The Visit

Summary: Regina undergoes a Sleeping Curse in order to insert herself into Emma's memories and she only has one hour to transfer an important message. Post-ep for 3x11. Swan Queen.

Disclaimer: OUAT is not mine, blah blah.

A/N: Thanks for reading :). Reviews will be treasured always.

The knocking on the door wasn't going away. Emma ran from the other end of her small apartment to try to get whoever it was to stop before they made too much noise. In her haste she bumped her shoulder on the fridge which stuck out from the kitchen into the walkway and stumbled onto something hard.

"Ow ffff!" she hissed. She looked down and realised she'd stepped on a brightly coloured piece of Fisher Price plastic on the floor. She cursed and kicked the block into the corner and lunged for the front door.

The knocks got louder just as she unbolted the deadlock. I really need to get one of those door chain thingys.

"Shh! Stop knocking," Emma whispered as soon as she cracked open the door. "I have a baby sleeping. What do you… want?"

Emma trailed off and stared at the woman apparently in about as much shock as she was. Her mouth went dry when she saw that the woman was stunningly beautiful. Brunette, not tall, maybe mid 30's, stylishly dressed and carrying herself with a posture that spoke of control, confidence, and grace. Emma was immediately self-conscious of her own appearance, she was still wearing her tank top and bed shorts and her unwashed hair was thrown up in a haphazard ponytail. Her roundish tummy showed that she'd been pregnant recently. She felt absurdly young at her eighteen years.

What on earth was a classy woman like this doing in this part of town? Let alone in the shitty rundown apartment block that Emma only barely managed to afford.

"Listen, lady, I don't want any trouble," warned Emma. She pushed her thick black glasses up her nose and tried to glare impressively. She held the door firm without opening it fully. They could both hear police sirens wailing nearby and loud voices arguing in one of the apartments down the hall. She could see the woman looking her over and noticing the peeling paint of the hall and the dim lighting.

"I'm not here to cause any trouble." The woman smiled, her slash of red lipstick widened to reveal a set of perfect white teeth. In it there was a cross between amusement and a challenge.

Emma rolled her eyes. "Okay, well if you're selling or collecting I got no money. And don't bother trying to roll my place later because all I got is second-hand stuff from Goodwill. You want money you should sell that handbag. It looks like it's worth more than my car."

"Miss Swan, do you always answer the door in this state of undress and list your monetary assets?"

Emma was even more on guard now. "How'd you know my name?"

"I'm from Social Services," the woman began, she must've seen the fright that leaped into Emma's face and softened her voice. "Nothing's wrong, dear. My name is Regina. I'm here to check on you and make sure you're coping. Maybe we can have a talk and you can tell me how you are?"

"Oh," Emma breathed out. "I didn't know they did that. That's kinda… nice. Um, sure. Come in."

Regina surveyed the apartment as she was led inside, relieved that the teenage Emma had fallen for her flimsy ruse. She ran her eyes over every detail, landing on every bit of furniture and item, as though taking an inventory of what was there and what was lacking. There seemed to be a lot lacking and it left her with a sinking feeling.

The apartment was small and not in good condition. There was only one window, hidden by a sheet for now, and two closed doors that must've led to the bathroom and bedroom. A battered old couch and coffee table were the only real furniture items she could see. They were covered in baby magazines, a few stuffed toys, and an assortment of towels and blankets. A sad-looking pram and foldup high chair were propped in the corner near a stack of brown cardboard moving boxes.

Emma was making a hasty effort at tidying up as she went along, she shifted a basket of laundry to the side and grabbed armfuls of stuff off the couch so they could sit down.

"Sorry it's such a mess," Emma apologised with embarrassment. "I just moved and haven't had time to do much. The baby's stuff is all over the place."

"It's fine," Regina said, putting on a smile. She took up a stuffed teddy bear and fingered the blue ribbon around its neck. The name of an Arizona hospital was stitched into the toy's furry belly.

They had only just sat down when Emma jumped up again and headed to the fridge. "Oh yeah, I should... Can I get you a drink or something? All I got is water and apple juice. I'm underage and still uh, breastfeeding so there's nothing grownup to offer you I'm afraid. It's really nice juice though, the dude next door gets all this organic stuff from work and he gave me a few bottles. Would you like some?"

Regina smiled again. "Apple juice would be lovely. Thankyou, Emma."

Once the teenager had supplied them with glasses of cold juice they both sipped in silence.

"You like it?" said Emma, still referring to the juice. "It's made from red apples, not green. Green apple juice is so gross. I can't get enough of red apples. Dunno why."

"I like them too," said Regina. She set down her glass so she could remove her blazer.

Emma noticed and grabbed at her blonde ponytail nervously. "I know it's stuffy and hot in here. I can't afford aircon and the fan is in the bedroom for the baby."

"I understand, of course. Let's get started shall we. How's the baby?"

"He's fine, healthy and developing normally. Eight weeks old last Monday. I took him to the free clinic and they gave him his shots and a checkup. He's growing so fast I can't believe it, but I think he's settling into a routine finally. Things have been a bit chaotic for a while because of hospital and jail and moving and all that stuff, but I'm trying my best. Whatever that is."

"Why don't you tell me how you're doing, Emma?"

Emma shrugged and her eyes darted around shiftily. "Me? Oh, uh good. Yeah, I'm doing good."

Regina knew Emma enough to know that she was being evasive, nodding too quickly and after she spoke she bit her lower lip as though to stop herself from saying more. She had a feeling that the teenager wasn't telling the whole truth. She may have been good at detecting lies but she wasn't good at telling them.

"It's hard being a single mother," said Regina. "I know that doing it alone isn't easy. You have no-one to help you with the little things or even just have someone to talk to for reassurance. Sometimes it feels like you're not doing enough for your child. It can make you feel guilty."

Emma was pressing her lips together tightly, like she was trying her hardest not to give in to crying. She swiped at a bit of liquid in the corner of her eye.

"Uh. Yeah, I guess so," Emma exhaled and crossed her arms in front of her. "What choice do I have? I'm sure you read my file. I don't have any family. I'm all he's got so I have to do what's best for him. But I sometimes feel like... I'm too young and stupid to do this. I'm not good enough and I never will be."

"Even as I say this you might not believe it, but you're better than you think you are, Emma."

The teen peered at her searchingly and obviously wasn't convinced, just as Regina predicted. A sudden cry rang out of the bedroom, a repetitive distress signal that was familiar to both women. In fact the urge to respond to it was so strong that Regina had to stop herself from getting up.

"I'll just go get him," Emma said. When she came out of the bedroom and sat down again there was a whimpering infant laying in her arms. All the baby was wearing was a diaper and a small white vest. Henry. Just like she remembered him. Regina had the urge to reach out and place a hand on his perfect smooth skin to check that he wasn't too hot.

"He's hungry. Will it bother you if I feed him in front of you?" said Emma.

Regina was quick to shake her head. "No, of course not."

Emma unclipped her nursing bra and the baby latched on eagerly, cutting off his cries. She stroked his superfine hair and leaned back into the couch without taking her eyes off him for a second. Regina wanted to be annoyed at not being able to see much of the baby's face anymore but she was too taken in by the beautiful sight. Something that she hadn't shared with her son herself and never thought she'd see. Emma had a slight smile of content on her face. Regina couldn't take her eyes off her and luckily the teen was too absorbed to notice. How different Emma is when she doesn't know that she hates me.

"What's his name?" asked Regina.

"Henry." Emma looked up and smiled. There was pride glowing there now.

"That's a lovely name. It was my father's name too but it's not very common anymore. How did you decide upon it?"

Emma laughed lightly. "Yeah, I have no idea. I think I was still out of it when I filled in the birth certificate. Hm, wait. I didn't have drugs actually. By the time I got released and was taken to the hospital it was too late for all that. It's weird that I ended up naming him Henry because I had a name picked out beforehand. I was going to call him River. After that actor kid in Stand By Me, I must've seen that movie a hundred times while I was pregnant."

Regina narrowed her eyes in disbelief. "You were going to call your child River Swan?"

Emma tried not to laugh too hard and jostle the feeding baby. "I know right. I didn't even realise at the time. Stupid pregnancy brain."

The baby detached from her breast for a moment and mewled grumpily. Emma shifted him. "You done, kid? Oops, no. There you go again, seconds it is. I never know if he's done or not."

Emma took one of Henry's feet and ran her thumb gently over the little toes. "I don't really like kids that much and maybe I'm biased but he's pretty much the cutest baby ever right? Aren't you, Henry. Kid? Oh well, you're no help, too busy stuffing your face hey. Let's ask someone impartial. Regina, what do you say?"

"Your son is beautiful, Emma. You two make quite the pair."

Emma laid the sleepy boy back in his bassinet in the bedroom after he'd had his fill. She laid him on his back like the magazines instructed and moved all of the blankets and toys out of the way so that he wouldn't get hot or smothered. His eyes closed sleepily and he drifted off again.

When she returned to the apartment Regina was gone from her perch on the couch. The teen spied her sitting on the floor, managing to make it look like a yoga pose somehow. The woman was as regal as her namesake. She was reading a sheet of paper and concentrating on putting together an assortment of toys and shapes.

Regina noticed her return. "I thought I'd assemble the baby activity gym for you. I saw the Fisher Price box waiting in the corner."

"You don't have to do that." Emma joined her on the floor and leaned back on her hands. "But thanks, I couldn't for the life of me figure out how the hell it goes together."

"There's a trick to it."

"Yeah, what's that?"

"Read the instructions, dear." Regina raised her eyebrows and was delighted to see Emma give her a smartass 'har har' look in return. She went back to sorting the pieces on the floor.

"Have you got kids?" asked Emma.

"I have a son but he doesn't live with me anymore."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to bring that up. You must miss him huh."

"Yes, every day I think of him," said Regina. "And his mother. We've been separated for a long time."

Emma tried to keep her reaction hidden. Well, isn't that a surprise and such a coincidence. My social worker is a divorced lesbian Mommy. The teen was curious as to what happened and was dying to know more. Regina seemed like she had everything going for her. There was some backstory here for sure, but no way to ask without being incredibly prying.

"So are you seeing anyone now?" asked Emma casually. "Or is there a chance of you getting back with her."

Regina furrowed a perfectly shaped eyebrow with amusement. "My, you are nosy."

"Hey, you're a social worker. Your job is being nosy. Perhaps you don't like the taste of your own medicine. I'm just making friendly conversation."

"I'm alone. For now."

Emma smirked. "Hm, why do I suddenly wish I was about ten years older."

"Is that relevant?" Regina busied herself with a bright green plastic frog that was supposed to hang from the baby gym.

"It would be. God, you're exactly my type you know. Wish we were the same age. Not that I'm in much of a state to be dating anyone these days let alone someone like you. I just had a baby and I'm covered in spitup or poop about ninety percent of the time. Time is a luxury I don't have anymore. As soon as the kid gets a bit older I've gotta find a job and maybe study something if I can. Dating isn't even on my agenda."

"So Henry's father..."

"Is not in the picture and never will be. Jerk. Didn't think I'd ever fall for a guy but he was kinda the exception to the rule. I had a girlfriend before that, we ran away from the foster home together. When I found out she was into drugs and other stuff she slapped me across the face and left. But at least she didn't get me pregnant and land my ass in jail. I think I'm done with relationships. I always seem to fall for the wrong sort and end up getting hurt."

"Hand me that piece of giraffe? It goes with that one." Regina pointed to the toy nearest Emma.

"Nah I got it. Even I can tell that the giraffe's head goes on the giraffe's body. There. You can do the rest though, you're all over this construction business. It's a cool looking gym thing isn't it? I got it from one of those charity toy drives."

"My son had one just like it when he was a baby."

Regina inserted one of the arms of the gym into the corner of the brightly coloured mat and it held fast with the other three in place. The plastic toy zoo animals dangled from the arms ready for Henry to lay under and be entertained by. Emma could picture it in her mind. His wide green eyes would watch the toys above him with interest and he would reach out with a little hand to grab them. Not for the first time she realised how close she came to never seeing her child again.

"Do you know that I was going to give him up?" said Emma. "I had planned to."

"Yes."

"I changed my mind. I'm not sure if it was the right thing to do or not. What do you think?"

"It doesn't matter what I think. It was your choice, it matters what you think."

Emma let out a breath. "I dunno. I'm pretty young but I do love him. I was an orphan myself so I know that there's plenty of not-so-great situations out there. But what if there was someone good out there who was waiting to adopt my baby? Maybe a married couple who couldn't have kids, or a single business lady who really wanted to be a mother and never got the chance, or maybe a couple of nice lesbian Moms or gay Dads. Someone better than me who could've given Henry a way nicer home than this."

The teenage mother finished her speech by gesturing to the ugly faded paintjob that marred the four walls of the small apartment she rented. Just as she said it the sheet acting as a makeshift curtain fell from where it was tacked across the window. It slipped to the floor and exposed the daylight through the dirty glass.

Emma smiled ironically. "Nice. We haven't got much but at least he's got a really awesome gym thing to play with." She reached out to flick the dolphin's tail and sent it spinning around.

Regina pushed open the bedroom door slowly in case it made any noise. She glanced behind her at the bathroom door where Emma was hidden inside. The teen had become embarrassed about still being in her nightclothes and she ducked away to change. She would be gone for a few minutes and it still wouldn't be long enough.

The bedroom was small and simple like the rest of the apartment. There was a double bed, a nightstand, and a tallboy piled with just enough clothes for a baby and a teenager. Henry was quiet in his bassinet in the corner. Regina was aching to go to him but she needed to look around first.

On the nightstand there was a picture of a young nervous-looking Emma holding a newborn wrapped in a blue blanket. It looked like it was taken not long after the baby was born. Laying beside the picture frame were Emma's circle necklace, her carkeys with the star keychain, and a hospital wrist bracelet with "Henry b/o Emma Swan" and his birthdate written on it.

Regina recognised some of the items. You never throw anything away do you, Emma? Almost as if she'd had so little in her life that she held onto whatever she had. Or perhaps it was because she believed that anything she had was good enough for her and never sought to replace things with better or newer versions. When Emma's heart attached to something it never let go.

Regina picked up a thick white book that said "BABY" on the front. It was a scrapbook and Emma had already started filling it in, carefully recording Henry's stats at birth and his subsequent milestones. The inscription inside the cover read:

Dear Emma

Girl you know you need this for little River. Me and the Ladies chipped in. Don't you listen to them haters! Trust yourself always and you will be a great Mom. You are the nicest girl I ever shared a cell with you hear me. I know your gonna go places when you get out.

Love Shawna

She tried to swallow the discomfort choking her throat, reminded of Emma's wrongful incarceration and the circumstances of Henry's birth. Regina replaced the book in exactly the same way as she found it. Lying on the floor there was a pair of scuffed Converse shoes, a Nirvana CD case and disc player, and a shoebox full of hair ties and toiletries. Items that could've been seen in the bedroom of any other teenage girl.

Her eyes met the unmade bed next where a handmade woollen blanket was bunched up. She'd seen it once before and recognised the purple embroidery immediately. Regina didn't know how she knew but she had a vision of Emma clutching the baby blanket at night for comfort when she fell into an exhausted sleep.

Oh god, she's so young. A baby is raising my baby.

She listened carefully but figured that Emma must still be in the bathroom. Regina went over to the bassinet where her son was awake. He was looking around curiously and wiggling his legs. He had his arms in the air reaching. Unable to resist any longer she scooped him up and settled him on her shoulder and felt the shards of loss press deeper into her chest.

"Hello Henry," she whispered. "I've missed you so much."

"Can you put him down please?" said Emma, her tone was polite but there was a slight hard edge to it that Regina was familiar with.

It felt like ripping out her own heart but Regina reluctantly bent to place Henry back in the bassinet. The baby reached up and she imagined that it was for her, even though this version of him had no memory of her at all. It almost looked like he was waving his little hand goodbye.

"I apologise," said Regina, taking a step back. "I should've asked first."

Emma put her hands on her jean-clad hips and nodded. She scanned the room as though checking for any disturbance or theft.

"What are you doing in here?" said Emma.

"I was merely-" Regina smiled. "I heard the baby cry."

"No, you didn't. The walls are thin here, trust me. I would've heard him."

"I just wanted to see him again."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Sure you weren't snooping around? You're not a social worker are you. Don't give me that look like you don't know what I'm talking about. I'm not a total idiot. I told you I've been in the system. I never heard of a social worker who paid more than five minutes attention to anyone ever. You've been here for nearly an hour."

Regina hastily checked her watch. Emma was right. "I'm running out of time," she murmured.

"While you were in here I was doing a little snooping of my own. What the hell is this, Regina? If that's even your real name."

Emma held up a photo that she'd taken out of Regina's purse out in the living room. It was a photo of a boy with two women standing behind him. They weren't smiling widely but each laid a protective hand on his shoulder. Regina was the brunette in the photo and the other woman was blonde. It had been taken at a lousy dinner party by a happy-snappy schoolteacher armed with an iPhone.

"Who the hell is in this photo with you, Regina? She looks just like me but older. Is this my sister? Are you married to my sister? Did something happen to her? Is that why you're here?"

Regina shook her head. "No, Emma -"

"If you know something about my family - tell me!" Emma demanded. "I've been searching for them my whole life."

Regina held out her hands pacifyingly. "I do know your family but it's not what you think."

"Who is the chick in this photo? I need to know!"

"It's you, Emma. And that's Henry."

Emma stalked into the living room with her arms folded and heard the other woman following behind. She was increasingly suspicious of this sham visit and wanted to draw the action away from Henry. She didn't know what Regina's motives were but they weren't good and Emma didn't want anything to happen to her baby. This woman could be a crazy baby-snatcher for all she knew. She couldn't kick her out yet though. Because of that photo...

"Explain to me who you are and what you're doing here," she said.

"I don't have time to get into all of that. But I need your help."

Emma scoffed. "You need my help? I can't do anything. There's not a lot I'm great at in life but I can tell when anyone is lying and you… aren't. The only conclusion is that you're crazy, lady."

Regina ignored that with obvious difficulty. "I don't have much time left. Someone will come to find you in ten years. He'll look strange and tell you strange things but you must believe what he says. Emma, promise me. Everything depends on you. I won't be able to come again myself. But if the man tries to tell that you that he's your lover don't believe that…"

"What are you, like a time traveller or something? Ok, I'll bite. If some weird guy comes here and tries to hit on me I'll kick him in the nuts. Happy?"

"For once in your life stop being skeptical," Regina snapped. "Listen to me carefully. Something terrible has happened. Your parents are in danger. Your family - everyone - needs you. We need you to save us as you were born to do."

"My family is right here," said Emma coldly. "In the bedroom. I don't have parents."

"You do. You're just as irritating as they are sometimes. I don't know why I put up with any of it."

Emma rolled her eyes. "If you're 'running out of time' or whatever, can you just get to the point? Instead of insulting me."

"All I can tell you is that your family needs you. They didn't abandon you, Emma. You were very much wanted."

"Uh huh, so in this fantasy land you're telling me about where I have parents and friends… hey, do I have a wife? Is she hot?"

"Oh for god's sake, Emma. Be serious."

"Is that a yes?"

Regina gritted her teeth. "Will you at least listen to what I have to say?"

Emma waved her hands in a 'go ahead' gesture. "Sure."

"I thought you would be happy here, but I was wrong. You still feel as if there's something missing in your life don't you? You're not sure what it is but there's a hole in your heart and you don't know why. The only thing you know is that it's there. You feel like you can't raise your son properly if you're constantly worrying over your fears and your troubles."

"How do you know that," said Emma quietly.

"I felt it too."

It was scary how accurately Regina's words described what was in her heart. Emma was terrified. She had been ever since she'd held Henry in her arms for the first time. It'd changed her, it filled her with an overwhelming amount of joy and fear all at once. Every day she revisited her decision to keep him and wondered if it was the right thing to do. She worried about his sleeping, his eating, his health, their living situation, their financial situation, their future… The list never ended. She had no idea if anything she was doing was right. She had no-one to ask.

But this was the first day that a crazy lady had showed up. The potential danger of it was almost worth the break in her monotonous routine of feeding and sleeping.

Emma nodded thoughtfully. "So you want my help in ten years' time but you won't tell me: 1) who you really are, 2) what you need me to help with, or 3) how I'm going to do whatever it is. Now I'm really convinced. Why are you here if you're not going to tell me anything useful?"

"I came here to tell you the one thing that all mothers should know."

"What's that."

"You're doing your best and that's good enough. The most important thing anyone can ever have is hope. Your mother told me to tell you that. It's why I'm here now."

"Ok, whatever. You told me. Now you really need to leave." Emma grabbed Regina's blazer and handbag from the couch and handed them to her. She started ushering her towards the door. If she hadn't been too hasty she could've caught sight of the microwave clock in the kitchen. It read 3:57.

Regina checked her own watch. She pleaded. "Emma, wait. I still have three minutes."

"Nope. Your watch must be fast. You're out of time with me."

"Please! Don't make me leave before I have to. I sacrificed much to come here. Let me have my last three minutes with you and Henry. He's everything to me. He's all I have."

"No. He's not yours, he's mine. You're not getting anywhere near my son!"

"I'm not here to hurt him. He's the only one I'm not a danger to. Emma, stop-!"

At the door, Regina stood her ground even though Emma was pushing her away. There was a scuffle and Emma successfully reached around to open the door and shoved the older woman out of the apartment.

The clock ticked over to 3:58.

Regina's entire body seemed to be screaming, trying to tell her something, pleading with her to believe in the strange story. But it was just so… insane. It was way too good to be true. If Emma had parents and friends who depended on her, people who wanted and loved her, then where were they? Where were they when she needed help? She'd been alone her entire life. Now that she was a mother she would never be truly alone again. But for some reason she still felt lonely and she was starting to lose hope that the feeling would ever go away.

"I know you don't believe me but I have to try," said Regina with increasing panic. "We knew each other in the future. Yes, we never got on well but there was more to it than that-"

Emma sighed. "Look, I'm sorry you lost someone. I think maybe you're grieving and you've glommed onto me and my kid in order to deal with that. But it isn't real. You need help."

"Yes! I need your help! You're the only one whose power is enough to match mine. Just tell me you believe me."

"Uh, sure. Ok I believe you."

Emma held the door and still the woman stood in the doorway, refusing to move and let it close. She was sympathetic to the Regina's plight and normally she'd have nothing better to do than help out an attractive lady who was clearly in trouble, but she couldn't do this now. She had Henry to think about and protecting him was all that mattered.

Regina stopped struggling against the door and stepped back. She nodded to herself as though she expected exactly this to happen.

"I know," said Regina resignedly, almost to herself. "I can't make you believe. I can't make you remember."

"I'm sorry," Emma softened her tone, trying to be less harsh about rejecting the lady's delusions. "Hey, if it is true… I guess I'll see you in ten years?"

Regina smiled sadly. "I hope so. But it may not be possible."

"Hey, anyway, for what it's worth, thanks for sitting and talking with me for a while. It was kinda nice you know. I got no-one else to talk to."

"You're welcome, Emma."

That was the last thing she heard before shutting the door. Emma leaned back against the rough wood with a sigh, thinking over everything that just happened over the last hour. There was something about Regina that made her want to believe all the crazy stuff she was saying.

Emma caught sight of something square and flat lying in the living room. It was the photo she'd taken from Regina's purse. The teenager got up and retrieved it without noticing that there was one less person in it now. She should give it back to her, maybe Regina hadn't left yet and was still in the hallway. But when she opened the door and looked outside there was no-one there. No-one was waiting down near the ricketty ancient elevator either.

How could she have disappeared so fast?

Emma closed the apartment door with a soft snick and locked the deadbolt. She couldn't afford to take her chances with safety in this neighbourhood. Maybe she wouldn't stay here very long though. She'd scrape together some money and move on.

A baby's cry rang out in the apartment and she sighed. Emma caught sight of the microwave clock on her way, the display read 4:00 exactly.

In the bedroom the young mother lifted her baby out of his bassinet and settled his weight on her shoulder.

"Shh kid." Emma swayed from side-to-side trying to sooth him. "You're not hungry again are you. Your little butt's dry so what's wrong huh. Just sad? I get sad sometimes too and it's ok, things will get better. Hey, I got a cool idea. The pretty lady put your activity gym together for you. How about we go play with it?"

Fairytale Land

The woman laying there was all in black, the colour that had always suited her best. It had been suggested that she be dressed in white for the occasion but those who had known her wouldn't allow it, insisting that she wouldn't be caught be dead wearing it after a life-long feud with its namesake.

Snow White gazed with sadness on the still form and a tear slipped down her cheek. Her husband placed an arm around her shoulders. They were dressed in their royal finery as usual, her in swan feathers and he in a redcoat with silver fastenings and a sword.

The dwarves shook their heads, indicating that there was nothing more to be done. They lifted the glass coffin and settled it in place where it would remain untouched for years, protecting and preserving the one inside.

"What happens now?" said Snow.

"We wait." Killian stepped up close to the coffin to examine the Queen's face for movement but she was deathly still. Leather boots creaked as the sketchy pirate moved and the smell of rum followed.

"For how long," said Charming with some impatience. "I don't like this plan. Too much of its success depends on you."

"Well, we don't exactly have much of a choice now do we, mate. There's no way we can win this battle without the Queen. It was her idea, we have to follow it through. We have to trust that Swan can save us."

"How do we know if Emma even got the message?"

"We don't." Killian shrugged.

"Yes, we do." Snow spoke up. "Regina risked not only her life but an eternity of poisoned sleep for a single hour with her. She wouldn't have done that if she didn't believe in Emma. She wouldn't fail."

Killian paused and looked startled for a second. He raised his eyebrows and used his hook to salute the glass coffin. "Ah. Always did fancy a fair fight over a lady. May the best man - or woman - win, Your Majesty."

The pirate swaggered away and the dwarves left too. After the others were gone from the chamber Snow shot an amused glance at her husband. His jaw was tight and he was staring fiercely at the coffin.

"I'm not sure which option I dislike more," grumbled Charming.

Snow smiled. "We both know that when we see our daughter again the last thing on your mind will be giving her a parental lecture about her choice in suitors."

"What do we do until then?"

"We fight. We survive one day at a time and hope that Emma and Henry are doing the same."

"What happens to Regina?"

Snow hooked her arm through his elbow. "When she wakes up you owe me ten gold. I told you they were sneaking off together in Neverland..."