Author's note: Hello! So because of all the craziness that has been going on in my life, I haven't updated this story in a long time. Still, I decided to edit and redo all of the chapters (since my writing has improved) and re-upload them. Thank you for your support and reviews and suggestions are always welcomed.

"You... You did this?" She saw Regina ask her on the verge of tears.

"I just wanted to save her life." Emma whispered, completely in shock with what had just happened in front of her. It turns out that the woman that she had saved from being executed by Regina was the ex-late wife of Robin Hood.

"You are just like your mother." Regina spat angrily. "Never thinking of consequences."

When Emma heard this she flinched, completely in shock of how right Regina was. The one thing everyone kept telling her was to not mess with the past, and in Emma-like fashion, what was the first thing that she did? Mess with the past.

"I didn't know." she tried to reason again with Regina. She needed to make her understand that it was all a very bad misunderstanding.

"Of course you didn't." Regina said sarcastically, clearly not believing Emma at all. She started to move away and head for the door, almost as if Emma was the plague. Nevertheless, before leaving she turned and faced her again. "Well, you just better hope you didn't bring anything else back." she finished saying and ran for the door, tears falling from her eyes.

Emma immediately headed for the exit too. The two of them had come too far. Hell, Regina was even teaching her magic! She couldn't let all that go away, and there was also the fact that she truly felt guilty. She had ruined Regina's happiness. Again.

"Regina, please wait." Emma pleaded to the woman who was looking at the sky in a clear attempt to stop herself from losing her self-control.

"Not now Swan." Regina barely managed to answer.

"I'm sorry." Emma tried to say, the words coming out of her mouth like ramblings because of her nervousness. "When I brought Marian back I didn't know who she was. I didn't intend to cause you pain." she finished the last part softly, her eyes trying to find Regina's, trying to make her see them and find that she was telling the truth.

Regina looked at Emma, and although she saw the honesty there, she was just too hurt to rationalize things. "Well, your intentions really don't matter because once again I've felt the brunt of heroism. Always the villain, even when I'm not." Regina scoffed the last part.

"What was I supposed to do?" Emma asked Regina.

"Well you were dumb enough to travel through time." Regina answered sarcastically. "Perhaps you should have left things well enough alone."

Emma looked down at her feet. She knew Regina was right, but at the same time her pride was telling her that she had also made the right choice. "I'm not gonna apologize for saving someone's life."

Regina looked up, clearly amused by Emma's reasoning. "She was to die anyway. Why does it matter?" she almost cried the last part.

Emma felt truly sorry for Regina. She knew that if Regina were faced with the exact same situation she would have done the same thing. She took a deep breath. "It matters because she is a person. and whatever she did, she didn't deserve to die."

"Maybe she did." she spat angrily at Emma, who immediately recoiled.

Without thinking Emma answered, hurt by Regina's anger. "Well you would know. I saved her from you."

Emma saw that Regina held her breath after Emma's words, the meaning behind them hurting her more than any other thing that the two discussed. Emma immediately felt bad and in a clear need to apologize. Shit, I can really be an asshole sometimes, she thought to herself.

"The woman who did that." she heard Regina's voice fail her at that point. "That was the person I was not the person I am." Emma immediately grabbed herself, feeling sorry for questioning Regina's path towards redemption. Hell, she was doing things all wrong.

"I worked very hard to build a future, a future that is now gone." Regina finished angrily.

Emma instantly flinched at that. "You don't know that."

"I know that its complicated enough that his dead wife is back!"

Emma felt herself move backwards because of the strength of Regina's anger. "Regina for that I'm sorry. if there is anything I can do..."

"Miss Swan, the more you try to help, the worse my life becomes." Regina finished sadly.

Emma was going to refute this, but before she even got a chance she heard the voice of Robin Hood and Marian coming from Granny's. Shit, shit, shit, was the only thing that came to Emma's mind.

"She is a monster!" Marian screamed while pointing at Regina, who looked on the verge of collapse.

Come on, say something, defend Regina, Emma was mentally begging Robin. The asshole did the opposite. "I want us to talk about this." he said while unconsciously placing his hand on top of Regina's.

Marian noticed this. "Wait are you two... Are you two together?" she said in clear disbelief.

Regina looked heartbroken at this.

"Marian, please." Robin tried to explain, clearly trying to buy himself more time. Stupid fool, Emma thought.

"You and the Evil Queen?" Marian spat the last part. "Did you let her near my son?" she asked in anger, trying to grab the child from where he was standing.

Regina... What have I done to you? Emma felt herself on the verge of tears, the pain that this woman from the past was making Regina feel hurting her as much as if they were meant for her.

"Do you know what she has done? The terrible things..." Marian continued rambling, a clear attempt at trying to hurt Regina even more.

"Is everything ok?" Emma heard her mother, Snow, say from afar.

"No one's been incinerated yet, which is a good sign." Charming said, trying to somehow make the situation lighter. Emma scolded a little at her father.

"Regina, you alright?" Snow asked her stepmother. Thank you mom, Emma thought a little happily.

Marian looked at Snow in complete shock. "What? What is wrong with you people? Why are you talking to her? Don't you know who she is?!" she asked loudly the last part.

Emma was going to answer, but before she had a chance she saw Henry coming from the diner, clearly concerned about his Mom.

"Mom, what is going on?" he asked Regina.

Regina flinched a little, everyone able to see that she was heartbroken about having Henry here, hearing the atrocities that she did as the Evil Queen.

"She's a monster. She wants to kill us all!" Marian screamed while grabbing her child.

"She is my mother!" Henry said firmly back at her, earning the complete silence from the grownups. He looked at Robin angrily. "You, you should have defended her before this all started. I believe you and your wife have a lot to talk about." he motioned for them to leave, and surprisingly the couple did. Henry then looked at Emma, clearly disappointed. "And as the Sheriff, you should enforce all citizens to maintain order and respect, which is something that woman was clearly not doing." he looked at his mother and hugged her tightly.

"I will see you at home." he whispered only for her to hear, immediately understanding that what his mom needed right now was some time alone.

"Thank you Henry, for loving me." Regina chocked out, the tears falling from her eyes and trying her best to remain in control of her emotions.

Emma immediately saw Regina's calmness crumble, but instead of attacking or using magic she just turned around and started to leave the group.

I have to do something, I can't let her leave like this. Not like this, Emma said to herself. "No, she is... Regina!" she was getting ready to chase her and clear things out.

"Don't, love." she heard Hook from behind. "Nothing good comes from chasing that woman."

Henry just scoffed loudly. "Seriously? You are all a bunch of hypocrites, telling my mother that her path towards redemption has started and that you are now allies, but a person attacks her and all you do is silently stare at the scene." he then looks at Emma. "I thought you were friends."

"We are." Emma whispered.

"Well, you didn't act like one today." Henry said sadly. "Listen, I know you didn't plan this, but you hurt my mom, badly. I suggest you stay away from her."

"But... I want to apologize." Emma stuttered.

"We all know that right now my mom is not ready for any apologies. Just make sure no one comes to bother her." he said firmly and hugged his grandparents. "I will sleep at Mifflin until further notice." he told them while separating from the group.

Everyone seemed to agree with Henry, and knowing Regina, she knew he was right. But nevertheless, she just felt too guilty, too responsible. She had to go and clear things out, no matter what Henry told her or Regina expected from them. Still, she did want to give Regina a little heads up, so she took her phone out and called her. When there was no answer she lowered herself on the steps of Granny and looked towards the alley where Regina ran away.

It had been one week since that night and no sign of Regina. Yes, there were no problems and calamities that required her presence, but still, Emma was devastated when she found out that the only person that knew about Regina's whereabouts was Henry. And Henry, being his usual protective and loyal self, refused to tell Emma anything that concerned her Mom because Regina had asked him not to.

"Come on Henry, at least let me know how she is doing." Emma begged him for the eleventh time.

"I won't break the promise I did to Mom, Ma. She doesn't want anyone to know about her and, as long as she is not doing something to harm others, which she stopped doing a long time ago, I won't break that promise." he said seriously.

Emma groaned and hid her face under the pillow so that she could scream. "I want to know. Hell, I have been trying to know! She won't answer my phone calls, she refuses to open the door when I knock and when I see her at the grocery store she just walks straight through me."

"You know, both of you are right." Henry said while grabbing the apples that he had brought from Regina's. "You had to save Marian's life because that is what heroes do, and you are a hero. Still, you did mess up with my Mom's happiness and complicated things for her."

"I know Henry! Why do you think I feel like crap." Emma said sadly.

"Does she know that you feel like this?" Henry asked sarcastically.

"Maybe?" Emma lowered her gaze and grabbed an apple that instantly got rotten. "What the hell?"

"Forget to tell you, Mom enchanted them."

"What did Regina enchant?" Snow asked while coming down and instantly getting an apple from the basket. "Apples from Regina's tree!" she said in delight while biting one. "Mmmm, I swear these are the best."

"That." Henry said while pointing at them.

"Why can Snow eat them and not me?" Emma asked angrily.

"She enchanted them so that when only you grab one it will rot." Henry said clearly amused. "So don't even think about getting any more."

"Getting what?" Charming asked from the door, clearly tired after his shift at the station. "Are those apples from Regina's tree?" he said while grabbing one and eating it. "I will never say this to her, but these are the best apples ever." he said happily.

"That." Henry answered again, almost laughing at his Ma's angry face. "Emma can't eat apples from the basket."

"Unless I want them to get all rotten." she said sadly. "That is so not fair."

"Life isn't fair." Snow said softly. "And it hasn't been a rainbow life for Regina."

"You don't have to tell me that, I know." Emma exhaled.

She had told Snow about her magic lessons with Regina and how they had managed to become friends. Sometimes they shared stories about Henry and him growing up. Other times, it was about their past. About Emma's time in the foster system and how it related to life in the Enchanted Forest. Nevertheless, one day they had done this spell that forced them to share their deepest secrets with the first person that asked them something. Still, in fear of someone like Henry asking them, the two had decided to ask each other before anyone else could.

(Beginning of Flashback)

"So Miss Swan." Regina asked lightly, the effects of the spell making all seriousness and sorrow disappear. "What is your deepest secret?"

Emma laughed at Regina's question, although deep deep inside she was completely terrified. Still, the effect of the spell was strong, and without thinking about it she started to open up. "When I was 10 I went to live with this family." Emma started to say while looking at the wall. "And at first I thought they were wonderful: They fed me three times a day, let me watch television, bought me new clothes and toys and seemed to like me. You know." Emma looked at Regina and smiled softly. "I thought that maybe I was worth loving, that this was it, my chance at happiness."

"And what happened?" Regina asked softly.

"It was all a lie, a farce so that they could get the money from the government. As soon as the visits from the social worker ended my life became hell. I became their little slave, their little maid. I had to clean, iron, cook and do all the chores while the two of them used the money that they were supposed to be investing in me for buying drugs. But I still thought that it wasn't so bad, because you know, they were not hitting me and I had a roof and a bed." Emma contemplated in silence. "The beatings started two weeks later, and they were smart enough to hit me in places where the bruises wouldn't be seen. How they were able to think of that while being so high is still surprising to me, but even after all of that I still thought that I was fortunate enough. I had my own room and bed while many children at orphanages had to share and were even unable to have one."

"Please, tell me that they stopped there." Regina said silently, tears falling freely from her eyes.

"I can't." Emma whispered while openly crying. "He came into my room, and I pretended to be asleep because I was afraid that he would hit me again. But when nothing happened I opened my eyes and saw him naked. He was naked and taking the blankets away from my legs. And then he lowered himself over me, and it was horrible. I could feel him getting excited, and I was so confused, so lost. I didn't know what that meant, and when he asked me to keep quiet I did. It wasn't until I felt him entering me that I started to scream. It was so painful." Emma was sobbing the last parts. Although she wanted to stop she was unable to, the truth spell making her retell all of the memory until the end, relieving it. "And when he finally finished he left me there. I was so scared, and I didn't understand what had happened, so I just gathered what little I had and went back to the foster home. When they saw me, and after telling them what had happened, they arrested them." Emma finished, immediately feeling arms around her.

She started to cry more when she saw that Regina was hugging and whispering sweet, calming words. The words turned to soft kisses on her cheek, and after a couple of minutes she felt like she was breathing again. Without her knowing it, she had gone into a complete emotional breakdown, and in front of Regina. Regina, who was known as the Evil Queen and yet here she was crying and hugging her. Life is truly full of complexities.

"You know, I'm happy that they paid for what they did and that I stopped them from doing it to other kids." Emma whispered.

"You are so so brave." Regina agreed while grabbing her hand and squeezing. "What happened made you the wonderful person you are today Emma. And even from that age you were taking care and saving others."

Emma laughed at this. "I guess I have always been that Charming."

Regina smiled softly. "Your parent's child."

"Thank you." Emma whispered.

"Anytime."

(End of Flashback)

"Ma? Did you go somewhere?" Henry asked amused.

Her mom had dozed off in the middle of the debate that Snow and Charming were having about red and green apples. Turns out that only her Mom had the capacity of creating debates and discussions about very random things. He had to give it to her, she did manage to keep the people from Storybrooke from forgetting about her.

"And did you hear that Robin Hood also went to see Regina?" Charming said, making Emma instantly flinch.

"What did he have to say this time? Finally managed to remember to defend Regina?" Emma spat angrily, upset that the man had been able to speak to the brunette.

Everyone looked surprised at the blonde, who until now had been in her own world.

Henry smirked a little. He had seen from very close how her two moms had developed a very strong friendship. It had started after Regina promised to teach Emma how to control her magic, and in the months in which they had fought the Wicked Witch of the West, they had grown to actually trust each other very deeply. Without them knowing, Henry had been witness to some of their magic practices, specially one where they were using the spell of truth. It almost broke his heart when he heard his Ma talk about her time in the foster system and the horrors that she had been a victim to. It shocked him how comforting and sweet his Mom had been. How she hugged and kissed Emma while whispering encouraging compliments. He knew that was the way she had taken care of him when he was hurt, and in Henry's books, his Mom only treated the people she cared about that way.

"Come on Emma, don't be so tough on the guy." Charming started to defend Robin, which made Emma become more pissed. "His wife was dead."

"And then I brought her back in time, which did bring her back to life." Emma whispered. "Still, that doesn't make me think less of him."

"Well, when you are each other's True Love's there is no commitment that can even compare to that?"

"True Love?" Emma whispered. Could it be true that Robin, that idiot from the forest, is Regina's True Love?

"That's what people are saying." Snow said quietly. "It started in the Enchanted Forest during the missing year and somehow they continued it in Storybrooke."

Henry saw how Emma lowered herself in her seat, clearly taken aback with what his grandparents were telling her. It made him start to wonder if Emma was upset about his Mom being happy. Didn't she think that she deserved a second chance at happiness? If she did, then why was she reacting so poorly at Robin's attempt to keep a relationship with his Mom.

"I don't like it." Emma said angrily. "I mean, he has a wife and a son! He has a family to take care of. A family that he now has back."

"Aren't you being a little too black and white in this matter?" Charming asked surprised by Emma's bluntness. He would have expected it from Snow or Henry, but not from Emma. "I mean, she does share a son with you already."

"It's not the same!" Emma screamed while finally standing up. "Don't you see how unfair it is for Regina? Every time she finds a family that loves her, something or someone comes and takes away her main role in the family. When Henry came to find me, no one stopped to think that Regina had been Henry's Mom for far longer than me, but merely stated that I had more rights because I gave birth to him." she looked at her parents and Henry, who immediately felt guilty. He had been one of those people. "And now, after all this time where she has been taking care of Roland and Robin, Marian comes back and insults her in front of Henry and still she is the one that is unhappy. Tell me then, why the hell is he still trying to contact her when he is the one that got the best deal in this whole big drama?" Emma said while grabbing her keys.

"Where are you going?" Snow whispered.

Her daughter was completely right, and it made her feel sorry for Regina. But still, ever since they had started to practice magic together, there was a change in Emma. She saw how Emma willingly started to defend and protect Regina, even managing to see the same sassy remarks and gestures coming from her daughter. She also knew that the guest room in Regina's house now belonged to Emma because of all the times that she had stayed there for dinner night or magic night. In fact, there were more clothes of her daughter at Regina's place than at the apartment nowadays. Could it be? Snow thought to herself. Could it be that Emma has feelings for Regina?

"I'm going to Regina's place and demand for Regina to see me." Emma said. "And I will stay the whole night at her porch if I have to."

"And what about me?" Henry asked. "You do have to take me to school tomorrow."

"I can take him." Charming offered while smiling. "Don't you worry."

"Thank you." Emma smiled softly and took an apple without thinking, it immediately rotting. "I swear I will..." Emma started mumbling while leaving the apartment.

"Soooo...You think she will manage to go pass the porch?" Snow asked while smiling softly.

"10 bucks that she stays there." Charming says to Henry. "We can pass by there on your way to school."

Henry smiles. "You are on."

"Wait... Shouldn't we be worried about Regina trying to kill Emma?" Snow asks herself more than the two men left in the apartment.

"I know she has taught Ma some defense spells, so she is safe." Henry said while smiling. "Besides, my Ma kinda deserved that silent treatment." he added seriously. "You don't think she doesn't want my Mom to be happy, right?"

"Of course not Henry!" Snow immediately rose and went to stand next to him. "I think Emma is just worried about your Mom and her feelings. You see, with us adults, to be in love is not so easy, and complications make love more difficult."

"Like Robin's wife coming back?" Henry asks.

"Exactly like that." Snow says, remembering how she lived the same situation with Charming and Katherine during the curse. "And when there is a child in between, things are even more complicated. Emma just wants to know that Robin doesn't hurt Regina's feelings."

Henry nodded. "So Mom is just being a good friend."

Charming and Snow nodded.

"Then I guess tomorrow we will find out who won the bet." Henry finally said while smiling softly.

Emma knew that she was driving way past the speed limit, but then again, she was the sheriff. After hearing her parents talk about Regina and Robin being True Loves, for some strange reason she felt like throwing up. The moment Robin's wife appeared, an uncommon hatred for the man was created. She disliked him, and when she saw him on the streets with his wife and son, although she felt sorry for the child, the parents were her least favorite people. She didn't blame Marian so much because she literally came from the past, but Robin was a different story. Completely selfish and absorbing, it wasn't enough for him to cause Regina heartbreak, but he also had to go to her house and remind her of the impossibility of them being together. This made Emma fume angrily and step more on the gas pedal, which in turn had her parking her yellow bug outside of the mayoral mansion in two minutes.

Ok, now, now I need to grow some balls and knock, Emma chastised herself for her crude language. She started to walk towards the front porch, and after taking a deep breath, she rang the bell.

"Who is it?" she heard Regina ask from behind the door.

"It's me."

Instead of an answer she heard the knowing sounds of heels heading away from the door.

"No Regina, please wait." Emma begged. "I want to talk to you."

More silence.

Emma was determined, and after some more minutes of total quietness she decided to sit down on the porch. "You know, I'm not leaving until we talk." she threatened. "I don't care about sleeping on the porch. In fact, I have slept in worse places."

She doesn't know how long it actually was, because she fell asleep, but the clicks of heels and the soft sound of a door opening made Emma jump to a standing position. In front of her was a very angry but yet very beautiful Regina Mills. She was wearing her white satin pajamas, and from what Emma could deduce, had already tucked herself into bed.

"Regina." Emma whispered.

"Are you really going to stay there the whole night?" Regina asked quietly while motioning for her to come in.

"If that means talking to you, then yes." Emma said while making her way for the couch in the study without asking for directions.

"Why, Miss Swan, would you do that?"

"Because no matter what you may think, I'm your friend and I hate to see you in any kind of pain." Emma said honestly while sitting down and staring at the fireplace.

Regina smiled softly and took a seat next to Emma. "I know you did not truly intend to cause me pain, Miss Swan."

"Is it going to be like that then?" Emma asked sadly. "Am I going back to being Miss Swan to you?"

"What you did, it really hurt me Miss Swan. Not because of the fact that you brought Marian back. We both know that I would have done the same have I been in your position. What hurt me the most was that you say you are my friend behind closed doors but in public act almost as my enemy."

"Regina..."

"No." Regina stopped the blonde from arguing. "Do not deny it because it is the truth. Were it not for Henry that night, you would have allowed a woman you barely know to hurt me, to cause me pain and sorrow. And after all we have shared... That was what made me, makes me, feel so ill towards you Miss Swan. Your cowardice."

Emma nodded and grabbed Regina's hand. "I would never do anything to cause you pain. Please believe me." she said the last part sadly. "I am truly sorry, Regina, because you are the only person that understands me, that knows my past and still speaks to me as if nothing has changed your perception of me." she started to cry softly. "Since the moment I told you about my foster family you have been such a good friend, protected me from my nightmares and shame. And I, when I had to, allowed a 13 year old boy do what I was supposed to do."

"And what were you supposed to do, Miss Swan?"

"Protect you." Emma whispered.

Although she had tried her best at remaining upset, it was impossible to do so with Emma crying so openly. She had grown to truly care about her, which is what made the blonde's betrayal hurt even more. The moment she enchanted the apples she knew what they would force Emma to do because the Savior thought more with her stomach than with her brain: To be denied something as food, and be the only person in the room denied of it, would make Emma come knock on her door and demand answers. She knew all of this, and was expecting her friend to do so from the moment she placed the enchantment on the fruits. But now she was here, baring her soul to her, asking her for forgiveness. Was she capable of giving it to her? She just had to look into deep, emerald green eyes and knew the answer right away.

"Why are you crying?" Regina asked surprised. "I was the one that got the bad part of the deal. You came back to your family and boyfriend."

"Hook?" Emma asked surprised. "We aren't together." she whispered. "I couldn't."

"Because of what happened to me. To assuage your guilt?" Regina asked angrily.

"No, you're twisting my words." Emma said. "You always do that."

"Do what?"

"Draw your own conclusions and assume that they are the only reality."

"And this one is not?" she asked sarcastically.

"Not completely, because I do feel guilty. But I'm not with him because he is in love with an ideal of me that is sadly not real." Emma said seriously. "He knows the Emma who is brave and the Savior. He gave his boat away for that Emma."

Regina nodded softly. "And that is not the Emma you think you are."

Emma nodded. "The only person in Storybrooke that knows about the real Emma is you." she whispered. "The Emma that is selfish and only wants to be left alone. The Emma that is scared of the future and what it means for her family to have a new baby." she said angrily. "You know and accept that Emma. And I think that before this happened, you even liked that Emma."

Regina laughed softly. "I like that Emma because I understand that Emma. And I also find tolerant Savior Emma."

Emma smiled warmly. "Thank you."

"For what, I haven't done anything."

"For being my friend Regina." Emma said while grabbing Regina's other hand and squeezing. "Even when during the last week I haven't been yours."

"Emma." she said while looking at the blonde woman who gave her a shiny smile the moment she heard her name coming out of her. "I'm not so good at doing this. At being friends."

Emma smiled. "Don't worry, I am also not good at it. I guess that means we will have to learn with each other."

Regina smiled. "I guess so too."

Emma yawed. "Now that we are friends again, you wouldn't mind if I..."

"Do you even have to ask now?" Regina said surprised. "I guess I should give you the silent treatment more often."

Emma smirked. "Funny you. You know, I do have manners."

"Which you obviously never use."

"With you. I never use them with you because I know how pissed you get."

Regina raised her eyebrow at Emma's remark. "Yes, because of that and your foul vocabulary. Please tell me that you do not say them in front of Henry."

"Can I say that I try not to?" Emma smiles innocently.

"And talking about Henry, who will take him to school tomorrow?"

"My dad will drop him before going to the station." Emma says and then remembers what motivated her to come. "And talking about Henry. Very nice of you to put that spell on your apples. You know how much I love them."

Regina gulps softly at Emma's innuendo, which in turns makes Emma realize what she just said. "By your apples, I meant the ones that come from the tree, not like your apples like from your body because that would be weird and..."

"Emma stop." Regina says embarrassed. "I got it. And that happens when you piss me off."

Emma smiles. "You said the word."

"So that you would understand the insult."

"I am getting to you." Emma sing-songs while making her way to the guest room.

"You are insufferable." Regina tries to say seriously but still smiles a little.

"And you love it." Emma says from the bathroom of the guest room. "Regina?" the blonde called her again.

"Yes?"

"Do you really forgive me?" she whispered, afraid.

"I am starting to." the brunette answered honestly.

"Ok." Emma accepted and headed towards her room. "Good night and thank you Regina."

"You are welcome." Regina says. "Although you are already forgiven." she whispers quietly while leaving the blonde and heading for her own room.