Regina sighed as she stood at the balcony, staring out into the land she was so intent on escaping thirty years prior. She gripped the railing as the weight of her situation washed over her in yet another wave of grief. Replaying the moment she saw the yellow bug drive away in her mind, she felt the warm stream of tears down her cheek be cooled by the breeze that had picked up the moment she set foot outside.

"A...are you alright, Regina?" came Snow's voice from behind her. Irritated, she wiped her tears as discreetly as she could and turned.

"And just what are you doing out here, Snow?" she asked, forcing the venom in her voice more than she usually had to.

"I just...wanted to check on you. We're all suffering through this..and I just thought maybe you could use some company out here." she answered, walking slowly toward the railing, looking out into the distance herself. "we don't have to talk, you know. We can just stand here, looking out at the place that doesn't feel like home...together."

"Care to tell me just how exactly that would benefit me?" she asked, looking at Snow, who looked back at her and smiled sadly as she spoke.

"I think you've spent enough time alone, Regina. I know I can't even begin to understand what you're feeling, but I lost a child in this, too. I know that the last thing I want in this is to sit around by myself and let my mind wander to all the awful things that could be happening, so far beyond my control…"

Regina sighed.

"Fine. You may stay out here, but only if you promise not to continue speaking." she snapped, as she looked back out at the horizon. Snow smiled and looked back out at their surroundings as well, leaving Regina to her thoughts. The sun was beginning to set, casting a beautiful yellow hue across the sky. At first, it reminded her once again of the bug with a terrible pang of pain, only to then slightly shift and instead look like a certain shade of blonde hair. Her breath caught in her throat as she quickly looked down at her hands instead, unsure of how to handle herself in this moment. She knew she needed to get away from Snow but exactly how, -

"You miss her, don't you?" asked Snow, interrupting her thoughts.

"I beg your pardon?" Regina asked, turning her head to face Snow, hands gripping the railing even tighter.

"Emma." she answered, not taking her eyes off the sunset "You miss her."

"Just what exactly are you insinuating?" she asked, her voice every bit as menacing as she could muster. Instead of being in any way intimidated, Snow looked over at her, a small smile creeping up on her lips.

"Regina. I know you don't think I know you...but I know love when I see it."

"Don't be ridiculous, Snow White." she said, the venom in her voice sounding less and less convincing.

"You don't have to admit it out loud, but -"

"I thought I said no talking!" interrupted Regina, her voice cracking ever so slightly. Snow rolled her eyes with a smile and went back to looking at the sun in its final burst of light as it coated the sky in a spectacular red. She waited until only a slight tinge of red could be seen in the horizon before speaking again.

"You have to have hope, Regina. She'll find us. I know she will." she placed a tentative hand on Regina's and continued "She'll come back here and bring Henry...and we can all be a happy family." Regina turned and looked at her, not surprised to see tears forming in her eyes. Snow would hope for that, despite the countless odds stacked against them.

"Snow, I-I can't." she managed to say, her voice trembling as she wrenched her hand out of her grip and turned away.

"Regina! Wait! We can talk about this." she said, following her back into the castle. Regina whirled around.

"I assure you, Snow White, that regardless of whatever family you think we can be, the very last person I want to look upon or talk to in this moment is you." she said, perfectly channeling the Evil Queen role she used to so easily slip into.

"Really, Regina? Then, go ahead and tell me why you're here, of all places." Snow said flatly.

Regina swallowed, taken back by the nerve of her former nemesis.

"I just...my own castle is potentially full of untold dangers. Several people have reason to want me dead, Snow. Why on earth would I go to my own castle and risk that, when I can stay comfortably here in the protection of you and your noble prince Charming?" she knew as the words were coming out that she was terribly far from being in the least bit convincing. Still, she stuck by them, smirking in a way she felt she normally would, despite knowing it was coming off as fake and forced.

"Don't give me that crap, Regina." Snow said, stepping closer "I know you've given us all that same excuse...but don't you think maybe there's more? Don't you think that maybe, just maybe we're the only family you've got left; the only tie to them you have?" she noticed Regina's eyes welling and fell silent.

"Well, I suppose that is my cue to depart. I'll be packing up my things and leaving for my own dwellings in the morning. Goodnight, Snow White" she said, turning on her heel, trying desperately to blink away the tears she felt coming. Before she could get very far, though, Snow grabbed her arm.

"Look. I'm sorry. Regina, listen to me. We don't always have to like it...hell, it's going to be pretty awful a lot of the time, but we are family. Regardless of how you and I get along, Henry is going to be there, acting as a link between us." Regina looked down at the ground in front of her, not acknowledging Snow's words in any way. "I'm not going to force you to open up to me. I just hate the thought of everyone suffering alone, despite grieving the same loss…" Snow's voice trembled as she trailed off. Finally, Regina nodded once, not taking her eyes off the ground as Snow cleared her throat.

"Then, there's the whole you-being-in-love-with-my-daughter thing that will likely keep us in each other's lives, too…" Snow said with a small smile, looking to lighten the mood at least a little. At that, Regina looked up. Snow noticed that as she did so, her eyes lit up for the first time since they'd been sent back there. Naturally, this only lasted a split second before her face fell once more into the empty look of sadness it so frequently displayed these days.

"You know nothing of that" Regina finally said in quiet voice, her eyes finding the window behind Snow.

"Clearly, I am more perceptive than you think, Regina. And thanks to you" her voice taking on a playful tone "I know exactly what it's like to be torn away from one's True Love" At those final words, Regina looked into Snow eyes, a mixture of alarm and confusion written upon her face.

"True Love? I suppose you are as dim-witted as I had always assumed."

"I know it's crazy...trust me, I was in denial for a long time about it. I kept thinking there had to be some other explanation, that there's was no way the woman whose sole purpose was to ruin my life for so long would be destined to fall for my daughter...but it became difficult to reason away the facts."

"There are no 'facts', snow. Stop with this foolishness." Regina snapped, despite the tears Snow could see forming in her eyes.

"I didn't want to believe it, either. But I had to start thinking about it this way: were any couple other than you two showing the same level of MAGIC simply by touching, it wouldn't even be questioned. And that's without even considering the ways you two look at each other..." as much as she tried to will her body to continue storming away, to lock herself in the room she had been staying in and plot the eventual gruesome murder of Snow White and her precious prince, she couldn't. Instead, Regina found herself crumbling into that very same woman's arms as sobs shook her to her core. They slowly slid down onto the ground, leaning up against a wall, Snow's arms wrapped gently around Regina's shoulders as Regina sobbed more than she ever had in her life. Tears also escaped Snow's eyes as she contemplated her predicament. She meant what she said, however. Regina was family, and needed her help. She sighed and began rubbing Regina's back gently as the sobs began to calm.

"She loves you too, you know…" Snow's voice softly rang out.

"Oh, and just how would you know that?" Regina said bitterly, dying her cheeks with her hands.

"Mother's intuition" Snow said proudly. At this, Regina began laughing. The idea of Snow being in any way an actual maternal figure was so ridiculous to her that she couldn't help but to laugh. It might have been due to her emotional and physical exhaustion, but Regina couldn't stop laughing. Bewildered by the sight, Snow began to laugh. It continued into hysteria, until both women were gasping for air, tears rolling down their faces.

Regina sighed with a shaky breath as the laughter finally subsided.

"We'll get them back. Both of them." Said Snow

"You sound so sure." Regina answered, too exhausted to snap back with her usual venom.

"That's because I am. I believe in Emma" she turned her head to look at Regina "and I believe in your love. If they aren't enough to get through this, I don't know what is" Regina turned her head to her and offered a small yet kind smile.

"And look on the bright side!" Snow said after a moment's pause "It's not like it can get much worse…"

"Is that a challenge, dear?" Regina asked, a playful smile tugging on the corners of her lips. Snow's face fell, her eyes wide. She shook her head.

"Please, no. Family, remember?" she said in mock-fear.

Regina sighed, her mouth still quirked in a half-smile.

"Yes...family." she said under her breath as her head leaned back against the wall and her eyelids started to fall, heavy with sleep. In minutes, she was snoring.

Though she didn't show that she had heard, Snow's heart lifted just a little at the words. Maybe they'd actually get through this. Her and Regina.

Family.