A Walk of Faith

"Welcome back," she said, surprising even herself with the sincere intent. The smile and quiet thanks Emma gave her made it worth pissing off Gold. "If you are ready, we should probably get you back to town before it gets much darker. I'm sure your father will be anxious to see you," Regina said quietly as she stepped away from the tree and started toward the dirt path. Emma and Henry jogged a few steps until they all fell in line together.

"Emma, we have so much to tell you, and I want to know everything about Fairytale Land! Did you see a dragon? Were there giants? Did you –"

"Henry, I'm sure Miss Swan will tell you all about her adventures, but we probably shouldn't overburden her with questions just yet."

"But Mom-"

"However, if you are truly unable to wait for answers, why don't you run ahead and catch up with Ruby and Snow. I'm positive your grandmother would just love to fill you in on her time in our old world."

Henry stopped and looked at his mother, then at Emma. "Is it okay with you Emma? I'll just be up there," said pointing toward his grandmother.

Emma just smiled. "Sure kid, we'll catch up with you soon." Watching her son run toward his grandmother, Emma chuckled as she looked at Regina. "You still have your bitch on when it comes to Snow, dontcha?"

Regina struggled to hide a smirk as she said, "I have no idea what you mean."

They walked in a comfortable silence for a while before Emma stopped and reached out her arm to Regina. "Hey, before we get back to everybody, what really happened back at the well? Henry said you saved us, but how exactly?"

Regina sighed for a moment the resumed walking. "With Charming under the influence of the sleeping curse, our channel of communication had been closed and we honestly did not know who would be coming through the portal, you or my mother. So, against my better judgment, I allowed Gold to convince me to enact certain measures to ensure that if it was indeed Cora, she would not survive. Henry, however, was adamant that you and Snow would defeat her, so against Mr. Gold's wishes, I absorbed the magic barrier. And just in time, it would seem."

"It was the right thing to do, putting a whammy on the portal. Cora knows about Henry, Regina. She is determined to find a way here and she has that sleazy bastard Hook helping her. We need to do whatever we can to keep her away from our son."

"Miss Swan, I am perfectly capable of protecting my son from my own mother."

"And I promised Henry I would protect you-from the people in town, from my parents, and now from your crazy-ass mother. "

"You can't possibly protect me from her-"

Emma stopped and turned so that she was directly in front of Regina. "But I can! She tried to take my heart! She tried and she failed. Something inside me, I'm not sure what it was, but I kinda blasted her away. So yea, I can protect you. And I will. Just promise me that we will work together, like we did when we saved Henry. Promise me that if she makes her way here that you won't go after her on your own."

Regina opened her mouth as if to argue, then simply nodded. Henry has been right earlier and not just about the well. She needed to start having faith in other people.

"Come on, we need to get you back to your family and friends. You have been separated from them for far too long...and apparently, from soap and water, too."

"Damn it, Regina!" Emma said as she rolled her eyes and started walking toward town.

"Seriously, Miss Swan, is that ogre drool I smell?"