As Henry and Regina began their walk home, the hairs on the back of the former queen's head began to stand on end. She put her arm around Henry's shoulders protectively and brought him closer to her, her dark eyes scouring the dark land ahead of them. Henry looked up at his mother questioningly but didn't say anything, knowing that something was amiss from the hawk-like expression on her face. It was then that he began to feel it too, the slight chill to the air had taken a harder edge to it than it had been previously, and Henry had the distinct feeling one gets when they are being watched.

It was then that Henry spoke up. "Mom...?" he started but was cut short.

"Not now, Henry."

Some bushes rustled behind them, causing Henry to jump at the sound, but not Regina. No, she pushed Henry behind her as she spun around, hand aflame with a bright ball of fire. She thrust the fireball at he bushes, not even waiting to see if there was anyone there. Not after what had just happened with Em...Miss Swan.

Even in the middle of danger, Regina warred with herself.

Luckily, or not so luckily for them, there was a person in the bushes. She let out a shriek as the bushes caught on fire and both Henry and Regina saw a flash of blue and white before the women vanished in a flurry of snow. Regina scanned the area around them, ensuring that the threat was gone before turning back to Henry.

"Are you alright, dear?" she asked him, knowing that nothing got to him but she needed to ensure that he was stillwith her. She ut her hands on his cheeks, turning him this way and that to get a look at him. He grumbled in response.

"Yes, mom. I'm fine...just...okay, you can stop moving my head now!"

Regina, abashed, let go of his face and instead pulled him close. "Henry, I don't think it's a good idea for us to walk home. Are you okay if I teleported us back?" She glanced down at him, hoping he would agree with her request.

Henry's face brightened. "Yeah, mom! That would be so cool.! I haven't done that before I mean other than portal hopping but this would be way cooler..."

Before he could continue rambling further, Regina told him to hang on and in a flash of purple smoke, they were back at 108 Mifflin Street.

After Henry went to bed, highly optimistic that they would find Emma because "that's what this family does, we find each other" Regina made her way to her study and, more importantly, a class of cider. She had just finished pouring herself a glass from her decanter when the same sense of coldness settled around her, the same as the feeling she had out at the abandoned barn and when she was walking across the field with Henry. She raised the crystal glass to her lips to take a short sip before setting it down to and face her unwelcome guest.

The sight that met her was one that was unexpected. True, the woman before her was powerful yes, but she wasn't very threatening. Her blues eyes were wide in fear and her arms were wrapped around her in self-protection, a gesture that Regina was most familiar with. She was dressed in an ice-blue gown that flattered the woman's figure and her hair was drawn away from her face in a lose braid. But what was most unexpected about the woman was her face. It held an expression of both guilt and sorrow of both the past and the present. She knelt before Regina before she could even speak the woman began.

"I am so sorry. I didn't know that it was going to go out of control. I thought that if I tried to use my powers to help that I could control them. I was too afraid. I can't change it..."

Her voice was dejected and full of defeat. She gazed at Regina, pleading with her for forgiveness. And Regina had had enough of people asking for her forgiveness.

She waved her hand and quickly had the woman up off of the ground and tied up in a chair. The woman's already wide eyed grew even more so, fear taking over her completely. Regina put a protective shield around the woman so as to ensure that her power wouldn't attack her. She towered over the woman, her face an unforgiving mask of intolerance.

"Do stop quivering and get yourself under control. You come here asking for forgiveness from me? I take it that you are referring to the recent disappearance of our sheriff?" She sneered down at the woman. " I'd suggest that you start from the beginning and tell me who you are and what exactly happened."

The woman began to speak. "My name is Elsa. I'm the queen of Arendale...or I had been. I was released here from some sort of urn and when I came out of it, I saw purple smoke fill that barn and I hid. That's when you showed up." Regina blanched internally. Had this woman seen me at my weakest? Oblivious to Regina's discomfort, Elsa continued on. "Then, your blonde friend had shown up," Regina scoffed at the word friend. " and you too began to argue. You were talking about someone named Marian and Henry and family and you both looked so hurt. But I could see that you cared for each other to some degree..." It was here that Elsa paused, unsure if she should go on. Regina looked ready to murder her.

"Well, dear, I'd suggest you move along with this enchanting tale and tell me where Emma is!"

"She's in your pocket."

Regina looked at her in disbelief and almost laughed before she remembered; the frozen swan. She felt herself relax. Finally, this mess can be resolved. The town wouldn't even know that this had happened and the savior could go back to , whatever she was doing. And Regina could go back to her life. So long as she had Henry.

She pulled the swan out from her pocket when she noticed something she didn't before. The swan, though made of ice, was warm to the touch and it felt as though there was a steady rhythm pounding away at it. Like a heart beat.

She waved her had over the swan, willing her magic to transform it back into the Sheriff. But there, it remained in her palm. She tried again, and once more nothing happened. Regina looked to Elsa and released her from her bonds.

"Change her back."

Elsa waved her hands as well, hoping to have control over her powers once more, but still, nothing happened. She tried again with the same result. Regina rounded on her.

"Why the hell isn't she coming back?"

Elsa looked at her hands at a complete loss. "I don't know! This should have been easy enough, I was sure that I couldn't screw this up." She bit her bottom lip, wringing her hands together in a nervous fashion, anxiety apparent on her pale face.

Regina made to move her hands once more to try to bring the Sheriff back to her former self when, suddenly, her mind was assaulted with memories. She clutched the swan in her hand as she brought them up to her head. She grasped at her hair and swayed on her feet, dizzy from the disorienting images flashing through her head. Then as soon as they began, they stopped, leaving Regina filled with multiple emotions, some good, some bad, until all that was left was horror. Undeniabl horror. She looked up at Elsa, tears starting to form in her eyes once again that evening.

"I know why we can't change her back."

Elsa moved closer to the queen, hand out to steady her. "Regina, what is it?"

"I killed her."

A/N: This will follow season four a little but Captain Swan will not happen. Its Swan Queen, but slow burn. Also, look for another story I'm going to upload tomorrow for Halloween. Hint: We'll see a little hocus pocus go on in storybrooke even more than usual.

Thank you for reading and following this story, you guys. Please review and let me know if enjoyed the story so far.