it customary in your world to draw weapons without provocation?" As Emma opened her mouth to answer Hook interrupted,

"Is it customary in yours to invade people's minds?" The Jabberwocky shrugged her shoulders.

"Have I broken any of your laws?" this question for Emma.

"Not that I've seen."

"Then am I free to go on my way? I would hate to step between true love." Emma's stance shifted, not to relax but an inch closer to dropping the cups and drawing her own weapon.

"That, was a lie. It might not be much, but if you lie to me again I may find some reason to hold you overnight." The laughter that ripped itself out of the Jabberwocky's throat next was a rabbit squeezing between a bramble of thorns, fleeing the hunt of baying hounds. This time, Hook and Emma both shivered.

"Alright. Show me what prisons this world has to offer then." when the Jabberwocky stepped forward, they both took a step back. Pure instinct. But the Jabberwocky held out her hands.

"Lock me away then, and see what terrible crimes I confess to." uncertainty crossed the minds of each of them.

"Better let me cuff her, love."

"I can handle it myself." she wasn't about to let Hook, or any man, do something she could. Instead Emma handed him the cups (forcing him to put away his weapon in the process) and removed her cuffs.

"Why do you want to be locked up?"

"Maybe I deserve it."

"For what?"

"That is the question you'll want answers to." but Emma hesitated. Something wasn't adding up. So the Jabberwocky did what she did best. And poked at an easy injury.

"Your son, Henry, isn't it? Is he missing the Cricket yet?" Emma had to hold up a hand to prevent Hook from stepping forward again, the woman's scowl earning another laugh.

"What, did you do to Archie?" The Jabberwocky only held out her arms for the cuffs.

"You'll see." It was enough, the cuffs sliding into place and Emma leading the Jabberwocky away, doubt extinguished.

The Jabberwocky put up no resistance at all. She followed along, and stepped into the cell provided. It was familiar to the ones back home, they hadn't come very far at all. Once the cell door closed and locked, the cuffs came off. The Jabberwocky moved to sit on the cot with the same easy smile.

"Much cozier than my last cell." she noted idly.

"And what did you do to be locked away last time?" Emma inquired with a scowl. Instead of answering, the Jabberwocky folded her hands on her lap, and her gaze locked to the clock up on the wall.

"Hey." Emma snapped her fingers. Waved her hands. But the Jabberwocky didn't flinch, didn't blink, didn't move. After several more minutes worth of attempts, Emma sighed.

"Fine. You'll talk eventually."

"She didn't say anything else?" David crossed his arms, eyeing the shoe-less brunette in the cell. The woman hadn't moved an inch, though it was mid afternoon the next day.

"Just if Henry missed Archie yet. She called him "the cricket"." Emma filled in.

"But that doesn't make any sense. We saw Archie before he left. He said he had something to do and asked us to watch Pongo for him." David tried clapping his hands in front of the cell, but it had the same lack of results Emma had gotten before.

"She can't keep this up forever. Can she?" they exchanged a look. They'd seen stranger.

"Maybe this isn't the right kind of cell." Emma mused.

"What would...oh. Like...the hospital?"

"Possibly."

"...possibly. I guess for now...we'll just wait and see."

Two days passed. The Jabberwocky didn't move. She didn't drink. She didn't eat. She didn't use the restroom. She didn't blink. She didn't respond. On the second afternoon, Emma brought in a second occupant. One a lot less cooperative, his hands behind his back. She all but had to drag him into the room, and when he saw what was there his struggles gained a new desperation.

"Will, this is the third time I've arrested you for petty theft, stop struggling and just-" His fresh struggled put him on his rear, legs scrambling to kick himself back and away.

"No! No, you are not putting me in the same room with that thing!" Emma had to hoist him back to his feet by the back of his jacket.

"Wait, you know her?" Will was too busy struggling to answer. Emma spared a glance between the two and dragged him back out of the room and to the lobby. There she pushed his back to a wall and demanded,

"Spill."

"It's a bit of a long story, mate, you wouldn't be-"

"Tell me what you know, and I'll let you go early. I'll consider it good behavior." Emma offered, earning an incredulous look from the thief. She crossed her arms while he thought it over.

"Or you can go share a cell next to-"

"Not bloody likely! Okay! That thing in there, is a monster. Your cell can't hold it, mate, if it's in there it's because it wants to be."

"Yeah, she turned herself in. Who is she?" Will looked thoughtful, so Emma reminded him, "I know if you lie to me." And lying is what Will does. He squirmed under the pressure.

"You ever hear of the Jabberwocky?"

"I've read the poem. She mentioned Archie." Will sucked in a breath.

"Let me guess, he's missing?" Emma nodded.

"That creature probably ate him." Emma's brows rose.

"Ate him?"

"Shame, he seemed nice."

"You think she ate him?"

"Probably. Hasn't eaten anything since being brought here, has it? Yeah, didn't think so. The Jabberwocky doesn't eat like you and me." Emma wasn't sure about that, but Will was. There wasn't a fragment of doubt in his words, nothing to alert Emma of any dishonesty. Emma glanced back over her shoulder, and saw the woman she'd brought in, the Jabberwocky as Will called her, standing just in front of the door to her cell. Perfectly straight, a smile so wide it split her face in half. She wasn't looking at the clock on the wall anymore. She was looking at Will, a sparkle in her eyes.

"Jesus Christ, I've got to get out of this town!" He could hear the whisper in his head as he struggled to run, "something's different about you. I can hear the jabber jabber jabber now...all your delicious fears..."

"Hey, now slow-"

"Emma, if you want to help yourself, or anyone else here, you'll get to Wonderland. Find the Vor-" a scream cut his words off, Will crumpling to the ground.

"Will!" another agonized scream, his body writhing on the floor. Emma turned back towards the Jabberwocky with fire in her eyes for the first time.

"What are you doing to him? Knock it off!" She marched back over to the cell, drawing her gun, "Hey, don't ignore me!" another scream from Will, the Jabberwocky did exactly that. Ignored Emma entirely, who lifted her gun and aimed at the Jabberwocky's leg.

"Bet they don't have these in Wonderland. Last warning." Several short shouts of terror from Will, and the loud shot fired echoed through the room. The Jabberwocky stumbled back, Will stopped writhing on the floor behind them.

"I almost felt that." She stepped forward again, and through three more shots, this time to her torso. She ripped the cell door off its hinges and stepped out, leaving Emma to smartly back up out of reach. The Jabberwocky sounded no less bothered, and Emma felt a wave of cold wash over her that brought her swiftly to her knees with a gasp. She couldn't breath, forgetting the weapon in hand as her entire body began to shiver and tears began to fall. She could barely hear the Jabberwocky's words over the rush of blood in her head and pounding of her own pulse.

"Well that was fun. But the Knave is right. It's a long story. He and I have much catching up to do." The Jabberwocky turned on a heel, and grabbed the unconscious Knave by his arm, dragging him effortlessly behind her. Emma fought to call out, but it took several tries to even whisper,

"Stop! Come back!" and longer still to struggle to her feet. By the time she crawled to the desk and used it to pull herself upright, by the time her legs wobbled into life and carried her to the front door, the two were already long gone.

"What are we going to tell Henry?" Mary Margaret sighed, as David placed a cup of hot coco into Emma's shaking hands.

"I-I don't know."

"Is there any chance Will could have been...wrong?" David offered, but Emma shook her head.

"He was so convinced of it. Convinced that Archie was-"

"What about me?"

"Archie!" all three gasped, turning to find the man coming in the doorway. Before he could respond, Mary Margaret was wrapping him in a hug, even Emma setting her cup down to move closer.

"You're okay! We were so worried!" Mary sighed, earning a small smile and polite return of hug from Archie.

"Well I...thank you! But I'm alright." They separated and Emma jumped in,

"Where were you?" he grinned over at her, and held up a vile with a blue flower inside it.

"You might not believe me if I told you." he grinned, but all three answered at once.

"Wonderland?" which made his smile quickly fade.

"Well...I...yes. But how did you know?" They exchanged glances, none sure who should tell him first. At last David spoke up.

"Does the name...Jabberwocky sound familiar?" they watched his heart sink.

"You...know about her?"

"Emma had an...encounter." Mary explained, but Emma jumped in,

"You knew about her?"

"I-" he glanced around at them and the rest of the room, the cell door behind them that had been ripped from its hinges, and put two and two together. "She was here. What happened while I was gone?"

"Lets back up," Emma insisted, "How do you know her?"

"She's...well, been visiting me. I've been...trying to help her adjust."

"Wait, for how long?" David asked.

"I can't really divulge a lot of information, you know that David, she's a patient of mine."

"Your patient, as you call her, asked to be put in a cell. Implied she had killed you." Emma filled in.

"She, what?"

"She sat their without moving, blinking, or eating for two days. Until I brought in Will, and then...and then she..." Emma tried to resist, had to stop herself to fight back the tears at the very memory. The feeling washing over her again, being so helpless in front of something so monstrous. Helpless to move, or speak, or help Will. A helplessness that quickly morphed into anger.

"She took Will. I think she's going to kill him. We have to find him and stop her."

"O-oh." Archie sighed, tucked the vial into a pocket, and ran a hand over his face. "I'll help. Let me come with."

"Archie, you don't have to-" the look he gave Mary Margaret cut her off, "or maybe you do."

"Regina can probably find him." Emma was already moving for the door, leaving the others to follow. David clasped a hand on Archie's shoulder as they moved.

"It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back. I'll tell you all about it later."

"Regina!" Emma was none to gentle on the door.

"Hold your horses, I'm coming!" she opened her door to find the crew she wanted to see the least, a sour frown finding her face immediately.

"Let me guess. Someone's in trouble, and you need me to find them?" Archie was the only one to look puzzled.

"How do you-"

"Why else would Snow White and her dazzling Prince Charming show up on my doorstep at this hour?" She looked like she was considering shutting the door on them, but before she could Henry came hurling by.

"Archie! You're back!" For the second time Archie was greeted with a hug for his return.

"Maybe I should go on adventures more often." he laughed, noticing Regina raise her eyebrow at him.

"You? Went on an adventure?" his proud smile answered for her, and she shook her head.

"Alright, don't just stand there on my doorstep. Come inside and tell me what's going on." Emma jumped right to it,

"Will's been taken."

"Who? Oh, you mean that pick-pocket? What do I care about him? If you ask me the town's better off without him in it."

"Mom, you don't mean that! Come on, this is a perfect chance to help out!" She thought about it, looking around the group.

"You're lucky Henry's here to convince me. Who took the thief? Boy that's not a sentence I thought I'd say."

"Something called the Jabberwocky." Mary provided.

"The Ja-" Regina looked around at them each again, "and you plan to just, what? The Jabberwocky is a force of Wonderland Terror and Insanity."

"Spoken like someone with experience." David noted.

"Well, yes. You're forgetting my own mother was the Queen of Hearts there for some time. The Jabberwocky is not something you want to just stroll on up to. Did you at least bring something of the thief's?" Emma held up a scrap of fabric from his jacket.

"Assuming he's still alive, that's something. Any of you have a Vorpal Blade?" They exchanged glances, giving Regina another sigh.

"Of course not. So what is your plan?" Archie stepped forward.

"I'm going to talk to her." Regina laughed. And laughed. And then finally stopped.

"Oh dear, you're serious?" she looked down at Henry, "You might have to mourn their deaths after all."

"Mom! What's the big deal about this Jabberwocky anyways?" he asked the rest.

"She's...dangerous."

"Pure evil." Emma added in.

"But isn't that what you said about Regina?" Regina and Emma exchanged glances.

"I want to come with." Henry declared.

"Absolutely not." Both mothers decided at once. Emma tried the more gentle approach,

"I mean, that's nice of you Henry, but I think we have enough people involved already."

"We appreciate it, Henry, but your mothers are right. Don't worry, we can handle this." Archie promised, Regina snatched the fabric from Emma and marched back to her office.

"First you have to find them. Come on. I'll get you there."

"You're not going to come with? This is your town, after all." Mary didn't sound like she believed that, but it might work to get Regina in.

"Are you worried enough to be asking me to come along?" she smiled back at Mary instead, a challenge to the other woman.

"No. We can handle this."

"Well good. You'd better get going there fast."

The swirling purple vortex stole the Jabberwocky's attention away from her battered toy. She watched it swirl with some interest, and smiled as the figures began to step out from it and into her clearing. Footprints in the snow. Emma. Mary. David. And her Cricket. The vortex closed just behind them. Will looked up at them with the eye that wasn't swollen shut, blood dripping from his nose in a steady flow. He sputtered past it,

"Go. Get out of here." her long nails brushed his scalp, vice-like grip holding his head, and caused him to whimper.

"Everyone knows you're no hero, Knave. Don't pretend like you care for anyone but yourself." The Jabberwocky admonished.

"Do you care for anyone but yourself?" Archie asked point blank, stepping forward with a confidence the others had never seen. Her sparkling eyes fell to him above a feline smile, but he didn't even flinch.

"My Cricket. You made it back. I knew you would."

"Imogen, what are you doing? I thought we talked about this?"

"Did we? Did we talk about the treacherous lying snakes who promise you freedom with one breath then leave you on a shelf once you've served your purpose to them? Did we talk about that?" her eyes swept over to the others, who took defensive stances. Will sputtered again.

"She's lying!" Emma surprised herself by speaking up,

"No. She isn't." Mary jumped in next,

"I don't know about you, but I've done a lot of fighting over the years. Over stupid things that could have been cleared up with a few words. Can't we all just calm down and talk about this?" The crazed look that fell on her stole her breath and made her step backwards into her husband's arms with a gasp.

"Imogen, stop! Don't hurt my friends!" that crazed look turned back to Archie with a hiss.

"What have I told you about giving me commands?"

"We keep going in circles. Why are you doing this? Why now? Why did you leave me in Wonderland?" The three looked back to Archie with surprise, but he just held up a hand to them to imply they would talk about it later. Now wasn't the time.

"Because you wanted to be a hero. You found your way back, didn't you?"

"I did, and this isn't what I thought I'd come back to. Why are you doing this?" She didn't answer, one hand still gripping Will's head.

"Why do any of you care about a thief and a liar?" David stepped forward.

"We don't kill people."

"Is that what you think I'm doing to him? Not at all. He's going to live a very, very long time." None of them knew what that meant. But all of them suspected she had something worse in mind.

"Imogen, don't-" but Archie couldn't reach her in time. She leaned down and forced Will's head back, pried his jaws open with her other hand. They watched his legs kick in the snow and heard him scream as a strange green and brown energy flecked with black poured from her lips and down past his. Archie didn't know what was happening, but he rushed forward to shove her away from her target. She stumbled back a few steps with a satisfied smile as Will screamed and writhed in the snow, wild, desperate, inhuman sounds coming from his throat.

"Will! Will!" Emma rushed over to him, reaching for a hand as he continued to squirm in pure agony. Archie turned back to the Jabberwocky.

"Imogen, what did you do?" When she reached to drape herself over Archie's shoulders, he quickly backed away and pushed her arms away.

"Why, I made him like me." she disappeared, her voice echoing around them all, "Alone. For a long time still to come."