Chapter One: Here With You

Emma looked over to Regina who was distracted by Robin's entrance. Emma's gazed kept darting back and forth, she watched the portal closing. "Regina. He's not real! This is not real!" She felt her heart race, the sudden panic swept over her. The portal was gone, her chance getting home was gone. "Regina…"

Regina watched as Robin's arrow was aimed directly at her, she couldn't move. Her heart was sinking, she just stared at the man she loved, who had no idea who she even was.

"Robin…" Regina stuttered.

"Hand it over! Now!" Demanded Robin angrily. "The jewels. My lady." He smirked, hinting towards Emma.

Emma nodded, handing her tiara over.

"Same for you."

Regina bite her lip, but handed it over regardless.

The sound of horses was heard in the distance, and with that Robin disappeared. Emma reached for Regina and pulled them both out of sight.

"We lost our chance." Regina mumbled. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't…"

"Regina. It's fine. I have another way."

Regina raised her eyebrow. She then glanced over the tree trunk they were hiding by, she watched as Henry and the knights left.

"Follow me." Emma said, taking Regina's hand. "I know who can help us."

Regina followed, her fingers intertwining with Emma's, this calmed her. She finally began to feel at ease.

They arrived at Pinocchio's house after a short period time, before going in Emma placed her hands on Regina's shoulders.

"Are you okay?" Emma asked, concerned.

"I'm fine."

Emma smiled and glided her hands down Regina's arms to take her hand and lock her fingers with Regina's.

"Are you sure?"

Regina remained quiet, but she nodded, smiling softly.

Emma smiled back. "Wait here."

"Okay."

Emma entered Pinocchio's house.

"Hey." Emma muttered.

"Princess Emma!" Pinocchio yelled, he excitedly wrapped his arms around Emma. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"I'm fine. Honestly. I need your help." Emma stuttered, idly playing with her fingers.

Regina sighed deeply, waiting outside. That's where she caught the eye of Robin, who was watching her from the distance.

"I can see you." Regina sighed.

"I know you can." Robin hummed walking over to Regina. "Who are you?"

"Regina."

"The Evil Queen?" He asked.

"Mhm." Regina replied, looking at him.

"I feel like I know you." He said, gazing over her. "Anyway, if you're so evil, why did you not fight back?"

"Why would I fight back?" Regina grumbled, her voice slightly peaking.

"Cause that's what you do? When someone tries to take something that you own, you take it back?"

"I couldn't hurt you, Robin."

"Why?" Robin raised his eyebrow. "Why? Give me a valid reason."

"Because I…I.-"

Emma appeared.

"Regi- Oh. Robin."

"My lady." Robin dipped his head.

"Pinocchio has a way home for us."

"He does?" Regina smiled.

"Yes. I'm going to help him. You can-"

"I need to do something first Emma."

"But…" Emma muttered.

"No buts."

"Fine. Be careful, okay?"

Regina looked at Robin and smiled, he caught her gaze and smiled back at her.

Emma turned back into the house.

"Can we take a walk, Robin? I need to tell you something."

Emma clasped her hands together and looked at Pinocchio. "Are we set?"

"Just need to get the tools and then we can head there." Pinocchio smiled in reply to Emma.

They both headed out of the house, strolling through the woods together. For once they were in silence. Emma looked at Pinocchio, raising her eyebrow as he caught her glance.

"Emma." He asked. "You have such a soft heart, giving up your chance to get home to your family for Regina. She must really mean a lot to you. I'm just confused, I mean. Why did you give that all up? It's unlike you."

Emma smiled, the thought of Regina crossed her mind. "She means a lot to me, you could say. For one we share a son…" Emma paused, slowly looking away. "She's saved me from my darkness, she's given me hope and well. You could say she's given me a reason to stay."

"You share a son? I didn't know you two were…"

Emma stopped him. "No… We aren't like that."

Pinocchio pursed his lips, laughing softly at Emma as she blushed ever so deeply.

"Is that so?" He chuckled.

Emma just laughed it off awkwardly, hoping that the topic would change quickly.

"We are here." He mentioned, walking over to the tree and placing his tool box down.

"So." Emma said, tucking a loose strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. "This is it?"

"Yes. I'll begin by using my father's trusty tool." He smiled, picking it up.

Emma nodded. "Need any help?"

"No, I'm fine. I got this Princess." He grinned, sending her a cheeky wink.

Emma watched him for a while as he worked, her nose twitched slightly at the sound of ruffling in the distance.

"Someone's here." She muttered, looking all around.

Pinocchio stopped and stood next to Emma, peering around with her.

"Oh Hello. Dearies." Snickered an evil squeaky voice from behind them.

"Rumpel." Emma sighed, turning to face him.

"Trying to escape? Ha. Ha." He giggled cackling terribly. "I don't think so."

Rumpel grinned wickedly, walking around Emma and Pinocchio, staring at them while waving his hands about.

"What do you want?" Emma exclaimed loudly.

"Oh. Oh. Oh!" He laughed once again.

Pinocchio stood still, unsure on what to do.

"Leave us be!" Emma yelped, raising the sword up to him which she was carrying.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. I don't think so dearie." Rumpel clicked his fingers.

Within a second Pinocchio was dead, Emma gasped, throwing herself over him.

"No… No. Pinocchio… Please. No." She cried, tears rolling down her pale face.

"Why did you do that?" She asked, her voice wailing in a sad tone.

"No escape for you." Rumpel laughed.

"Why?" Emma asked once again, raising to her feet.

"Regina killed my Belle. Starved her to death! This is one of my many payback plans! Now you'll never get home!" He chuckled, staring at Emma.

Emma raised her hand, she felt her anger take over, and without a thought her magic erupted. Knocking Rumpel off his feet.

"Feisty." He laughed.

Emma growled, trying once again. But it wasn't good enough, luckily, timing was on her side. Horse gallops could be heard coming towards them, she turned to Rumpel who was staring directly at her.

"They are looking for me." She said.

"I know. That bothers me because?"

"Uh…" Emma muttered, turning back to where the sound was coming from.

Shouting was heard from the distance, before an arrow shot directly at Rumpel, it just missed him. He laughed, sighing to himself he flicked his fingers, burning the tree.

"No escaping for you." He snorted and then decided to disappear, so with a puff of smoke he was gone. Emma grumbled, looking down at the corpse of Pinocchio on the floor. She knew she had to go.

"I'm so sorry, Pinocchio. I'll make this right."

She clutched onto her sword and began to ran, she needed to find Regina. Things had just got a lot worse.

Stumbling through the forest she bumped into Regina and Robin, who were both clearly shocked to see her.

"Emma?" Regina asked, concerned. "What's happened, where is Pinocchio?"

"Rumpel." She muttered. "He killed him."

Regina blinked, looking towards Emma and then to Robin.

"Why?" Regina asked. Folding her arms over her chest.

"Because of you, and what you did to Belle." Emma huffed. "Well, what you did to her in this realm."

"And that was?"

"Starved her."

"Oh." Regina grunted.

Robin smirked. "Guess we both aren't loved here."

"Doesn't look like it. Not one bit." Regina snarled.

"And the way, to your home?" Robin questioned, gazing at them both.

"Gone." Emma whimpered.

Regina remained silent. "I guess Rumpel was better off with this curse, I created."

"At least Belle is alive there." Emma said, smiling at Regina.

"It's all my fault. If I..." Regina sulked, walking away.

"No Regina, it isn't." Emma said, following her. She placed her hand on Regina's shoulder. "We will find another way home. We can do this, together. I promise." All Emma could do was try and comfort the sobbing Regina, even if that was the most she could do, it was something.

Regina raised her hand to pat away the tears forming from her eyes. "What if that was our only chance Emma?"

"There is always a way." Emma said reassuringly.

Regina closed her eyes, she felt sad and broken. It was all hitting her all at once. Being here made her realise what she had back at Storybrooke. She missed Henry, and Zelena. Not quite knowing how and why she missed her wicked sister. But she did, she just wanted to go home.

Emma watched Regina, she could see Regina was upset, her hand draped from Regina's shoulder to her elbow, she pinched at it and without a second thought she pulled Regina close and towards her, wrapping her arms tightly around the fragile raven haired woman, clenching her warm body to hers. She wanted to give Regina something comforting and a hug felt like the right thing, for now.

Regina sunk into Emma like a sinking ship, the fear of everything was just so much for her right now. This was the first time she had ever felt Emma's comfort physically, it was warming, and sensual. It sparked a light in Regina, reassuring her that there was something she could have hope for.

Robin stood watching them, idly looking elsewhere and fiddling with his fingers.

"I don't mean to interrupt ladies. But I think we need to get moving. It's going to be dark soon, and where need to find somewhere to stay. Preferable where we won't get caught and killed." He smiled sarcastically.

Regina pushed herself away from Emma, wiping her eyes for a final time. She looked over herself before back at Emma.

"I think I'll have to change my dress sense." She laughed quietly, smiling at Emma.

Emma smiled back. "Might be a good idea, might make it easier for us to blend in."

Regina nodded, and with a puff of purple smoke, she was dressed for the forest. A tight fitting brown tunic with a white shirt and brown studded pants, topped with brown boots.

"This will do."

Emma smiled, eyeing Regina up.

"Looking good." Robin laughed, grinning at Regina.

"Thanks Robin."

Emma glanced at Robin, glaring at him slightly.

"Shall we head on?" Emma muttered, going to take the lead. "We can stay at Pinocchio's place for tonight, its safe there."

"Okay. We'll head back there." Regina agreed.

Robin nodded his head, and began to follow Emma as they walked back.

Regina walked close to Emma, she held out her hand, trying to find her palm. Emma blinked, feeling Regina's palm such for hers, she smiled, taking it in her own.

Emma looked at Regina. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I just need some home comforts." Regina smiled.

"Happy to help." Emma smiled again, this time her grin was a little wider. She squeezed Regina's hand, continuing to lead the way.

Not long after they arrived back at Pinocchio's home. All three of them entered the room, Regina sighed, going to find somewhere to sit down.

"So what now?" Asked Robin.

"We wait until morning. We need to get some sleep and something to eat, then we can decide on what we are doing." Emma said.

Regina looked at Robin.

"Robin, you don't have to stay. You're probably in more danger here with us than you are on your own."

"No Regina, its fine. He isn't leaving now."

Robin gazed at Regina. "Don't want me here?"

"It's not that. I just don't want you to get hurt, or killed because of me. The whole kingdom wants my head." Regina grunted.

Emma walked over to Regina and sat next to her.

"Regina. It's not real, remember that? At home you're a hero." Emma took the opportunity to place her hand on Regina's back.

"It's my fault Robin died in the first place, and don't want to be the reason he is killed in this realm either."

"My lady, I can handle myself. I have done for many years. You don't need to worry about me."

The room fell to silence for a while, Emma stood up.

"Maybe we should get some rest?"

"Good idea." Replied Robin.

"There are two rooms, Regina and I will take that one and you can take that one?" Emma pointed at said rooms.

"Sure." Robin nodded, entering his room and closing the door behind himself.

Emma glanced back over to Regina who was still sat down, head in her palms.

"Regina, listen to me. We will get home, you don't need to worry. Because I need you, the real you here with me. The strong woman I first met all those years ago. The woman who once threatened me with words and destruction. The woman whose determination to get rid of me was so strong that it almost worked. I need that you, the Queen. The powerful Queen you are, think of everything we have overcome and faced in those years. Those are the things that make us who we are. We have to fight back, give them all we have. It's us against them all, we are the army our enemies should fear and our followers should love. The real us. We always get back to our family. Always."

Emma took a deep breath, watching Regina.

Regina peered up. "You're right. We have to be strong, for Henry. For our home. We will get back to him. We will get back to them." She stood up, smiling brightly at Emma. "We have to be the people we were born to be, the heroes."

Emma grinned happily. "That's better. Now let's get some rest. It's going to be a long day tomorrow."