"Oz awaits!" Aric said excitedly. Too soon had he spoken the words before the wagon came to a dead stop. Regina was standing in the road. Zelena remained impassive as she waited.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Zelena said nothing as Regina glared at her. She'd already justified her actions, already explained why she had no other choice, why Regina and Robin weren't leaving her with one. She had saved Robin's life and saved Merlin from being ensnared by Arthur. She knew it wasn't enough, but to the heroes it never would be. She would always be the Wicked Witch, the one who broke a law of magic to achieve her vengeance, the mentally unstable bitch sister. She was more than that. She needed her freedom to show it. Step Three was gaining that freedom. Step Four was when the real work began. "Zelena, you can't just take Robin's baby away from him." Zelena again remained silent. "Zelena!" Regina started magically constricting her throat. "Come down." Zelena finally responded with a burst of magic, hard enough to knock Regina off her feet. The carriage roared to life again and Aric quickly leaned up to hand her the spell book. She found the spell and quickly started casting it. The air around them started to pick up and she squinted her eyes as her magic was practically pulled from her body to power the portal. A green cyclone appeared on the road ahead.

"Zelena!" Regina roared.

Tristan kept her at bay with a well placed arrow that made her turn to catch it, opening their way to enter the cyclone. She covered her head as the wind started whipping them from all sides. The carriage started spinning and Aric had to quickly grab on. The portal didn't last long however, they were soon crashing against the ground and the horses were whinnying and neighing to get free. Tristan leaped out to calm them, and Zelena raised her head, looking around at the beautiful farmland of Quadling Country. Beneath them stretched the yellow brick road.

"We did it!" Zelena screamed with a laugh.

"We made it." Aric chuckled. "That was one hell of a ride."

"And it's far from being done. Did you pack any food? I'm starving."

"The pregnant lady is hungry." Tristan snickered. "Big surprise." Zelena glared at him.

"I do think a small picnic is in order so we can get our bearings and decide our next move." Aric climbed down and helped Zelena down. He and Tristan searched through the mess in the carriage, cleaning up as they went, and returned with a blanket and some provisions to spread on the ground. Zelena dug into food, devouring the majority of it before leaning back with her head on Aric's lap.

"What's first, Milady?" Tristan asked.

"Go back to our old life? Tiny houses, small farms. You want me to be a woodcutter?" Aric inquired.

Zelena had thought about it. Just giving up everything to start over with her beloved Knight. It was a tempting offer, but Step Four was too big to be done from a small farmhouse. "I need to complete Step Four. Step Three was getting here."

"What's Step Four?" Aric asked.

"Fixing everything the Wicked Witch messed up in Oz. I need to make amends, help changes for the better." She looked up at a smiling Aric. "What?"

"It's cute how you jump from changing yourself to changing an entire world." He said.

She sat up. "Will you help?"

"Of course. Tristan will too."

"Aye, Milady." Tristan agreed. "What about when the baby comes?"

"I'll be the best mother I can, but that doesn't mean I'll have to stop trying to make things better. I nearly destroyed this world trying to get at Regina. It's a good goal to try and fix my mistakes, isn't it?"

"I'm sure your baby will be happy that you're trying so hard. Don't try too hard though." Aric cautioned.

"There's so much to be done." Zelena sighed.

"One step at a time." Aric said. "Why don't you rest in the carriage and we'll wake you when we arrive at the Emerald City."

Zelena nodded, feeling the exhaustion start to weigh on her. Her knight carried her to the carriage and laid her down. She was asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

"She stole my baby!" Robin roared. Regina silently watched as he tried to trash the forest, angrily tearing apart everything, ripping the bark and branches off trees, kicking rocks and dirt. His face was red by the time he stopped to catch his breath. "She took my child."

"We'll find a way to get the baby back, Robin. We just need a way to Oz."

"It took the Dark One a lifetime to get to another world." He said. "It took your innocence and sanity as well. How are we going to get- wait, did she take the spellbook she used?"

Regina nodded. "It must've been from Merlin's library. There isn't another, I've combed that entire workshop."

"We need to find a way. She's only going to turn my child into a monster. I won't let her. I just won't."

"Robin." Regina stepped forward and placed both hands on his chest and looked into his eyes. "We will find the baby and we will bring them back to where they belong, with you."

"With us. We would be better parents than anything Zelena and that knight could be. My child's best chance is with us, heroes, honorable people."

She nodded in agreement, but she was only thinking of how much Zelena was willing to sacrifice for her escape. She put everything on the line. Even if they did manage to get to Oz, they still had no idea where Zelena would be, or how much time had passed between now and then. She knew that sometimes time flowed differently in other worlds and when going between them. The baby could be grown up by the time they found her. But Robin deserved his child, so she would help. She would do everything possible to reunite them, no matter how long it took.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The reforms to Oz was no easy task, something Zelena knew from the start. The people were of course pissed, but she was still in the seat of power. She used every ounce of that power to bring about a powerful change to her adopted world. Slowly, things started to get better.

Zelena sighed, putting down her pencil after signing the last official document of the night and sent it off with her consultant. She stood up, groaning under the task of moving with her now tire sized belly. She waddled off to her bedroom, a grand room, the likes of which she would've never experienced living in poverty before becoming the Wicked Witch. She was exhausted from the short walk and collapsed on her bed. She magically changed into her nightdress and curled up beneath the covers. Step Four was going to take years of work, of gaining trust, learning to be better. She sighed. "I don't know if I can do this, Little Munchkin." Her child responded with what felt like a kick. "Ow, okay, easy. I'll keep at it, try not to break anything."

"She putting up a fight tonight?" Aric asked as he walked in, shedding his armor and most of his clothes as he did so. He cleaned himself using magic and practically dove on the bed behind her.

"She is, but she just wants to encourage her mama." Zelena purred as he kissed her cheek.

"Any contractions?"

"Yeah, but nothing I couldn't handle."

"I told you to call me!" He hissed.

"I was fine."

"You were still supposed to tell me. You're at the end of the ninth month."

"And she's taking her sweet time getting out of there." Zelena muttered. Aric sat up to gently massage her back.

"I want to be informed the next time."

"Yes, Captain Galahad." Zelena said, being completely sarcastic. Aric had taken the liberty of being her enforcer, helping carry out her rulings, taking command of the guard and whipping them into shape, as well as trying to cleanse her image and keep the peace. She would've rather been out in the field herself, but they both decided that doing so would endanger the baby. She sat up. He gave her a gentle push from behind to help her get to her feet and she waddled off to the bathroom.

Aric smiled to himself, almost overwhelmed by how hard Zelena was trying to make herself better and fix her mistakes. Oz was much better due to her efforts but he could tell she was hardly finished. Even as she went to baby classes, did her breathing exercises and meditation every day. Even as she read to her belly as though the child could hear her. She even sang a strange little tune to it sometimes. The witch was really doing everything in her power to change, but he knew a change couldn't be forced, and that she needed to slow down what with the baby being so close to being born and all.

"Zelena? Are you gonna give the speech tomorrow?" There was no answer. "Zelena?" There was a loud crash and Zelena started swearing like a sailor. Aric got off the bed and ran into the bathroom. The floor was covered in watery blood and Zelena was leaning against the wall, hissing in pain.

"Call the healer."

Aric nodded and quickly did so before racing back to his beloved and carrying her over to the bed. She nearly punched him at being moved without warning, but her attention was caught by the arrival of the healers. Two blond little munchkins.

"What the-These are my healers?"

"We do good work ma'am." One of them said.

Zelena giggled. "Your little baby voice is not helping your case, my friend. However, I do need this baby out. So please hurry."

They started preparing and one turned to Aric as he was propping up Zelena with pillows and asked to see if the baby was crowning. Naturally, he peeked under Zelena's nightgown. His eyes immediately rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed to the ground.

"What happened?" Zelena asked, panting as the contractions came nonstop.

"Nothing." One of the munchkins said, waking Aric with a slap. He stared blankly as he scrambled away from the foot of the bed. "Now, Miss Zelena, push. Push!"

Zelena screamed as she pushed as hard as she could. It hurt so badly she thought she might pass out. Aric was at her side, encouraging her and holding her hand.

/

"Here she is. Your little girl." One of the munchkins handed Zelena her tiny little girl.

She was so perfect she took Zelena's breath away. "She's beautiful." She wondered how something as wicked as she, could create something so innocent and pure.

"Have you decided a name?" Aric asked.

"Eve." Zelena said firmly. "My precious little Eve." She smiled and kissed her child's forehead. "All at once, everything is different. Now that I see you." And everything did feel different. She no longer felt the cloud of wickedness and envy, everything seemed to shine a little brighter. And it was all because of her child. Her little girl.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It would take the heroes a while to get the darkness out of Emma, a few months as a matter of fact. But then, Robin was determined to find his lost child, despite Regina's warnings. He simply wouldn't listen and she spent the better part of 2 years trying to conjure a portal to Oz.

"I don't know what I can do, Emma." Regina sighed, collapsing behind her desk. "It's all Robin talks about and I can't help him. I don't know how to make a portal to Oz."

"Regina, I think you need to go home, drink some cider and go to sleep. Robin knows you're trying as hard as you can." Emma said, patting her back. She suddenly froze, and Regina looked up. "Maybe we could use the wand you used to get to Camelot. Can't you reprogram it or something to take you somewhere else?"

"That...is a good idea." Regina said softly. "But that'll take time and magical energy. I need to practice with this light magic a bit. If I can learn to harness it, I might be able to power the wand...or you could just do it."

"I can barely light a candle."

"Waste of potential." Regina rolled her eyes. "Fine- it's powered by dark magic. Son of a bitch!" She slammed her fists on the desk with another sigh.

"We have Gold."

Regina stood up. "We do." She sat down again. "But he'll want to make a deal and unless it's my first born child, I don't have anything of value for him."

"First born? Thought you couldn't have children." Emma said, frowning in confusion.

"That's the point, Miss Swan." Regina rolled her eyes again. "There has to be a way."

"Have you tried contacting Zelena? She might give you a way to Oz if you asked nicely. Maybe she's changed now."

"We thought she was somewhat changed before, look what happened." Regina stood up and started to pace. "I thought we'd reached an agreement."

"You were going to take her baby and raise it as your own, Regina. You kinda should've known that Zelena wasn't going to let that happen. Like it or not, she is a mother, and a mother will do anything for her child."

"So now what? We just let her get away with this?"

"I think we should go back to my original plan. You go home, have some wine and relax." Emma said. "Worrying yourself ragged isn't going to do any good. Start fresh tomorrow."

Regina sighed. "You might be right."

"I am. You need to rest. Now. Go home."

The queen did not go home. She went straight to her vault and pulled out an old mirror as tall as she was and wider than a door. She cleaned it off and tried to cast a spell to talk to Zelena. There was a moment of blackness before she was surprised by Zelena herself finishing her spell and coming into full view of the mirror.

"Yes dear?" The witch was dressed in a long green dress of clear fine make, adorned with jewels and gems. Her hair was even straightened and she seemed to glow.

"Robin wants his child back. You know it's the right thing-"

"Was the right thing taking her from me in the first place?" Zelena interrupted coolly. "Pretending like she was yours?"

"You still can't take a baby away from their father."

"But it's okay to take her away from her mother?"

"You're crazy!" Regina snapped. "You are exactly the type of person who shouldn't have children."

"Says the Evil Queen." Zelena chuckled with a smug smirk.

"Look, I admit I did a lot of bad things in my day, but what you have done to this man is awful. I became better when I got Henry-"

"No you didn't. No, you did not." Zelena interrupted get again. "It took you 10 years before you decided to 'change' because Henry decided he didn't want anything to do with you. Then you wanted to change and be a hero. Unlike me." She grinned. "When I decide to do something, such as ruin a happy ending, I commit."

"Clearly."

"What do you want, Regina, I have a coronation to finish preparing." Zelena sighed, crossing her arms. Both sisters jumped when screaming was heard. Zelena turned as a little dark haired girl came into view, holding up her hands that were bound by green vines, part of a giant pink bud.

"Mommy! Get it off!" She screamed, holding up her hands to Zelena. She couldn't have been more than 10 or 11.

Zelena smiled as she gently untangled the flower and placed it in the girl's palm. "See? All better."

"Thank you Mommy." She grinned, stroking the bud. "Who's that?" She glanced at the mirror.

"Your Aunt Regina."

"Hi, Aunt Regina." She smiled cheerfully at Regina.

Regina was momentarily stunned, but she managed to smile back. "Hello dear. What's your name?"

"Terra."

"Hello Terra." Regina looked at Zelena. "Is she...Robin's?"

"No." Zelena said. "She's my youngest."

"And smartest and cutest and funniest and-" Terra started, bouncing up and down.

"And most energetic." Zelena interrupted with a fond look at her daughter.

"Also, Mommy, Liir broke his sword again and the captain is waiting for your signature on some documents. And you have to finalize preparations for the coronation."

Zelena rolled her eyes. "There is always work to do." She looked up at Regina. "Wicked Witch out."

"No, Zelena, wait!" The mirror cracked as the spell was ended and Regina sighed. She stepped back as she heard someone coming down into the vault.

"Regina?" Robin called.

"In here." She replied, leaning against the wall.

"What's wrong?" He asked as he approached and kissed her forehead.

"I talked to Zelena."

"Really? Did you find out how to get to Oz?"

"I met her youngest child. She had to be at least 10."

"What does that mean?"

"That your child is probably older. It was a girl apparently, by the way."

"I don't care. She's my daughter." Robin hissed. "For all we know, Zelena brainwashed her. She probably thinks that knight is her father."

"Robin, I just can't get to Oz. I can't. I know how much this means to you but I just don't have the power. I can't even use dark magic anymore. If I could I might be able to power the wand that took us to Camelot, but I can't. I'm sorry."

He sighed and kissed her lips. "I shouldn't have put so much pressure on you. I'm the one who should be sorry."

"I really wish I could help, Robin. You know I would do anything for you."

Robin nodded and she accepted another kiss. "Come home, perhaps we can find another way."

Regina nodded as he put his arm around her and allowed herself to be lead up through the vault and outside. They walked home together and it brought a smile to her lips to spend time with her beloved thief. They arrived home but she stopped to check her mailbox. She pulled out a small box that looked like it was made of emerald.

"What is that, Regina?" Robin asked.

"I'm not sure." She opened it, revealing the card inside, inviting them to the royal coronation of Oz. "You are invited to the Grand Coronation, celebrating the future prosperity and protection of the great world that is Oz. You will be a Jaded guest of the Queen herself, you and your family, and you will be allowed to meet the royal family and receive a tour of the Emerald Palace. The Coronation will take place in three days time. A ride will be waiting."

"Whose coronation?" Robin asked.

Regina shrugged. "I highly doubt Zelena is the queen, but it's a way to Oz at least. In 3 days."