So this is supposed to take place right after the last episode. It was inspired by Henry's comment that there could be all kinds of characters in Storybrooke, from all different lands.

I do not own any of these characters…

….

"I have some thoughts" said Cora as she stroked Regina's hair attempting to comfort her but also to control her and her plan was working.

The pursuit of some of her thoughts began the next day. She and Regina had gone back to Regina's home the night before deciding to rest before her plans could unfold. Cora woke up early anticipating taking care of Regina as she once did. It took her a while but she familiarized herself with all of the interesting contraptions in the kitchen and prepared a proper breakfast for her and her daughter. Her daughter.

Tentative footfalls alerted her to the presence of Regina, still her Regina, but distinctly unlike the Regina she had been in the past. She had changed, and not for the better, she mused. She needed her mother.

Regina looked around at her mother's preparations and before even a "Good Morning dear" could be uttered, in a rather gravelly voice (made a bit deeper due to the fact that she had just woken up and also that she had been crying the night before) she asked "Coffee?"

"Coffee, what's that dear?" Cora inquired.

"Nevermind. I will make it." Regina grunted.

"Okay dear. I thought it would be good to discuss our agenda over a lovely meal," said Cora as she walked into the dining room.

After the coffee was brewing, Regina followed her, "I am not hungry. What exactly are our plans?"

"Fine." Ungrateful Child, she thought. "I think that the only way to get Henry back is to get the town back and in order to do that I think we need to find all of the witches, wizards and all of the people in this town who wield magic."

"Hmmm, so, whom do we start with?"

"With the most powerful of course…" Obviously. Regina is losing her touch.

Regina let out a sigh. "That means we have to start with Mr. Gold."

"Don't worry about him. I will work on him later. So, tell me where can we find the wicked witch?" Cora grinned as Regina shook her head dejectedly and left the room to prepare for what was inevitably going to be a very long day.

...

It was a relatively short drive from Regina's house to the local tattoo parlor. It was a literal hole in the wall, something easily missed if you did not already know it was there, but Regina did. Cora look surprised and a little put off as Regina's Benz pulled up to the parlor. This was one of the last places that she would have expected to find the witch whose power easily rivaled her own. There was a moment of hesitation at the door…Surely she must have gotten over the fact that I trapped her and banished her to OZ.

A dull bell went off as the two women entered. Cora took a moment to take in the barrage of pictures and drawings that covered the walls when she heard a voice from the back holler "I'll be right there." A moment later there was a shuffling of feet as an olive skinned woman emerged from the curtain that led to the back room. Without looking up she began to say "Sorry for making you wait, I was…" That was when she looked up and her eyes met Cora's. Cora assessed the woman standing before her. She was drastically different from that young girl she once knew, that little girl who was once friends with her own daughter. That was until Cora found out just how powerful the girl was…too powerful. She was a threat. She had to go and so Cora made her go. Now she looked nothing like that girl. She was grown up. Her hair was curly, wildly so, and she had it tied up in a ponytail that swung across the tops of her shoulder blades as she walked. She wore glasses, dark jeans and black boots. Simply charming…good thing I kept her away from Regina.

"Cora and Regina. Why am I not surprised? To what do I owe this displeasure?" She said as she turned her attention to Regina, with a small sarcastic smirk forming at the edge of her mouth. "Certainly not to inquire about my health." This was clearly a jab meant for Regina, who had made an appearance in the tattoo parlor before or after the curse was broken. She had remained aloof. Mayor Mills. The bitch.

"We are here to make you an offer." Cora stated bluntly. "If you help us, we…"

It was at this point that the smirk turned into to outright laughter, "Help you. Help you. That's funny. You banish me to OZ and you think that is something that I would just forget."

"Regina had been looking at the floor during this interaction, but it was at this point that she looked up at Cora. "What? You told me she stopped playing with me because she did not like me anymore, because I was bad."

"I did it for your own good sweetheart but things are different now. Its all in the past. Let's not dwell." This last sentence though directed at Regina was said while looking at the wicked witch. It was then that Cora spotted the round tattoo on her arm. It was a silhouette of a tree with leaves and branches dropping down meeting the widespread roots below. It was a symbol she recognized, a symbol from home.

"Home sick Veronica?" She asked enticingly, as Veronica folded her arms assuming a defensive pose and hiding the tattoo from sight. "Look, if you help us take back the town we will send you back home and not to OZ, but home."

Veronica looked pensive and was silent. She thought about it. Do I really want to go home? Then she looked at Regina. It now made sense why Regina did not come looking to be her friend during the curse or even after. Cora had poisoned her. She had become Cora's puppet …again. Regina stood firm but her eyes glistened with past and potential tears. Her features softened a bit as Veronica looked at her and for a moment she looked like the seven year old that she had known, that little girl who much like now was terrified and controlled by her mother.

She looked back at Cora, shifted her position and sighed loudly. "I don't want to go home Cora." As she said it she knew it was true. Home had been fraught with danger and always disappointing. Storybrooke had been safe, at least until Cora showed up.

"Hmmm, you keep telling yourself that dear, but when you change your mind you'll know where to find us." She turned, ushering Regina out the door but before leaving she turned her profile back on Veronica and said, "I would urge you make up your mind quickly. If I were you I would not want to be on the wrong side of the battle that is going to occur. " Cora smiled.

Regina looked back into Veronica's eyes for second as if searching for something for help maybe and then she said "Goodbye Ronnie." It was what she used to call her when they were kids.

A small "Bye" escaped her lips before she even realized what she was doing. She was allowing herself to be pulled into the drama that was Regina and Cora.

Veronica started to pace back and forth intermitantly mumbling "Crap. Crap," over and over. She walked up the counter, placing her hands on the edge and looked at the tattoo. She sighed and steadied herself, knowing now what she needed to do. Veronica needed to find the sheriff.