Regina looked up from her desk, startled at the image before her. "Regina," said the only other woman who knew about being suspended in time more than she did.
"Helena," the mayor breathed. "You made it back in here." Then she smirked. "And I suppose you still won't tell me how you manage that."
"Endless wonder," the two women said in unison.
Helena straightened her back, her eyes sad but determined as she looked to the woman she had met just once long long ago. "I need your help. I need to hide something, but of course I wouldn't do it without asking your permission first, this being your town."
"After you hide my heart for me, the least I can do is provide a safe place for something precious of yours," Regina replied, standing slowly. She moved around the desk and stood before the other woman. There was a silence as they took each other in. There was so much pain and time passed within their eyes, something that the two of them recognized in each other before anything else. It was what had created that instant trust between them.
"Thank you."
"Out of curiosity only, what is it that you're hiding in Storybrooke?"
"The most powerful and dangerous artifact in the world."
"And you want to keep it here, with The Dark One and The Evil Queen?"
"You know I don't believe that you're characters from fairytales, and more than that, Darling, I don't believe that you're any more evil than the rest of human kind," Helena said.
"Perhaps you should."
"You know darkness, but you still have something that will save you all."
Regina tilted her head, truly curious now. "And what is that Dearie?"
"You have hope, and the innocence of a child's love, even if he chooses not to acknowledge it now. You are still and forever his mother."
Regina didn't say anything to this. Instead, she pursed her lips as she thought of Henry and of Emma Swan. Then she turned away from Helena. She felt the warmth of Helena's hand on her shoulder before she was drawn into a strange sort of hug. Regina allowed the small token of comfort before she stepped away again. "I'll show you to the second wishing well. No one goes there, and there is just enough magic left in those waters that whatever you drop down will keep it hidden for as long as you need to to be."
"Thank you. When the coast is clear I will return for it, and I will return you what you left behind." There was only a nod between them, and then Regina lead the way outside of the mansion and towards the deeper forests of Storybrooke…
End