One thing about being an entire town's psychiatrist was that he knew a lot about what was going on but was bound to silence by doctor-patient confidentiality. If he'd been the gossiping type who didn't care about such things, he would have been a fountain of information.

It was because of this that he was able to piece together the full sad tale regarding Gold's fate and find what was done to be completely reprehensible. Gold was a man in pain who had just lost the son that he'd gambled so much for. Was it right that Gold had manipulated events for decades all in the selfish desire of wishing to reunite with his son? No, but exiling the man wasn't the right answer. Gold needed empathy right now, not condemnation.

So Archie contacted his patients to cancel their appointments for the next few weeks, asked Emma where Gold had gone to before, packed his bags and Pongo up into the car, and crossed the town line.

It was nerve-wracking in its own way. Yes, he had memories of having driven out this way to get to Storybrooke to begin with, but those were false Curse memories. This was truly the first time he'd ventured out into the World Without Magic. As he drove and passed by various shipping trucks, it struck him how he'd never seen any of the big semis in Storybrooke. There'd never been food deliveries or any other supplies from the outside, yet no one had starved nor did they realize that they should have long ago.

The Curse had been very, very good at protecting itself, it seemed.

The only times he stopped were to give Pongo and himself brief breaks when filling up the gas tank. By the time night had fallen, the big city lights were in view.

"Well, Pongo, here's hoping we can find him."