Author's note:
There is only one thing to say: Thank you! For all the followers, for all the favorites and especially the kind reviews. You guys, reviews are like chocolate, the good kind that melts in your mouth and makes you feel so incredibly good (even after a dementor encounter...)
Chikiko: Native speaker...really...oh, er (That translates to thankful speechlessness.)
Now this chapter is set purely in Storybrooke and we're leaving the tv show behind evolving toward our end game... Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or any recognizable characters.
I know it is cruel to keep our favorite girls (women!) apart, but they need to fight for it. And on the upside I promise to get them together sooner than our tv screens will. (I know that's sad, but I'm writing this to get over any abandement issues I might have and to help you with yours...)
It was inconceivable and yet her reaction to Cora Mills hadn't the least bit changed. Though her rigid body didn't betray her in the slightest, Regina felt the trembling deep inside her grow. She didn't want to feel the fear, it just crept up on her on its own.
Nevertheless she confided it to the accustomed cage inside of her, trapped it with all her other carefully watched emotions. It wouldn't benefit anyone if she freaked out, so she didn't. She had learned to control her emotions since before she could remember.
Subdued she saw Cora put a relaxing spell on Emma. Her mother was the same, right down to her manipulative sweet voice.
Regina felt at a loss. She knew without a doubt that she had to protect not just Emma, but Snow too. No matter how much she had wanted to punish Snow before, the last thing she wanted for her was to end up with Cora. No one deserved such fate.
A slightly hopeful feeling took hold of her once Snow recognized Cora for the Evil she was. When Snow revealed her plan to go to her castle, Regina almost immediately knew what she was hoping for. Maybe she was able to rekindle the magic within the wardrobe that took Emma to this world.
Regina observed Emma and Snow leaving the camp. Only after they had left her mother a good mile behind them, she collected her frazzled thoughts.
Without really thinking it through she picked up her cell phone and called Charming.
"Regina, I am glad, you let Henry come with me, but I'm not about to bring him back, just because you call."
"I am not calling about Henry, though I think he would like to hear what I found out about his… about Miss Swan. I assume you won't mind coming by to ascertain Snow's whereabouts?"
She hoped he hadn't heard her faltering at Miss Swan's name. I didn't really matter since he surely would have forgotten it as soon as she had mentioned his wife's name.
"Snow? Regina, if you have found out anything, you need to tell me!"
"Always evoking the strength of a king's voice, Charming. It would be so much more impressive, if you were anything but a worthless shepherd. You know where I live."
She was ready to hang up, certain he'd show up minutes after the call, but she heard Henry in the background asking what was happening. It stopped her from disconnecting the call.
"Regina, just tell me."
"I'm sure, you wouldn't believe a single word I say, which is why I would prefer to just show you instead of spending valuable minutes in a pointless discussion. "
This time she didn't let Henry interfere.
Sure enough, it took Charming only ten minutes to start banging on her front door. With two waves of her hand she took down the magical barrier and opened the door.
Brandishing his sword Charming entered, Henry shortly after him.
"Where is she?"
Regina just raised one eyebrow and pointed at her mirror.
"I just told you that I knew where they are. Really Charming, do you think I would get Emma and Snow back just to entrap them in my house? Don't you think that would be a feeble way of redemption?"
Just because she wanted to play nice from now on it surely didn't mean she actually had to be nice. There was a line.
His answer was an empty snort, before he reached the mirror.
Emma was just telling Aurora how to wear her leather jacket. Predictably they ended up tangled in Aurora's long shawl because Emma had no idea how to rearrange it.
"Snow?"
Charming's sword fell to the ground as he extended his hand towards the mirror.
"Emma?"
Henry echoed his stunned voice in an eerily similar way.
"She can't hear you."
As an attest to Henry's presence Regina bit her tongue before any insult could come out of her mouth. Nevertheless her tone had done a perfect job to convey her disdain.
It took Charming only a moment to find his usual composure.
"How do we contact them?"
"Maybe if they had a mirror they could see us and we could talk to them? Could we pull them through?"
Henry looked at her so hopeful with his bright eyes that it almost hurt Regina in a physical way to shake her head.
"Unfortunately it's not that easy, Henry."
"Why not? I think I've read a story, where someone was pulled through a mirror! I wish I would have thought of it sooner!"
"Henry, as far as I know, that's only possible, if the mirror was enchanted beforehand."
On second thought it wasn't all that stupid. Regina just didn't like to think about mirrors as a way to cross realms. She had to revisit that idea later, think it through entirely.
"So? There has to be a mirror in the enchanted forest that's like enchanted?"
As Regina frowned at him, he turned to Charming.
"Gramps, do you know something like that?"
Regina had to keep herself from visibly flinching at that. Gramps. Sure, why not. Start calling Snow your grandma.
"We have to get Emma and Grandma back."
Maybe she should just wish them back?
Now that would surely take a bit too much effort. Wishes were very valuable and therefore expensive treats. Also Regina knew with certainty that nobody would grant her a wish.
Henry would possibly get one, fairies always favored children.
Fairies…
Now there was a thought
She turned to Charming.
"Did you talk to the fairies about magic?"
He nodded.
"Yes, they don't have any. Apparently they need their fairy dust."
"Well, do any of them remember who had the fairy dust last?"
"Why?"
"We might need some powerful magic to get them back. I am not convinced that mine is enough, if no one's helping from the other side."
"So you are helping?"'
Before she could answer that, Henry spoke up.
"Of course she is. Haven't you been listening to her? Why else would she show us that she found a way to see them?"
And he pointed towards Emma and Snow who were now talking about ogers. Regina really hoped that Miss Swan would refrain from drawing their attention again while Henry was watching. He would either be terribly scared or completely entranced by the prospect of ogers. Both options definitely didn't suit her at all.
"Indeed, that's an interesting question."
Charming wasn't convinced at all.
"I was merely trying to do what you would call 'the right thing'."
She sarcastically sneered the last words. If he didn't want to believe her, there was nothing she could do. Certainly she wouldn't go and try to convince him.
"Why would you though?"
Carefully Regina glanced in Henry's direction. Wasn't it obvious?
For once Charming seemed to get it.
"I should believe that you are doing it all for him?"
Regina's thoughts flickered to the moment she had decided to help. It hadn't been the least bit about Henry. It had been her mothers' presence in Emma's vicinity. But the last thing she would do would be talking about her mother.
"You can believe whatever you want to believe. Now don't you want to go look for some fairy dust?"
He left with a huff. Again words seemed to evade him.
Sadly he was in such a foul mood that he didn't even realize that Henry wasn't following him. He remained standing between the mirror and her, a thoughtful look on his face.
"You are doing this for me, aren't you?"
She sighed and crouched down in front of him.
"Henry, you told me to find them. When I told you that I want to redeem myself I was telling the truth. I couldn't think of a better way to start than finding Emma and Snow."
He nodded slowly.
"And you are gonna try to get them back?"
"Yes."
For a moment it seemed like he wanted to lean forward to hug her, but then they heard the starter of a car. Henry jumped and turned around.
"Well, I'd better go after… David."
She nodded surprised. He was an attentive child. Maybe she should give him more credit.
At the door he turned around once more.
"Can you… Are you going to keep watching them?"
"Yes, I'll keep checking on them throughout the day. I'll call David if anything happens, okay?"
He gave her a small smile, a grateful nod and left running.
It took Regina a moment to realize that she might have done exactly the right thing. Henry was starting to trust her again.
Hesitantly she turned to the cupboard at the entrance hall to acquire her handbag. With a last glance at Emma she slid her forefinger across the edge of the surface until her own face stared back at her. Oddly enough she looked unbalanced, her cheeks were slightly red and some strains of her hair fought against her hairdo. She rearranged her hair, ignored the rest and left the house.
Unfortunately she knew exactly what to do. Henry's idea hadn't been half as bad as she had previously thought. She just needed to find Gold and get him to talk. After all she knew for a fact that he had once created such a mirror. So he should know all about the required skills.
And once again it would be made to escape her mother.
Just half an hour later Regina stood in an empty shop, still undecided.
Rumpelstiltskin was nowhere to be found, his shop was as empty as his apartment. Maybe it was for the better since she had absolutely no idea how to get him to cooperate. He had been so furious about Belle's capture. She should have known that he would not just delight in the fact that Belle was back, but focus on his hatred for her.
Antagonizing Jefferson had turned out to be the worst thing she could have done. Why had she been so insistent on hurting Emma when she had been about to leave?
Why hadn't she been able to just let her go?
It had started all this misery.
The hospitals surveillance videos had shown her that Jefferson had been the one who let Belle out. He had specifically sent her to Gold with Regina's name as the culprit on her lips.
No, Gold would most certainly not help her.
Of course that didn't have to mean that she couldn't make use of his collection. Regina was almost positive that she could find a solution to her problem somewhere in this mess of a shop. At the very least there should be some books on magic.
The only question was where to find them.
Regina sighed. She really should know better than to let herself get caught rummaging around in Rumpelstiltskin's private belongings. But it wasn't like she had a choice.
So she started looking in the cupboards behind the counter. She searched the cabinets under the showcases, went through the large wardrobe at the side, before she frantically started opening several of the tiny cases that were strewn across the room. Nothing revealed anything more than junk.
At last she went in the back, where the sight of large brown eyes greeted her. The person in front of her was holding a small worn book and looked extremely scared.
Regina couldn't help herself. The situation was so ridiculous that she simply had to let out an amused snort.
"Well, well. Am I just catching the famous Red red-handed?"
Ruby seemed to recover fast. Evidently there was nothing she could do, but showing her that she wouldn't back down easily. She stood straight and glared at Regina.
"Well, it would seem that we are both to be accused of breaking and entering, Your Majesty."
"The door was open. I was merely looking for Mr Gold."
Exasperated Red let out a large intake of breath. She seemed to have overcome Ruby's fear of the Mayor.
"Come on Miss Mills, we are probably here for similar reasons."
Regina's upright posture didn't waver in the slightest.
"That is still 'Your Majesty' to you. And what would it be that we both would want?"
"Well I guess you're looking for magic, Your Majesty."
By now Ruby was practically glaring at her like she had the power of the wolf behind her words, accusingly one might add.
Regina collected herself and recovered her old indifferent but domineering Storybrooke-demeanor. Maybe it would work better on Ruby than the Queen's intimidation.
"Even if you did presume right, Miss Lucas, I caught you here. Do you have any idea where Mr. Gold currently is?"
Ruby shook her head.
"No, but I should hear him, when he comes."
"Then why didn't you hear me?"
Ruby gave her a sheepish smile.
"Well, you were sneaking in and, er, I was preoccupied."
"It might seem to me, that you were preoccupied, because you found something."
Regina pointed at the book in Ruby's hand.
"Well, yes. But it isn't magical, so I should keep it."
She looked defiantly at her, obviously expecting her to object. Instead Regina just sighed. She had slowly pondered arguing about the book versus leaving before they were caught and had decided that she could take the book later.
"Did you look through all of this?"
She made a wide gesture with her hands including everything.
Ruby simply nodded.
"And you didn't find anything that showed magical characteristics?"
While Ruby narrowed her eyes she still answered with the shake of her head.
"Well then, did you by any chance find any other books that contained instructions for the handling of magic?"
At that Ruby's eyes grew even larger than before.
"No, it's only this one."
"Good, then let's go."
With this Regina simply turned, strode through the shop and left through the door. It took Ruby a good long minute to find her bearings. Regina used the time to contemplate playing nice. Maybe it would be useful to know what Ruby had been up to.
So when Ruby went outside she found her waiting for her.
"Let's walk together, Miss Lucas."
"Now why would I want to do that?"
"If you would just use your brain for a second, you might already know."
Regina knew immediately that she had crossed the invisible line for the look Ruby gave her could only be described as loathing. Playing nice was indeed difficult.
"How much of your magic came back to you exactly?"
"Well, as you were the one seeing me threaten Charming, I think you can attest that it is quite enough."
It was so easy to slip into her old ways, so easy that she didn't realize she was threatening her to gain her will, until Ruby tensed, ready to run.
They walked together to the next intersection, where Regina stopped. It was now a safe distance away from the pawn shop. She held out a hand as if to stop Ruby, but knew better than to touch her.
"To be honest I was actually hoping that you would let me have a look at this book you retrieved. I suspect why you wanted to have it in the first place, and maybe I could be of help."
"You?"
It would be an understatement to say that Ruby looked incredulous.
"You! Want to… Help?"
Regina simply nodded. Sometimes the peasants were really slow.
"Should I explain it to you in more detail?"
She knew she sounded like talking to a slow child, but her patience was slowly dwindling. Ruby scrutinized her for longer than a minute. Actually she seemed to be waiting for her to either grab the book out from under her leather jacket and disappear in a wave of smoke or reveal that she'd been joking. Regina was surely tempted to do both.
When neither of it happened, Ruby turned away from her and started walking down the road to Granny's.
After a couple of strides she turned around.
"Well then. Are you coming?"
Regina was taken aback by the sudden change in Ruby's attitude. But that didn't mean she'd follow her like a dog.
"I'd rather meet at my place!"
Regina shouted after her. Under normal circumstances there would have been no probable scenario which had her shouting after … well, anyone. But this was so far from normal that her hesitation only lasted a second.
After all she had to make sure that Emma was all right.
And Snow. She'd probably have to check for her, too.
Instead of turning around and obeying her like a normal person, Ruby just snorted and answered over her shoulder.
"Yeah sure, let's do that. And if by some weird coincidence I wake up in a hidden cell under your mansion and I ask myself how I let that happen, this right now would be the moment to avoid it."
Regina sighed. It had to come down to a matter of trust. Neither of them trusted the other.
Unfortunately for Ruby it was a matter of time for Regina. Playing fair obviously took too long.
In her defense she actually felt sorry as she closed the distance between Ruby and her and reached magically for the book. She would take it without the werewolf knowing.
"You should know that I don't trust you either."
But something obstructed her magic and kept the book firmly in Ruby's jacket.
"And you should know better than to confront a werewolf with magic."
Ruby was actively blocking her magic!
"Who taught you that?"
Under no normal circumstances should she be able to actively use her werewolf powers.
"That's none of your business. Now if you still want the book, it seems that you have to come with me."
"Well, how do I know that you're not leading me into an angry mob?"
"You don't."
"Well, that's reassuring."
It wasn't that she was really scared but fighting a mob all the while trying not to kill someone might unnecessary consume both her time and energy.
Apparently her sarcasm was the last straw for Ruby. She turned around, invading her personal space to block her way. Then she pointedly held up the book.
"I know you want this. I have no idea why. But I am the one who found it. I am only letting you come, because I'd like to hear what you have to offer."
"That's nonsense and we both know it. Even if you spent days, weeks looking through that book you wouldn't be able to understand any of it. You need me."
Ruby's eyes narrowed.
"And you know it."
She had lost it for a moment, but now she had her confidence back.
"So, shall we go to my house to have this little chat?"
"No."
Regina practically glared at her:
"Fine. You don't trust me, but I don't trust you either. I have no guarantee that you're even listening to me. You're probably just searching for a way to get rid of me."
"No, I am not. There is no angry mob waiting for you at Granny's. When you're in there with me, no one is going to attack you. It is my place, which says that they'll follow my rules. Besides, you already showed me that you know how to defend yourself."
Again it only took Regina a second to decide. She doubted that Ruby even recognized her hesitation. After all it wasn't like she had a choice.
Quitting wasn't an option.
She never gave up on anything.
In addition to that the girl was right. She definitely knew how to defend herself.
Hopefully Ruby hadn't fully realized the potential of her powers. That she was even able to block her magic didn't sit well with Regina.
Since she was out of any real options she followed Ruby.
Once they were inside of Granny's Ruby's ability to silence everyone with a single glare began to rival Regina's. They sat in the last booth on the left.
Although Ruby was walking in front of her, she somehow allowed Regina to seat herself with the back to the wall. She needed to see the enemy coming, stare them down before they approached her.
"So, why were you going through Gold's shop?"
Ruby opened the conversation.
"Believe it or not, I wanted to find a way to get Emma and Snow back."
Ruby kept her poker face. She just raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
Regina decided to go with the easiest answer.
"Because I made a promise to my son."
To that Ruby simply nodded.
"Well, then let's work together"
She laid the book on the table and pushed it towards Regina.
"To be honest, I wouldn't understand a single word of it."
Regina was so surprised it took her almost half a minute to reach for it.
"Why would you just give it to me now?"
"You trusted me enough to follow me inside."
She still didn't understand it, but decided to let it go for now. Instead of wasting precious time arguing she flipped hastily through the pages. At first glance it looked like a book for basic earth magic. About halfway through it she allowed herself a little internal sigh. It seemed like it was all about charms, earth spells and similar good magic.
There was not the slightest chance of a curse, which made her feel relieved. Up until now magic felt different here. If she were to face a full blast of the seductive pull of dark magic, she had no idea how she would or even if she could cope.
That was a step that she would take if when she got there.
On the last pages were more sinister paintings, instructions on how to make blood offerings. She'd rather not think about that.
"And? Do you think it can be useful?"
"Useful? I can only hope so."
"You're going to tell me, that you need to take it home with you?"
Regina only nodded. Ruby's answer didn't surprise her anymore.
"Fine."
She gave her an amused smirk while continuing to read the first pages.
"Fine?"
"Yeah, fine. Could you just… I need a favor."
That caught Regina's attention.
"Finding a way to get them back doesn't mean that I can find a way to open up a portal and send everyone else back."
"I know. That's not what I want. I just…"
Ruby hesitation was barely noticeable. It took her less than a second to find her confidence, but Regina saw it. There was something important for Ruby.
"I need to get something back. Something, that's over there."
"How do you know it's over there?"
"I looked everywhere in Storybrooke."
"That's why you were in Gold's shop."
"Will you help me or not?"
"I could."
It felt good to be needed. Regina knew it was cruel, but she enjoyed Ruby's desperation for a second before she answered.
"You know you'd have to tell me what you want. Otherwise I don't know how to help you."
"I'll tell you if I see a chance that you might find it."
"I already have a connection to the enchanted forest. We could go looking right now, get your 'something' to Emma and Snow and let them handle it."
"What kind of connection?"
Somehow that caught Ruby's suspicion again.
"You'd have to come to the mansion with me. If you feel uncomfortable with that, you can just ask Charming. He already saw proof."
"Okay, then."
A second time Regina was surprised at how easily Ruby backed down. Maybe she knew how to properly defend herself. She obviously had the power to.
Regina continued studying the pages while Ruby ordered dinner. She had decided that if she had to go with Regina she at least wanted to have something to eat.
The first couple of pages were dedicated to the painfully dull process of channeling ones magic. After that it was the boring construct of letting the magic make an outwards appearance. She continued looking, but found more or less harmless and therefore powerless charms.
Finally Ruby got up, seeking her attention. She held up a paper bag like a peace-offering, giving her a hesitant smile.
Half an hour later they were standing in the foyer of Regina's house, eating their dinner right out of their cardboard boxes. Ruby had ordered Regina's usual salad and had given it to her with the observation that she looked like she use to eat something.
"I can't believe it!"
It was remarkable how difficult it was for Ruby to get over the fact that they could see Emma. And Snow. Do not forget Snow.
Ruby was at her fifth or sixth exclamation of disbelief, when the castle came into view.
"What are they trying to do? Getting caught? They shouldn't be at the castle. Don't they see what everything looks like? It's not safe."
"I think they are trying to get the magical wardrobe to work again."
Ruby's features seemed to have rearranged themselves into a permanent expression of disbelief.
"Is that even possible? I thought its magic was like, used up?"
"Yes, it is quite 'used up', but it would be a straight way into our world. If they stayed there a couple of days, I might work out how to open it from here. I just need to know, where the wardrobes counterpart is or find one of my own."
"Well, that won't do us any good. Emma was found on a freeway out of town. We wouldn't be able to get there."
"Does this mean that you have found out what happens when you cross the border?"
"Yep, whoever crosses the border is cursed again, in the way of not remembering their real personality. They just go back to be their boring Storybrooke-selves. The dwarfs pushed on of them over the line."
She put up a warning finger.
"Now, don't get any wrong ideas. You won't be able to push the whole population of Storybrooke out of the town limits."
"I suppose not."
Slowly Ruby's quirky presence was getting to her. She hadn't had to deal with something like that since Henry was about seven.
"Didn't you want to go look for something?"
Regina asked without really paying any attention to their conversation anymore. Instead her eyes were glued to the mirror. Emma and Snow had just entered Emma's nursery, but they weren't alone.
Someone was with them. Someone, who was using dark magic. She could feel it. And she knew without a doubt whose magic it was.
It was nothing less than pure torture to watch her own mother using magic on Emma. She felt like a child again, watching her mother torturing the neighbors' girl, just because she gave Regina a puppet of hers. And Cora didn't even know what Emma meant for her, for her son. She could only suspect.
Fear held her firmly in its grasp.
What brought her back was a terribly high squeal that originated from Ruby's lips.
"We need to do something!"
Well, that wasn't obvious at all.
"I told you, I have no idea how to get them back."
The depth of the desperation that her own voice exposed caught her completely by surprise. She couldn't care that much for Emma.
Miss Swan.
Could she?
"Can't we just transfer something to them? Some magic or anything to help them?"
She looked at Ruby to make certain that she was being serious.
"I can't transfer something. There needs to be a portal. And I can't just make something appear out of thin air in front of them. You know that, Red."
It was probably her real name that snapped the girl back to reality.
They were both still staring at the mirror, horrified at having to watch without being able to do something.
"There is the wardrobe…" Ruby suggested.
"It is a closed portal. It has no magic of its own."
Regina took a deep breath to stop the helplessness from overcoming her.
"I don't know what to do."
Her admission was delivered in a small voice that sounded so very unlike hers. Maybe it was this that encouraged Ruby to move closer to her. She laid a reassuring hand on Regina's arm.
"You will find a way."
Normally she would have stepped away. Normally she wouldn't let anyone touch her, let alone calm her. Normally she was in control.
But right now she had no control whatsoever while she watched Emma set fire to the wardrobe, fighting her mother until Cora finally disappeared from view.
She let out a shaky breath before she stepped away from Red. It was worse enough that she had seen Regina lose her composure, she shouldn't allow her to ease her discomfort.
"Well, as you see I can look into the other world. Do you want to go look for your 'something' now?"
"Let's look, when they're safe."
"That's not going to happen until they're back in Storybrooke. Wasn't it somehow urgent?"
Ruby nodded hesitantly:
"Could you show me my cottage?"
Regina nodded and ordered the mirror accordingly. They looked through Ruby's cottage as much as they could, though her messy room prevented them from seeing too much.
"Did you ever think about cleaning?"
"Granny thought I'd learn something doing it myself."
"Obviously it didn't help."
"No one's sorrier than I am. It's not there."
"And if it is we won't find it without opening these boxes. So whatever it is you're looking for, maybe it'll teach you to clean."
Ruby just nodded and handed her the book that had lain on the cupboard under the mirror.
"Let's just find a way to get them back."
Without another word Regina buried her nose in it again and ordered the mirror back to Emma.
She heard Ruby sigh, but didn't look at her.
"Seriously? Fairytale characters accept it if their children are gay?"
Her head jerked up. Did she just hear Emma admit that she was gay?
Ruby cleared her throat and left the room. What did she have to do that for?
Regina decided to ignore her and listened until Emma came to the part that was undoubtedly about her. Shortly after she explained that 'it was complicated' she moved on to state that they actually agreed on something. Henry.
And she was right.
A couple of seconds later Ruby came back carrying two chairs.
"We should at least be a little bit more comfortable."
"Well, thank you, Ruby, but as it is getting late and we had no success with your wish, you should probably head home."
Regina wanted Ruby to go. She needed her to go, because her presence interfered with her concentration.
She expected Ruby to object, but she simply pointed at the mirror.
"Er, Regina, sorry, Mayor Mills…"
Regina followed her eyes, but didn't detect anything suspicious. Emma leaned at the wall in front of her nursery scowling at the floor. She seemed deep in thought.
"What is it? Spit it out!"
"There was something behind Emma. I don't know. A spark?"
"Show us the nursery!"
Regina ordered and gasped at the result. Instead of revealing the room to her the wall behind Emma became invisible. Apparently he word 'us' could have a wide interpretation.
"That was magic! You said you couldn't transfer magic!"
She silenced Ruby with a wink of her hand. If her mother thought the ashes were worth of collecting, they were precious. She watched Emma and Aurora entering the room and had a sudden revelation.
The mirror had obeyed her command, because there had already been magic. She hadn't had to transfer it, because it was already there. Without a second thought she silently willed a locket she knew to be in the bedroom of her old castle to Emma. It materialized in a small bright cloud in front of her and she used it exactly how Regina had hoped. A small smile stretched her lips into an unfamiliar expression. It had been too long since she had genuinely smiled.
Without a doubt she heard Emma's silent 'Thank you'.
Maybe she suspected who had helped her. And she was thankful.
Regina couldn't stop the smile that her mouth formed in response to Emma's.
She would find a way.