Disclaimer in Chapter One

AN: Wow, the response to this is absolutely amazing. I knew the prompt was something special when I saw it, and I'm so glad you guys are enjoying it as well. Thank you so much for all the alerts, favourites and reviews. I hope you enjoy this!


Regina stood outside her home in the late hours of the evening, looking up at the ominous mansion that was now empty, had been empty for some time ever since Henry had brought Emma to Storybrooke. With her mother gone and Henry avoiding her at all costs, the mansion was just an empty shell like the woman who stood outside looking up at it.

Brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, Regina wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, refusing to let any more tears fall, at least for now. She entered the house easily enough, not bothering with the lights when she made a beeline up the stairs towards her bedroom.

She purposely held her gaze down when she passed the guest room. Despite her sight being saved from heartbreak, still she could smell the floral musk that was her mother's perfume. She almost half-expected Cora to come out of the room, her hair down and dressed in her night gown asking Regina where she had been, like a parent catching their teenager sneaking in after curfew. For a brief moment in the back of Gold's pawn shop, Regina truly believed she was able to start over with her mother, but now, just like everyone else in her life, she was gone.

She held her breath to push the smell from her senses, and when she finally made it to her room, she shut the door firmly behind her. It was quick work magicking necessities and clothes to her hideout under her family's tomb, but Regina found herself lingering just a little bit.

She dawdled in the hallway, stopping by a portrait of Henry that sat proud on a side table, the face of the boy encased behind the glass beaming up at his mother behind the camera. Her fingers caressed his cheek, but she quickly ripped them away for fear of getting her hopes up from the simple photograph.

Out of impulse, Regina allowed herself a brief moment into Henry's room, almost feeling like a stranger in her own home, in her son's room. She stood in the middle, letting the moon cast its glow on his many treasures. Finally her feet remembered their purpose, and she allowed herself to walk around the room, most likely for the last time. Her fingers trailed on his desk, moving over to his wall of many comics, still protected in its plastic wrap to keep their condition.

She grinned recalling the hours they had spent one weekend years ago, alphabetizing and organizing his collection and creating little headings on the shelf to help the boy find his favourites more easily. By now his comics had doubled in size, but Regina had planned for such. Now the wall was stacked, and she remembered talking to him months ago in an attempt to salvage their relationship that they should build a bigger shelf. The boy had shrugged indifferent and donned his backpack before heading off to school.

She fingered through the comics, pulling out a few of her own favourites to keep with her, to have a little piece of Henry with her. When she turned, her eyes zeroed in on the walkie talkie that Emma had given him. The one that kept them bonded even when Regina had directly forbade him from seeing her.

She growled, marching over to the nightstand and gripping the device tightly, wanting to throw it, smash it against the wall. But what would that do? That wouldn't bring Henry back to her. It'd anger him that she broke it.

Her tension eased, but she continued clutching the walkie talkie and few comics as if they would keep her to Henry. Maybe he'd come looking for her. Perhaps he'd look for his comics anyhow, and maybe if he knew she had this blasted device, he'd find a way to contact her.

Maybe.


It had been a week, and Henry hadn't come looking for her. Regina lay down on a chaise in her hideout, an arm over her eyes willing her mind to calm from her own harmful thoughts.

What was she supposed to do now? No one was looking for her. No one wanted her. Everyone who ever loved her had died because of her. Perhaps it was best that Henry stayed away. The last thing she wanted was to hurt her son, and with her luck, he'd meet the same fate as her parents and fiancé.

She removed her arm when she heart static and a tinny voice coming though the speaker of the radio. Sitting up frantically, Regina scrambled to the table where the black device sat.

"- if you have the other one or if you're listening or if you're just hiding or something, but I'm the Sheriff so it's kind of my job to find missing people."

Regina stared at the electronic before pushing the button to talk, but just as quickly, she released it, not wanting the blonde to bring her idiot parents with her if she somehow found out where she was hiding. She couldn't promise anything wouldn't happen to Snow if she got close enough.

"Regina? Whoever this is, answer right now."

She rolled her eyes at the authoritative voice. The Sheriff was clearly a Charming.

"I know you have this, Regina. I saw it in Henry's room and now it's gone, so you better come clean to me before someone else finds you, and I can't guarantee they'll be as lenient as me."

Scoffing, Regina tossed the walkie talkie onto a lounge chair before going back to her chaise, ruminating in her inner turmoil as if no interruption had occurred.


Regina had made herself a small dinner, finally able to hold down some type of meal when the radio crackled to life again.

"You're not lying in a ditch somewhere, are you? 'Cause that would suck explaining that to Henry."

Regina rolled her eyes and continued to cut into her chicken. Oh, wouldn't the Charmings just love if she was dead.

"Look, I heard about your mom. What Snow did, I-"

Regina slammed her knife and fork down, getting up to silence the blonde Saviour from even thinking about her mother. Her hand hovered over the device when Emma spoke again.

"I just don't think you should be alone right now. At least let Henry know you're okay?"

Regina held her breath, stilling her hand. Why would Emma say that? Why would she even care about Regina being alone? She had been alone all her life, and she was damned used to it. But was Henry really worried about her?

She paced the length of the room, chewing on her thumb nail. She had to let Henry know she was okay somehow. That last thing she wanted to do was upset him further.

The thought milled about her head all evening until she decided to put her son's mind at ease. Early the following morning, the brunette woman clouded herself in purple smoke, transforming into the owner of the comic shop. She let herself in, grabbing the latest issues of Henry's favourites, leaving enough money in the register to cover the bill, then quickly transported to Emma's apartment.

She heard voices inside as she bent down to place the comics on the step. Emma was yelling up at Henry to come downstairs or he'd be late. David was reminding his daughter that she had an extended shift today. The heavy gait of Henry running down the iron steps sounded just beyond the aged wooden door.

It pained Regina to realize how settled into a family Henry had become in such a short time. Glancing down at the comics she had purchased, she briefly wondered if the blonde had only brought up his name to get a response from her.

She didn't have time to think when she heard footsteps sound closer to the door. By the time the purple smoke had disappeared from the hallway, along with the brunette woman, Emma and Henry had opened the door to find a nice surprise for the eleven-year old.


Regina paced the length of the table, eyeing the walkie talkie that rested on it. She had been waiting all day for it to spring with life. Surely Henry would see the comics as a gesture of good will and seek to contact her.

She wasn't prepared when Emma's voice sounded, thanking her for the comics on Henry's behalf.

Regina held herself tightly staring at the small thing that seemed to be her only source to the outside world. She waited with bated breath, rushing to clutch the radio in both hands waiting for Henry's voice.

It never came.


Regina threw the walkie talkie at one of her many mirrors. The glass shattered, her reflection tearing into pieces before crumpling to the ground in heaps, the radio cover cracking open from the force. Despite its damage, the damn thing still worked, though the blonde's account of precious Snow White finally coming out from hiding was interrupted with static and buzz, the wires within the device hanging out at awkward angles.

She stepped on the glass as if it were nothing more than part of the parquet tile as she hovered over the crackling radio.

"-but - zzz - bull - zzz - . I mean - zzz - you - zzz - cross."

She breathed heavily, angry that Snow had gotten a reprieve from what she did when Regina's own past couldn't be forgiven.

She sucked her teeth as the radio continued to crackle and buzz with incoherent speech. The next time she had a chance to end Snow White, she'd take it.

It was only when Regina heard Emma mention something about her mother did Regina quickly wave her hand over the broken device, fixing it like it was brand new. Apparently her ears had deceived her for Emma was offering a condescending Charming offer.

"Look if you come out I'm not gonna throw you in jail and I'm sure no one's going to hurt you. They're too scared for that. That's why they want me to look for you even though I have bigger problems."

Regina turned, going to her cider table and pouring herself a generous amount. She swirled the liquid in the glass before downing it in one go.

What did Emma Swan know about problems? Did she have a price on her head? All the blonde princess had were parents, her son, and all of Storybrooke at her beck and call.

The Saviour could do no wrong. The Evil Queen, on the other hand, was thrown to the piranhas. Emma had no idea how good she had it.


"You better not be up to no good, Regina. August almost died today, and he specifically said 'she' and the fact that you've been gone for almost three weeks-"

Regina growled, pacing her hideout with a cider in her grasp as she glared at the walkie talkie.

"Of course it was me, wasn't it?" Regina huffed to the device as Emma continued her rant, Regina starting up one of her own as she slammed her glass on the table, liquid sloshing out the side and began pacing with her hands on her hips. "I'm the Evil Queen, so I'm the only one in this godforsaken town who is capable of any kind of wrong doing."

"-would you rather see me in person just to curse my ass? Because if you want to do that then come on out."

"Need I remind you that Ruby ate her True Love, Rumpelstiltskin is still on the loose, and your mother had me kill mine!" Regina screamed at the device as if the Sheriff were standing right in front of her.

There was a moment of mutual silence between both women. Regina panted heavily, her body tense and her fists clenched ready to burn a whole in any unsuspecting object.

The radio finally sprung to life again. "You know Henry thinks it's you too."

Regina held her breath, all tension gone and immediately filled with fear. Fear that her son hated her for a crime she didn't commit. Again.

"I mean 'she'. That's like the biggest clue ever, and 'she' killed a wooden man! A man made out of wood d-"

Regina shut off the walkie talkie, unable to listen any longer before sitting down hard at the table, her head on her arms as she released a sob.


It was habit now, listening in on the walkie talkie as Emma ranted about her day. Most days it was amusing, the blonde flustered with living with her overprotective parents and, even Regina could attest to this, her nosy son, but today, Regina could hear the quiet strain in Emma's voice.

"They think I'm gonna find you eventually and justice will prevail."

Even Regina could hear the mocking snark in the blonde's voice, and against her better judgment, Regina brought the walkie talkie with her as she leaned back against her chaise, silently listening.

"This Saviour crap is for the birds. I mean I already broke your freaking curse. What else do they want?"

They want you to solve all their problems like the simpletons they are, the brunette mentally answered. Regina recalled how many times she sat in court listening to the better off peasants beg for more, and Leopold, being the kind and gracious king he was, spoiled them rotten.

"I didn't realize how big this was, this whole battle between good and evil. I feel like I'm straddling the line when everyone else thinks I'm so on board with my parents. I just-"

Regina sat up slightly, narrowing her eyes at the radio. Did she just hear Emma sniffle? Was the blonde crying?

There was nothing but dead air before Emma returned asking for Regina to come out of hiding. There was no mistaking it that time.

Emma's voice had cracked.

Regina stared hard at the electronic thoroughly confused. Perhaps being the Saviour wasn't all it was cracked up to be.


"Regina, I know you can hear me, and seriously, you give a whole new meaning to the cold shoulder, but Henry needs you."

Regina was just transporting back from a grocery run, getting rid of her bag girl disguise and letting her groceries fall carelessly on the table, she rushed to the walkie talkie, ready to ask what was wrong with Henry when Emma spoke again.

"He's getting irritable. He makes faces whenever I pour cereal for dinner, he got mad at me because I got the wrong comics. The kid had this horrible nightmare last night, and I tried to calm him down, but he pushed me off and just made this hot milk and vanilla thing. Did you used to do that for him?"

Regina sighed, realizing there was no real danger to Henry. Instead, she picked up the walkie talkie and carried it back with her to the table of the discarded groceries, slowly magically preserving what needed to be preserved while putting away items that could be stored.

She recalled many nights in Henry's toddler years when the Boogeyman or Doctor Doom haunted his dreams at night. Most times, she'd press his head against her heart, letting the beat and the combination of her rubbing his back lull him back to bed, but the odd time when that wouldn't sooth his fears, she'd take him by the hand, sit him on the counter and heat a mug of warm milk adding a splash of vanilla to it. She told him the vanilla was a magic potion to keep bad dreams away, and as the boy grew, he realized the true identity of his nightmare potion, though it never ceased to comfort him after a nightmare.

"He's spending the night with Neal. I'm not thrilled about it, but I think I get it. Someone taking your kid from you. I get it." Regina heard the blonde sigh tiredly as she continued. "He won't say it, but he misses you. He keeps trying to bring up if I've found you yet, and I see him go out of his way to walk by your place."

Regina's ears perked up. Henry missed her? Her heart soared at the idea, but what confused the brunette most was that Emma was allowing it and had shared her discovery with her. What did Emma have to gain from revealing the truth? Maybe she wasn't as self-righteous as her parents after all.

"You should come home."

Regina breathed in sharply. Definitely not like her parents.

The Sheriff was quiet for a long while, and Regina was convinced that Emma had finished for the night. She was very wrong, and she was nowhere prepared for the next words coming out of Emma's mouth. "I hope you're okay."

The brunette gaped, staring at the radio dumbstruck. Regina didn't know for certain if Henry was concerned about her, but the tone of Emma's voice didn't leave room for doubt that she was absolutely genuine.


"It's not you. You're not the 'she'."

Regina quickly scampered over to the walkie talkie where it waited on the side table by the chaise. A range of scenarios ran through her mind at Emma's excitement. She could come out of hiding. The town, Emma at least, knew she was innocent. It wasn't much, but it was a start, and as Emma continued to ramble on proclaiming that Regina wasn't 'she', Regina couldn't help but grin at Emma's infectious excitement.

Her grin faltered a moment at Emma's next words. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for thinking that it was."

Her lips tilted upwards in a shy smile when the blonde repeated herself, confident and sure. She was almost shocked to realize how pleased it made Regina feel to know that Emma was righting a wrong against her. No one had ever done that before.

As the blonde concocted ways to get some other woman into custody, Regina couldn't help but not feel so alone anymore.


Regina had waited for hours for Emma to speak into the radio, but as midnight came and went, the brunette found that she almost missed hearing Emma's voice nearly every night for the past month or so.

Static woke her up in the early hours of the morning when Emma toyed with the talk button. Rubbing sleep from out of her eyes, Regina sat up, grabbed the walkie talkie which she kept on the small table across from the single bed in her hideout and listened as Emma spoke softly into the radio.

"My parents want to leave. To the Enchanted Forest. David and the dwarves, they've been harvesting magic beans."

Regina gasped out loud, tuning out the rest of Emma's words as she envisioned waking up one morning in her hideout, stepping out from the tomb to a deserted town. Gone were the people who hated her, but gone was Henry, and even Emma.

She got up quickly, cradling the device in her hands before quickly opening the hide-a-door and rushing out to the dewy morning light intent on letting Henry know what his grandparents were up to.

"They want to go back. Even Henry does."

Regina stopped her track and leaned against the outer wall of the tomb, staring at the walkie talkie in disbelief. No. Henry wouldn't leave her. He couldn't. She needed him.

"How am I gonna tell the kid I don't want to go? And if I tell him he's gonna pull the Saviour crap, and how it's my destiny to go and rule the people and bring everyone's happy endings back."

The brunette's fear quickly changed to confusion as she listened to Emma. Regina didn't have to see the blonde to know there was conflict behind green eyes and her brows would be furrowed in deep contemplation. She sat down on the steps of the mausoleum as Emma continued.

"I don't want to be the Saviour. How am I gonna rule a freaking kingdom when I can't even remember to set my alarm at night?"

Regina couldn't help but smirk at Emma's truth, but she couldn't deny the sympathy that welled within her. Emma was completely out of her element, plucked from a world destined to rule another. The princess seemed to be learning something her mother never did. The world didn't revolve around happy endings. It revolved around people and how they were treated for it would take only one bad day to separate the sane from the psychotic.

"I'm no queen. I'm no princess. I'm just me. No one seems to get that."

Regina couldn't believe the words coming out of Emma's mouth. An image of her younger self came to the forefront of her mind, begging to be seen and accepted as herself, and broken when she wasn't.

"They don't get that I'm not this perfect child and I've never been."

If Regina knew anything it was about being someone you're not, and she had to learn that the hard way.

"They labelled you too, didn't they? I've heard you've done bad things, but so have I, and I got the Saviour title. We could switch if you want? You're better at all this pressure and stuff."

Regina snorted, shielding her eyes from the rising sun. Like hell she'd willingly be responsible for all these ungrateful people's happy endings.

"I wouldn't want to switch either if I were you. If you're the Evil Queen, you can only get better. If you're the Saviour, you have to be perfect."

The brunette furrowed her brow. She hadn't really thought about it that way. Regardless, it didn't matter how hard she tried to be better; the town was unforgiving. It was a shame they were wearing down their only Saviour. Emma seemed like genuinely one of the good ones.

Regina heard Emma laugh, surprised at hearing it directed to her. "Isn't it weird that you're the perfectionist with everything in control and everything planned, but I'm the Saviour? The fates must have gotten confused when they crossed our paths."

Regina smirked. She had to admit, given the brunette's controlling nature, she'd make a much more effective Saviour.

She leaned against the wall of the tomb, letting the warm rays of the sun touch her skin that had remained indoors for the better part of a month. "You should see the sun wherever you are. It's really nice. It almost feels like a normal day."

Regina looked at the radio then around her area. The statement was far too coincidental for her liking, but she could see no blonde Sheriff in sight. All she saw was the pink and orange of the rising sun. She supposed the sun wasn't too terrible to look at.

She stood up, ready to retreat inside when she heard Emma speak again. "Stay safe, Regina. Not everyone wants you dead."

Regina stopped dead in her tracks looking at the walkie talkie in her hand. She knew the blonde must have some hero complex to put her life on the line for Regina numerous times, but never had she heard such sincerity and honest truth coming from anyone.

Put simply, Regina was starting to believe that Emma Swan actually cared about her.


Regina was coming in from another grocery run when her biggest fear settled deep within her stomach.

"-and she's working with Greg, and they took Henry!"

She dropped the bags of grocery to the ground, tripping over rolling cans before scrambling to the radio nestled by her bed. She struggled to push the talk button in her panic to contact the blonde as quickly as possible, but by some miracle, she was able to do so. "Emma?"

There was nothing for a long moment. Regina moved to push the button again when the speaker sounded.

"Regina?"