Regina paced viciously back and forth, her heels chattering and echoing tremendously through her bed chambers. The train of her black satin dress trailed behind her every stride and turn. She had her hands gripping her hips firmly, elbows jutting out in a perfect ninety degree angle. Her eyes narrowed, and a look of both sheer concern and anger was sprawled across her face.

It was hard to make an assumption of which emotion was overwhelming her more, concern or anger. The queen wasn't one to show one emotion well, nor did she ever not have two emotions occurring at once. She was a hard woman to read, emotionally. She never talked much to anyone in the slightest anyways; unless she was barking a command, or order, at them.

This time was different though. It had been a week since everyone had returned to the Enchanted Forest since they were in Storybrooke. Believe it or not, no one wanted a part of Regina. No one was out to get her, or per say, wanted her "head". Rumpelstiltskin was even yet to be seen by her majesty, and though she acted as if she had no care, she was quite thankful as now she felt a sense of safeness.

At this moment though, Regina didn't feel safe. Concern had slowly come over her and it showed. Her top teeth hooked down onto her bottom lip and her arms had finally fallen to her sides, yet, her eyes were still narrowed in anger.

Emma was supposed to be her top guard at the castle, her 'white knight', as Emma liked to say. Yet, she'd gone out to face off with an intruder, not recognizable, and hadn't returned. The blonde was quite capable of handling her self. The woman was a bails bondsman in Boston, a bad-ass one at that. She had a tough attitude to her and a strong vibe that Regina could easily feed off of. Emma acted as if she were the evil queen at times. Sometimes Regina would even give into the blonde's wishes which is extremely rare.

Perhaps what scared Regina most was that the person that was threatening her and Emma was a person covered in what looked like a dark black cloak, as black as night, and nothing else. No sword, no protection. Obviously, they felt that they were powerful enough to basically take on two of the most powerful people in the Enchanted Forest.

Finally, she ceased her vicious pacing and slowly began to recap the entire conversation in her head that she'd had with Emma before she'd left:

"Emma, no. I don't know who that is." "Regina, please, I can handle myself. What is with you?." "Emma, you don't understand!" "Regina, stop. I'm going. Now, please, just stay here." "What if it's him!" "Who him?" "Rumpel!" "Oh Regina, please, that imp? I could take him." "Don't be so cocky Emma." "I'll be back." "Emma!"

Unfortunately, Emma continued walking away from Regina. She was headed down the corridor towards the staircase down to the entrance of the castle. Regina loathed the blonde's cockiness, every bit of it, but it all the more made her care for Emma, for unknown reasons.

She had strong feelings for Emma, yet her body, and mind, shook to not tell Emma the truth. The best she could do was let Emma reside at her castle chambers and be her 'white knight'. If she let her feelings out for someone again she didn't know what she'd do. She feared love now, nor did she know how to love. Every time she had feelings for someone, she was forced to push them away. This time it was oddly different though. It was like Emma was imprinted into her mind. She did care for her, extremely, yet, she had a feeling it was more than caring. She began to fear that she in fact loved Emma.

Regina began to pace again when she stopped dead to a loud slam from the corridor of a door and another opening and slamming shut from the chamber where the balcony was located. She jumped slightly, bravery taking over her now, assuming it was an intruder. Her lip curled back and a devilish smirk crept across her lips. She turned on her heels and slowly strode out of her bedroom chambers. Without even as much as glancing at the person, she lunged out her arms and the person immediately lifted into the air, struggling against an unseen force. Magic.

"Regina!" A voice growled, with a tinge of a breathless struggle mixed in. They were covered in a metallic suit, equipped with a chest pallet and a chain suit under underneath, yet they wore simple dark blue skinny jeans underneath with silver boots clinging to them.

Finally, Regina's eyes focused onto the 'intruder'. Their blonde hair fell softly over their shoulders, perfectly straightened. "Emma," Regina sneered with a smirk on her face, "Nice to see you."

The blonde scowled softly, still struggling against the restraints of Regina's magic. "I hate when you use magic on me," she groaned, anger clearly flourishing over her. Her scabbard containing her sword fell against the side of legs, the bottom point making it at least to her knee cap.

Finally, Regina softened into her emotions, and released Emma from the grasp of her magic. The blonde landed on her feet, she stood glaring at Regina like she resented her. Truthfully, she did when she used magic.

Regina stepped forward silently, "Sorry." She said it in a sly tone, making it hard for Emma to truly believe her. "I thought you were an intruded," she mumbled walking closer towards the blonde. "So," the brunette cooed softly, reaching forward and fixing the blonde's hair gently, "Who was it?"

Emma was taken back as to how Regina was being so gentle and caring, fixing, and now just softly playing, with her hair. She just ignored it and cleared her throat softly, knowing the reaction would be bad. "Rumpel."

Regina froze like she'd just been kicked clear in the throat and she couldn't breathe. She slid her hands to Emma's shoulders slowly, "Emma. What did he want?" Fear resided over her and Emma could sense it. "He wanted to offer me something." Regina's body shook with even more concern. "An offer? What offer?" The brunette finally looked up into the green eyes watching her concerned. "He offered me a place to stay, for no fee," Emma stopped to watch Regina have anger rock through her before continuing, "in his castle. He says I have," she brought her hands up for air quotes, "'potential'".

Regina was fuming about how Rumple was now trying to pry Emma away from her. Suddenly, she quaked with fear, thinking Rumple knew how she carried for her. She glanced up at Emma worriedly. "No," Regina said firmly.