(Emma's Pov)

Not straying too far from the tree house, Emma walked around the forest floor. She kept herself in a position where she could always see at least a bit of the tree Mist had welcomed her to.

About five minutes had passed and Emma found herself next to a small pond. Glancing up at her surroundings she found herself in what she could only describe as a fairytale. Pink and green flowers arched above her, holding tight to the willow trees up above. Blue orchards ran alongside the glassy pond. Inside the pond there were fish with colors from beautiful blacks and whites to stunningly vibrant colors.

"Wow."

Losing herself in beautiful surroundings, Emma sat down and relaxed.

<Time Skipppppppp!>

Emma stretched as she woke up from her nap, 'Maybe I didn't get enough sleep at Mist's place,' Emma gasped,

"Mist! Oh my gosh!"

She jumped up from the base of the tree's trunk, startling a few fish while she was at it.

"Oh gosh, I made such a mess and who knows how long I was out!" She lectured to herself, "Okay, okay."

Emma looked around for any sign of the tree house and once she spotted it, ran as fast as she could to get there, hoping before Mist would but she knew that probably wasn't what was going to happen...

When she finally got in the tree house, she looked around. No one was there. The only sign that Mist had been there, was an amber and blue feather on the ground.

"Crap! Now what? She probably thinks I've been kidnapped! This isn't good," Emma looked out the window and started yelling Mist's name.

No answer.

Emma climbed up on the roof of the house and started yelling some more. She didn't hear Mist land behind her so she jumped when Mist said, "Yes?"

"Sorry I disappeared like that, I needed some air too," Emma hurriedly explained.

"It's fine. Just next time leave a note and don't leave the house looking like it's been rampaged," Mist said, smiling the whole time. It was like she hadn't just recounted the most difficult thing that ever happened to her, "We should get some rest for tomorrow. That's when we're executing the plan right?"

"Yes," Emma said, trying to figure out how to climb off the roof again, only to be picked up by Mist and flown to the balcony.

✦✦✦✦✦

After cleaning up, the girls tried to get some sleep but they were both too tangled up in their own thoughts to fall asleep. Mist laid in her own nest-looking-thing thinking about the crazy week that had been brought before her and how she could help Emma leave before it was too late. Emma on the other hand, relaxed on the hammock outside and was trying to remember how she got here in the first place.

She knew something had brought her here and then Mist invited her to stay at her place but, it was just too weird for Emma to handle. All she could do right now was trust Mist. And even though every part of Mist seemed trustworthy, Emma hated that she had almost no control over her situation. She hadn't shared everything about her life and gave no reason for Mist to trust her and yet, Mist still seemed to want to help Emma, no questions asked.

Mist seemed like a good friend too. If anything, Emma wanted to be her friend but thoughts kept creeping into her mind. Thoughts that if went unchecked would leave a massive wound between them.

What if she works for whoever took me? What if SHE took me?? What if this whole thing is just a setup to get me to go back there and then I'll be trapped in a box and and and- you know? Emma sighed, What if I'm thinking about this too much?' It's not like I have very many other options anyways, now do I?

Emma looked over the forest and shuddered. 'Was there really a great force in the Universe that kept Mist here? Was it really the thing that's keeping me here?' Emma clambered off the hammock and went inside the treehouse, looking for Mist. Mist was still sprawled in her nest-thing, looking up at the ceiling.

"I have a question," Emma said, carefully.

Mist simply said, "Spill."

"What is the Universe? Do you know why it wants us here, or anything?"

Mist sat up, "It's the force that's keeping us here. I don't know why it wants us here, or anything but I do know that it can corrupt people if it gives them power, and that It keeps this forest under lock and key from other people. It can also slow down the aging process, making people live longer, and the building has nothing to do with the Universe, except for the fact that it has the portal that'll take you home in it. That's all I really know."

Emma nodded and looked at Mist in the eyes, something she couldn't seem to do up until now. Mist looked right back at her, a sincere smile on her face.

"Anything else?"

"No, uh... thanks." She gave Mist her best smile and walked back outside to the hammock.

✦✦✦✦✦

Before Emma knew it, the sun was rising over the treetops. The birds were chirping loudly and the sky was dotted with little bunches of clouds. Not the kind of day you would be expecting to break into some kind of facility.

Mist seemed to appear out of nowhere saying, "Rise and shine! Today's the day! We're going to get you home safely, hurray!"

Emma smiled and said, "Hurray!" along with Mist. 'Hopefully, this won't go horribly wrong.' Emma thought.

Mist handed Emma a belt with three potions attached to it. Mist pointed at each one and explained what they did.

When the instruction had finished, Mist picked up Emma, she was really light so it was easy, and flew her to the building.

They landed on the metal roof and Mist showed Emma a small latch within the metal.

"This is our way in." Mist proceeded to use some magic to break the latch and pull the trap door open.

This was the first time Emma had seen Mist use some magic and was surprised to see her eyes flash a bright blue as she used it.

'I guess we have that in common with magic. Our eyes change color." Emma thought as she jumped into the opening after Mist

It was cold when they entered. As Emma looked around, she noticed things that she wouldn't have been able to see in her power-draining state the first time. The walls were clearly made of solid concrete and had ice crystals forming in their corners. There were red lights hanging from the ceiling, sirens ready to go off on every wall, and there were deep scratch marks along the metal-plated floor. As Emma followed closely behind Mist, a chill ran down her spine; this one however, didn't come from the cold.

They walked through the maze of hallways, reaching dead end after dead end. Emma could tell that Mist was starting to get impatient, this was supposed to be a get in and get out kind of thing but all it turned into was what seemed like an hour of red herrings.

Emma turned to the right and found a door. It was made out of a dark metal, and was cold to the touch. She opened it, hoping to see the portal, but instead, Emma saw a closet.

"Ugh. This is a really thick door for a broom closet," Emma grumbled, shutting the door again.

Mist looked thoughtful for a second then asked, "The portal's supposed to take you home right?"

"Yah?"

"Maybe you'll have a connection to the portal, and be able to tell where it is."

"Worth a shot," Emma said, closing her eyes for a second, and letting her feelings branch away from her. Then she opened them and said, "I know where it is! Follow me!"

Emma ran through the hallway, her eyes still glowing a warm amber color. Mist stayed close behind Emma, not challenging her by using her wings until they reached it; A normal looking door tucked in the wall. The door had a certain glow to it, the same warm glow as Emma's eyes.

She reached over and slowly opened the door, inside they saw what looked like a rip in a piece of paper only, it was a rip in the air. Mist walked in first her mouth agape. Emma suddenly realized she was still using her powers and relaxed, her eyes turning back to the baby blue like always.

Emma only started walking in before she felt something grab her by the waist and cover her mouth. Not knowing what was going on, she tried to scream for Mist to notice her, but she was far too entranced by the portal to do anything. She kicked and bit but to no avail, her attacker was slowly backing away from the room with Mist still in it.

(Mist's PoV)

Mist was really trying to look away from the portal, but couldn't. It was almost beautiful and it reminded her of the portal she used to leave Fortune... Finally, she looked away. Emma was gone.

"Twig!" Mist said and flew out into the hallway. She glimpsed Emma's kicking legs pulled around the corner.

She flew after her and saw Emma being pulled away by a guy in a black suit and a dark mask with a helmet.

Mist's eyes glowed a blue color again and she put her hand up and sent a small blast of magic his way. It hit his helmet, and he flew backwards a couple feet.

Emma picked herself up and looked at Mist with new respect.

"He won't be asleep forever! We need to go!" Mist urged, beckoning to Emma.

Emma followed Mist back to the room and was about to go into the portal when Mist shrieked. Emma turned to see Mist on the floor with someone else standing over her, with a dart gun and a knife in his hands.

Emma gasped as she tried to get them away from her, she wasn't as strong as Mist and knew channeling her powers again would cause her to pass out. She took a step forward, lifting her hands to show she didn't have a weapon with her.

Another step.

And another...

The man had a tight hold on Mist's wings with one of his hands and a sharp knife near her neck in the other. He had dropped the dart gun-which was now empty-on the floor beside him. Mist was limp from neck down, whatever was in that tranquilizer could only be temporary though.

Another step.....

He looked at Emma with a changeling look, and then seemed to grin. It was a small smile, so small that someone else might have overlooked it. That same small grin, however, fueled her with rage. It was the kind of smile she had seen every day of her life growing up. The same smile that meant 'she's not good enough, but it'll be funny seeing her try.'

She stopped in her tracks, stood up straight, and looked him dead in the eyes. Her cold glare must have caught him off guard because his grin wavered and his hand slipped.

Just enough to drop the knife.