Prologue

Regina told herself that Cora was coming through the portal. Her mother was everything she feared. The memories that were brought up when she thought of Cora were too painful. Her mother who didn't love her, who treated her only as a possession, and the path to royalty. Maybe she was all of those things but the pain of even considering those things to be a true was so overpowering that the former queen felt weak in the knees. But no one could survive this curse. It would kill even the heartless, and it was her mother coming through that portal. She didn't let herself think of the other possibilities.

The possibility that it could be Emma.

The same Emma that told her parents, who she had only just met (no thanks to Regina), "She's not dying."

The same Emma that placed her hand on her arm and spun the portal to life.

And no, none of that should have been possible. The only way that was possible was unthinkable, because Emma was gone.

Emma wasn't coming back to her, she had her chance and, oh did she miss it. Regina was never very good at realizing what she had in front of her.

In front of her right now though, was her son, struggling to get out of her grasp.

"You can't!" Henry screamed over and over again as green electricity crackled overhead and sizzled in the well that stood framed by the forest trees.

"You're gonna kill them, please!" He pleaded as he struggled in her grip.

She couldn't help but cry as her son collapsed in her arms, begging her to stop the spell.

"They're going to make it through!" He yelled, "We have to turn it off, it's going to kill them!"

He broke free of her grip and ran toward the well, but she was faster, grabbing him by the shoulders and pulling him to safety.

"Henry!" She bent down to his level, "What are you doing?"

"Emma and Mary Margaret are going to come through, I know it."

He paused looking at her only the way he could, "You said you wanted to change, to be better. This is how. You want me to have faith in you? Have faith in me."

She wanted to change. She wanted to stop the spell, the way Henry looked at her gripped her heart and made her want to change so badly. But she couldn't. Even if she knew Emma and Snow were coming through it was impossible. It was death curse, stopping it would kill her. With or without Gold's help, there was only one magic strong enough to transcend realms, and she was very much lacking in true love.

Regina had never been quite good at emotions, or love. But she wanted, with every fiber of her being for Henry to be happy, to fulfill his every wish. And if she didn't do this he would never forgive her. What would be the point of living without her sons love? She knew what it was like to be pushed away by him and it hurt more than and pain she had ever felt. She felt her breath hitch in her lungs; she had no other option. She had to stop the spell, even if it meant her death.

The Evil Queen had faced death and sneered in its face many times before, but turning from Henry and walking toward the well felt so final. And maybe that's how she knew she wouldn't survive, because the air felt thick and she could see the ones she loved when she closed her eyes.

Daniel. Riding on his horse next to her, soft laughter filling the air. Such innocence.

Her father. Trying so hard to protect her from this vicious whip of her mother's word and magic.

Henry. When he was a baby and she almost gave him back but she couldn't find the strength to because she already loved him too much.

And Emma. Her wild blonde curls and the way she looked at her, like she understood. Like she cared.

But as she got closer to the well other memories flooded through her.

Daniel lying cold on the ground, and then on an operating table, finally he was dust, killed by her own magic.

Her father. His heart in her hand.

Henry. Running away from her toward his birth mother;

Emma. Falling through the portal, never to return.

Henry would forgive her now, and if she was wrong; if he was right, then he would have his mother. He would have Emma and although the other woman knew next to nothing about parenting she loved Henry. That was all that mattered.

She heard Gold in the background, "Regina."

She placed her hands over the well and began to absorb the power. Electricity flowed through her veins and she let death creep under her skin.

During her first winter with Henry Regina would often curl up with him in a rocking chair and tell him stories. She would tell the stories her father told her in her youth, about Kings and Queens, about love sick children and the fairies that would grant their wishes. He was such a perfect child, listening quietly and reaching up to play with her hair. Regina would remember one day that Henry said with perfect pronunciation, "Mama". She had cried for hours on end after that because she couldn't help but think that she wasn't really his mother and that pained her more than she knew it should.

Her bones felt as if they were made of metal and her lungs could not take in as much air as they needed. Her brain raced with memories as if she was reliving every moment of her life. It hurt, more than she could describe.

But then it stopped. She could feel the forest ground beneath her and hear Henry.

"No!"

Her heart stopped, when she realized what had happened, "I'm sorry Henry, I'm sorry." She could hear her voice shaking as she tried to pull herself up.

He just stared at the well, with eyes so sad and empty that Regina felt herself choking up again. She had failed him. She had stopped the curse but no one was there to come through the portal. Emma was gone.

But when it came to The Savior, the impossible tended to happen. Emma Swan's pale hand, covered in dirt and dust appeared on the side of the well. And the next thing she knew Emma, along with her petite mother, stood in front of them.

"Mom?" Henry's voice sounded as Regina felt, unsure.

"Henry!" The blonde sounded scared and tired but also so very relieved.

"Mom!" Henry ran into her arms and Emma shook with happiness at being with her son.

"I missed you."

Henry cried into her shoulder, "I missed you too."

"I missed you so much." Emma repeated over and over.

Regina only stared. How was this possible. She was alive and so were they. Emma and Mary Margaret had passed through the portal unharmed. That couldn't be possible. Regina could only think of one thing,

True love has the power to transcend realms and break any curse.

She stared at Emma. It couldn't be.

But much like the pieces of a puzzle everything started clicking together. The hat. When Emma had touched her arm the portal had opened. The power to transcend realms. And then the well. It was impossible unless, unless the person on the other end of the portal was her true love. The power to break any curse.

Regina couldn't say anything, or move. Why hadn't she seen it before? How she was drawn to the shirt that Emma had once worn. How she was compelled to switch Daniel's ring to her other hand after Emma had fallen through the portal.

"Um, your mom… She's, uh… She's… A piece of work, you know?"

Regina blinked up at the blonde now standing in front of her with Henry still wrapped around her torso.

"Indeed I do." The brunette answered her and couldn't help but giving her a pained smile, "Welcome back."

Emma leaned against Henry and looked into Regina's eyes, as if searching for something. Finally she said, "Thanks."