Regina smirked as the dark cloud of purple smoke consumed everything in it's path, excitement in her eyes. Whether it was magic or their passage back to their homeland, she knew that power would soon be hers, once again and with the curse broken and many people outraged by what she had done, she was certainly going to need it.

Her heart beat loudly as all she could see was purple smoke, and she closed her eyes. Magic was something that she missed almost as much as she missed Henry every time he snuck off with Ms. Swan. She frowned in disgust at the thought, knowing she'd only have to put up with more of that, soon. Unless they were taken back to their land, being a large possibility that because she had not been hit by the curse, she would not be taken back with them. And as she felt that last bit of magic drift away, she opened her eyes and was hit with a slight bit of disappointment when she found herself still in her own land, which was replace by a smirk a moment later when she realized her magic was back, and she could be safe again, be strong again. She could win. And the knock on her door made her smirk even wider.

"You wanted your Queen? Well here…she…is." Regina thrusts her hands forward with the intention of cursing them all, enjoying the way they all flinched and squealed in horror before both she and the angry town citizens realized that nothing had happened. "What?" Regina questioned herself, unwilling to show any signs of something being wrong.

"She's powerless!"

"Someone grab her!"

The next thing she knew, Whale gripped her shoulders and slammed her up against the wall and it took everything in her to restrain herself from showing pain, especially after she had just lost everything that had ever mattered to her.

"STOP!"

Regina's head snapped up when she recognised that voice and she shattered into a million pieces when she realized who it belonged to. Her knees went weak, as did every other part of her body. Her heart filled with hope and the strongest love she had ever experienced, and memories flashed through her mind like a movie. The first time she had met him when Cora had first taken him on for the job. S

he had been just sixteen, and he had been twenty-one and they had snuck around for three years before everything. She remembered their first kiss, their first date, their first time, and the night when he had given her that ring. "D-Daniel?"

He came into sight, his stunning blue eyes frantic and longing as he came to the top of the mob and grabbed Whale, pulling him off Regina and stealing a loving glance before turning his back as if to shield her, and certainly to block her from harm. This was impossible, this could not be possible, Regina thought as she stared at him in awe. He looked older than she remembered, and his clothes were torn, daggy and dirty, like he had not changed them in years. She was using the pillar Whale had pushed her against to support herself, because if it had not been there, her knees surely would have collapsed and she would be kneeling on the ground, right now.

"I know that Ms. Mills has done many horrible things…" Daniel stuttered off, and her heart fluttered when she had called her Ms. Mills, as he had back when they had first started sneaking around, or when he was teasing her. "But her death will not grant you good people any satisfaction, but a guilty conscience instead, especially as you will be taking away a sons mother, and a part if that child with her. No matter what she has done, it does not warrant death, but if anyone dares to come within a mile of her with that intention, then a blood will be shed, but it will be your own."

The mob mumbled and glared, before realising that this 'stranger' was truthful in all that he had said and they all began to retreat, Daniel continuing to stand in his protective stance, finally turning once the mob was out of sight, a bright smile spreading over his face.

"Regina." He said fondly as she through herself at him, her arms wrapping around him as she buried her face in the crook of his neck, allowing tears to flow free as he returned her embrace, holding her tightly against himself, and never wanting to let go. It had been far too long since they had been together. "I can't believe it's you…" Regina managed to say through her tears. "B-but…how? I saw her take your heart, I saw the dust…" Regina pulled back slightly to look at him, her soft brown eyes a mixture of confusion, hope and love for the man in front of her. He merely smiled at her, raising his hands to caress her cheeks, brushing away tears with his thumbs.

"She exchanged hearts with another while you were busy running over to me after commanding me to play dead. Then after she sent you back home, she locked me away in a cellar underneath the house and kept me there until after you had wed the king. She then traded me to Rumplestilskin and he kept me locked in a cellar for years, which unfortunately carried on to this world after your curse, and I've been under his shop for years, and he always told me that I was dangerous and could not be trusted." His face darkened a bit at those words, and Regina could hardly imagine what it had been like for him all those years, not able to think about the fact that she had been in the same pain since she had lost him.

"But when he brought me my evening meals, he would always tell me about what had happened that day. He told me when you had become mayor and about your son, Henry. And then when I started to have dreams about you, when I began to remember…he told me the truth." He concluded, his eyes never leaving hers.

"So you know of all that I have done, the woman that I've become…" She bowed her head, never wanting to look at him so much, but being far too ashamed of herself to. Daniel shook his head and placed a finger under her chin, raising her head to look at those piercing blue eyes. "I don't care about what you have done in the past, my love. You were hurt and had no one to turn to, let alone any idea of how to handle your anger and pain. But no matter what, I will love you, just as I always have. And I forgive you." His hands slid back to caress her face again as she graced him with one of her breathtaking smiles, just like the one she had given him after that promise ring was on her finger. "After all, you are my fiancée…if you'll still have me," he said with a hopeful grin and she laughed, wiping her eyes. "Of course I will. I love you, Daniel. There has never been anyone but you."

They both leaned in at the same moment and their lips met for the first time in years, but it was like nothing had changed. Their lips worked passionately together as they gripped at each other like they were afraid to let go, both with happy tears hidden under closed eyelids. And neither of them had felt this happy in years, and for Regina, this was a day she had dreamt of since she was nineteen years old and was marrying the king instead of the man she loved. For the first time in year, she felt true happiness.

tAnd she was far too caught up in that moment that she had not noticed the fact that Emma, Mary Margaret, David and Henry had come to a halt at the top of the path after their discovery of Daniel and Regina.

"…Mom!?"