AN: Senior year has already killed me but I resurrected to update. (I'm infinitely sorry for the long wait) I'm definitely not planning on giving up on this story but the updates will, unfortunately, be unscheduled. Also want to apologize for a shorter than usual chapter, but I do hope you enjoy and are happy to know I haven't abandoned this writing.

( Present day-An entry in Emma's journal )

" I woke up this morning with a smile on my face. A real, genuine, ear to ear smile. You know when you forget how to do something because you haven't done it in a while, like ice skating, but then you try it and it doesn't take long to remember the strategy or the way it made you feel. Your memories and past skill form back together and what your doing suddenly makes sense, and you wonder why you ever quit.

Ice skating, at least for me, is specially reserved for winter. Its absolutely freezing, my skates are probably giving me blisters, but its heaven, because I'm under the dazzling night sky filled with beautiful clusters of stars, wrapped head to toe in the comfiest, coziest outfit (and sort of resembling a marshmallow), and snowflakes are gently falling (so am I, but not so gently), making like the greatest snow globe scene in existence.

Smiling, however, is an all the time thing. You shouldn't find yourself trying to remember the last time you did it, or how it felt. It's something that should come naturally.

This morning was the first time I've genuinely smiled, since you've been gone, and it felt amazing.

After making Hen some chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, I told him what I had decided last night after finishing the last bit of your journal entry on my own.

I explained to him that I wanted to get you back, but only if he was still okay with me going.

His eyes immediately lit up and he skidded his chair back to run and hug me. He told me he was so happy I was going to try and that he knew I could do it because he has the strongest and bravest mom ever.

I melted.

He believes in me so much, Regina. In us. He loves us so much and places so much hope in our love for one another. It's beautiful but it's also heartbreaking because what if I disappoint him? I couldn't live with myself.

So, I have to find you. I have to break through to you. I have to give you the journal you wrote to your past self. I have to get you to come back with me, Regina.

This journal entry is sort of all over the place, sorry about that (it's still weird for me to act like I'm apologizing to you instead of the journal, Hopper says that's understandable).

After writing my last little blurb, Henry and I decided to go over to mom and dads to tell them the news. Oh Regina you should have seen the looks on their faces, definitely priceless. They thought I was becoming a total nutjob when told them about the possible way of getting you back.

After an excrutiatingly long period of time, consisting of them both asking me 10 million questions, and telling me 10 million times how bad of an idea it is, they agreed to keep Henry.

I thought it was going to be 20 million of each honestly so I guess I should be thankful.

Henry and I said goodbye, which was the one of the top hardest moments I've ever had to experience.

We all, ( Charming and Snow however, begrudgingly ), decided that it would be best to just go tonight. I already have the potion in the bottom drawer, there isn't really much I can do to prepare, the sooner I leave the sooner I can get back, and the sooner I leave the sooner I get to see you.

So I guess I'll end this entry, and stop procrastinating from taking the potion.

Um... I love you. Here, there and everywhere.

Is that too cheesy? Probably.

See you soon, Regina.

(Like very soon. Like scary, very soon.)

-Emma Swan, Your Knight in Shaking Armor"

Emma closed her journal and sat up from her slouched position on her bed.

She glanced at the potion, sitting on her dresser, that she had pulled out from the bottom drawar earlier.

Im really about to do this, she thought.

Taking in a deep breath, she reached for the small glass bottle, and unskrewed the top.

She was as prepared as she ever would be. She was wearing appropriate clothes; skinny jeans, boots, a comfy tee, topped with none other that her worn, red leather jacket. Well, appropriate to her.

She chuckled at the thought of Regina raising a perfectly plucked eyebrow at her attire, and snearing, to hide undeniable attraction.

She knows how Regina feels about her in skinny jeans.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts and stared down at the purple hued liquid inside of the bottle and made a face of disgust, at the thought of injesting it.

It had to be done, however.

Emma brought the potion up to her lips and downed it in one swallow.

The glass bottle fell from her hand, and her eyes grew heavy with fatigue.

The last thing she was conscious of seeing was the bottle shattering on the floor, and being engulfed in a thick, black fog.

AN: Do we finally get to see the Evil Queen in the next chapter? You're all probably like, "um, we better!" I can assure you, you will. If Emma meets her in the next chapter, how do you think their encounter will go? Curious to hear your feedback. ALSO, if you're upset at how short this is (sorry sorry sorry), maybe you'd like to check out my new story as well? Just an idea that was bouncing around in my head, I would love to hear feedback on it as well! Much love!