Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT etc...


"Find me."

Regina's words woke Emma from her sleep. She had been dreaming of the other woman ever since she had left.

The whole town of Storybrooke had gone with her, leaving just Emma and Henry along a worn out country road. At least the yellow bug had survived the magic. Probably because it existed as part of this world. Emma's things were scattered in the area where she had lived, but Henry only had the clothes he was wearing. When she finally arrived back in the town, he was leaning against the car waiting for her.

"You broke the curse." He didn't seem as happy as she had expected.

"Regina chose to break it."

"But everyone's gone."

"Storybrooke only existed because of the curse."

"Your parents are gone too."

"I know, but Regina gave me a way to take us to the other world..." She looked at him as she spoke. "If you want to go."

"What do you mean?"

"Their world isn't like ours…"

"I thought you liked her? You've been dating for months…"

"That's why she gave me this." Emma held out her hand so he could see it. "But this is your world, we both grew up here. The Enchanted Forest is a different place…"

"With our family in it."

Emma smiled. "I know."

"Don't you want to go?"

"Of course."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

She drove them to the nearest motel to rest as she explained.


Enchanted Forest.

Breaking the curse reset everything.

Everything.

Regina's hand was raised to strike Snow's as the dark curse swept over the castle. They were returned to that same room, but this time Regina dropped her hand to her side and stared at the woman she had hated for so long. Nothing had happened. The curse didn't work. She waited, listening as Snow's forces rallied to her side and watched the dark purple clouds vanish.

The pain she had felt at loosing Daniel tore at her heart again.

No.

Impossible.

A dwarf appeared in the doorway. Regina reacted automatically, striking out with her magic. As he was flung aside, Snow moved to attack her.

Regina transported herself back to her own kingdom. She stormed down the corridors, ignoring the questions from the genie trapped in the mirror. Outside, coming to stand under one of her apple trees, she reached out a hand and pressed it onto the bark trying to breathe more slowly.

"It should have worked. Why didn't it work?"

She had no-one to turn to now. Rumplestiltskin was locked in his cell, her father… Regina shook her head. His death had been in vain. Had Rumplestiltskin tricked her again? Was the curse never supposed to work? What purpose was served making her kill her father? She'd already proved she was willing to do whatever it took to make Snow White pay, her heart was as dead as the Dark One's.

She pulled her hand away; looking at the way her blood marked the tree. The cut on her palm didn't even hurt. It should hurt; she should be able to feel something.


The spell had carried them through to a hill overlooking a giant field. Beyond that were a few trees. Emma looked around, checking that Henry was with her. Her hands were numb, but her fingers were still wrapped around his.

"Did it work? Are we there?" Henry asked.

"Does this look like anything from your book?"

Henry slid his backpack from his shoulder and opened it up. Taking out the storybook he flipped through the pages. There were a lot of countryside images.

"This one?" He sounded hopeful as he showed it to his mother.

Emma held it up, trying to see if the tree in the picture was the same as the one in the distance. It looked hopeful. How many trees looked alike? She wanted to laugh at her own question. At least this one had branches bending at distinct angles. That had to narrow it down.

Emma scanned the horizon. She thought she could see a small building in the distance. Passing the book back to Henry, she pointed in that direction. They set off down the hill and across the field before Emma thought to caution Henry.

"Let's wait to see how they're dressed before asking where Snow White or your mom's kingdoms are, okay?"

Henry laughed. "Which one are we going to first?"

Emma just looked at him as though the answer would be obvious. "Regina's of course. We don't know how the curse breaking affected everyone else. Mary Margaret might not know I'm her daughter."

"I'm sure mom will tell her everything now."

Emma hoped so. According to Henry's book, before the curse Regina had been trying to kill Snow White and in Storybrooke they didn't exactly make friends with each other. A lot of people would be angry about the curse. She could only pray her mother realised that Regina breaking the curse showed she was able to change.


Snow followed Grumpy to where Doc had laid out her husband. David's wound had been bandaged, but he was still unconscious. She wrapped her hand around his and straightened the collar of his shirt.

"She's taken our child." Snow whispered to him when the dwarves finally left them alone. "The curse was all a trick, to make us send Emma away, but we'll find her. You just have to wake up."

She pressed her lips to his, closing her eyes and wishing for a miracle. He continued to slumber on. Snow sighed. The castle guards were either injured or dead and there was no-one left to defend them if Regina chose to return with her army and her magic. She couldn't understand why that hadn't already happened. Then again, if Regina had Emma she had already won. Snow would willingly lay down her life to get her daughter away from the Evil Queen, but there was no guarantee that Regina would keep her daughter alive afterwards. As long as her absence caused her pain, Snow would never see her daughter again, but she would live.

"What do I do?" Snow asked David. "What would you do?"

There was always Rumplestiltskin. If Regina hadn't freed him, he was still locked up in the magically protected cell. She could go to him for advice. It was either that or wait for nightfall, to try and contact the Blue Fairy.