Thank you again for your nice reviews. Keep them coming!

avc.382 : Saw your request, thank you! I will try to write something soon.

Now, a not so light chapter. Enjoy!

"This will do." Emma said stirring the pot one last time. She looked quite pleased with herself especially considering the difficulty of the potion she spent the morning concocting.

There was only one last thing to add to finish up.

Rummaging through the vault's many items she found what she was looking for and without a second thought she put the last ingredient in the pot. Then she put her hands above the mixture hoping her magic would do the rest.

Or at least, that's what she imagined. When her magic came in contact with the potion, Emma realized things were not going the way they were supposed to. Thinking she could stop the motion by turning off her magic, she pulled her hands out but the movement made things worse. She just had the time to put a protective spell around her before seeing her potion blow up in a surprisingly violent way.

Still protected by her magic, Emma waited a bit for the fumes to clear out. When it did so, Emma took a look around and suppressed a cry at the sight. She stood there in the middle of the vault, frozen. She heard her phone, taking a look at the caller she sighed but answered knowing the woman was the only one who could help her.


Emma sat at the entrance of Regina's vault anxiously waiting. She heard her name being called and turned to see her mother casually walking toward her.

"What was so urgent?" Snow asked. Her daughter's demand intrigued her, Emma was not known to ask for help unless forced to do so. The second she took a look at her daughter, Snow understood something was definitely not right.

"Are you okay?" She asked putting her hand on her daughter's arm needing the contact to make sure the woman was indeed alright.

"Yes but maybe not for long."

Snow frowned at this but followed her daughter who was already walking toward Regina's vault. To Snow's surprised, Emma entered the place without difficulty. Snow knew that at the exception of Regina, no one could enter this vault, and she also knew that the place was protected with powerful magic, magic Emma didn't have access to yet. "You know i'm all for mother-daughter bonding experiences but breaking into Regina's vault is not on my list of fun things to do with my daughter." She was only half-joking, Regina would certainly kill them both for breaking in here.

Snow watched as Emma put a protective spell around them both before going further into the vault. She understood why when her eyes fell on the devastated state of the room. The air was charged with something she couldn't described but she was glad she didn't have to breath it in. The neat work space Regina had worked in all those years was destroyed. Books were burned out, vials were shattered letting their content flotting unobstructed in the air around them.

"What happened here?" Snow asked alarmed. Her mind went searching for the plausible cause of this, listing the names of their enemies still in Storybrooke, enemies with the capabilities to break into Regina's vault. But thinking back to the reasons of her presence here in the first place, her mind stopped.

"I was testing some potion and it backfired. I just had time to protect myself before the thing blew up in my face. I don't understand, I followed exactly what was written on this." Emma said holding the now burned out book.

"Let me get this straight. You entered here, tried a potion for the first time, alone, that went so badly that it destroyed some of the most valuables magic items Regina owns. You didn't know what to do so you called me." Emma nodded. "How did you even enter?"

"When we were practicing with my magic, Regina corrected the spell that protect the entrance of the vault so that I could enter without her and practice safely. With everything that happened, she must have forgotten to put it back the way it was before." Seeing the dumbfounded look of her mother Emma thought smart to add, "I know it's bad."

"Do you really?" Snow asked looking again at the disaster around her. "What were you thinking Emma?" She asked angry and disappointed.

"I asked you to come because I needed help not so you could yell at me."

"Watch the attitude." Snow said a warning in her voice. Sometimes her daughter was forgetting who she was talking to. "If I want to tell you off right now, I will, I certainly won't wait for your permission."

Emma avoided her mother's eyes, properly chided. She wasn't yet used to this facet of her mother.

Snow walked around the room, looking for something to salvage. She opened a few drawers and sighed when she saw that pretty much everything had been destroyed.

"What's happening?" Snow asked suddenly. The walls had started to shake ever so slightly, until a resounding bang was heard. Emma walked toward the entrance only to find the door closed. Snow watched as her daughter tried to force it open without much success.

Of course Regina would boobytrap her vault.

They spent an hour looking for ways to get out, at least Emma tried. After a few minutes, Snow sat down knowing there was no way they would break free without Regina's help. Emma refused to give up though. Knowing her daughter, Snow thought it was mostly a question of pride. The whole potion fiasco and the need to ask for help once already was enough for Emma. But on the other side, Snow knew pride was not the only factor here. Indeed, the last few months, Emma had found an ally in Regina – a mentor even – a relationship at least that for once was not related to the son they shared. There was an implicit trust between them and what happened today could tempered this new relationship that – Snow knew – was cherished by Emma.

Her phone rang, "It's Regina" she said in the direction of her daughter.

"Don't say anything." Her daughter said almost pleading.

"Oh but why would I?" Snow said sarcasm dripping from her words, "After all It always worked out fine for me having to keep a secret from Regina."

"Hey." She said casually answering her phone.

"Hey? Is it really a way to answer a phonecall Snow?"

"I knew it was you."

"Which makes it worse." Snow smiled knowing the older woman absolutely hated this sort of casualness.

"What's up Regina?"

"Seriously..." Snow smiled at the exasperated breath she heard the older woman take on the other end of the line. "You're needed at the Townhall. Something strange is happening and I need someone in charge here while I check some things around town. Someone other than the Dwarfs"

Snow frowned at this, turning to Emma who shrugged at her. "Strange how?"

"Strange as there is magic involved. So if you could hurry here so I can find the person who is trying to spoil my afternoon..."

"Wait." Feeling dizzy Snow suddenly felt the need to sit down. A headache was forming behind her eyes. She took a deep breath to calm her heart down but it made things worse. She felt Emma beside her.

"Mom...are you okay?"

She wanted to answer her daughter but she couldn't, a jolt of pain coursed through her body and just like that she was out.


A bit of light was going through her eyes, she tried to open them but her eyelids were too heavy. Something was hitting her cheek, the more she tried to open her eyes, the more she could feel her cheeks being hit. Soon she realized that someone was hitting her. Her eyes flew open …

Snow looked around confused at seeing Regina hovering over her.

"Finally." She heard the woman say impatiently.

"What happened?"

"I'd very much like to know that as well." Regina said pointingly looking at the Sheriff standing next to her.

"Are you okay?" Emma asked her mother still shaken by the whole endevour.

Snow tried to sit and managed to do so using Regina to steady herself. "I think I am." She took the time to look at her daughter, "are you?"

Regina intervened, "The protection spell protected her. It wasn't strong enough to protect the both of you though." Snow shared a look with her daughter that told her everything she needed to know. She saw the guilt on her daughter's face and knowing Regina, Snow was sure nothing was done to alleviate it.

"Honey, could you fetch me a glass of water please?" Emma nodded and left the two older women alone.

"How long was I out?" Snow asked the Mayor once Emma was out of earshot.

"A few hours." Seeing the shocked expression on the former Princess' face, Regina felt the need to explain further. "Given the state of my vault, I had to ask Gold for ingredients to make a potion to counteract the effect of the fumes you inhaled." Which came with a price surely. Regina watched Snow massaged her cheeks. "Are they hurting?" The question made Snow stop, she had not realize what she was doing.

"Yes."

"Good. Maybe something finally made it in this thick skull of yours."

They both stared at each other, Regina was expecting a rebuke from the woman but nothing came. Emma entered with glasses and a bottle of water but had to leave the room again to answer her phone.

"You said there was something strange before I passed out, that you wanted to check something and that you needed me at the Townhall."

"Robin, David, the Wolf and the Dwarfs had already started looking for clues when I called you. The Wolf found the cause of our problem. It turned out someone had managed to enter my vault and unleashed some nasty magic. But I believe you know more about all this than I do. I guess now they will start on cleaning up after you two." Unknown to Snow and Emma, not every bit of magic stayed in the vault.

"She didn't do this on purpose." Tried Snow.

"I don't care!" Regina erupted suddenly. "Magic is not to be taken lightly, you of all people should know that! People die when magic is misused. A few more minutes and you would have died. I could care less whether it's done on purpose or not, the result is the same." Now the woman was on a rant. "I can't believe you didn't call me the moment you saw the state of my vault or told me when we were on the phone. After everything you have seen, everything you've been through, it amazes me how you can still be so foolish!"

Snow stood frozen for a second, surprised by the woman's sudden outburst.

"It's not Mom you should be mad at." They both turned toward the voice realizing Emma had reenter the room. "She didn't-"

But Regina didn't want to hear excuses. "I'll be mad at whomever I choose thank you very much."

A couple of minutes … that's all that separated Snow from her death today. A few seconds and they wouldn't be talking to each other right now. And to keep her alive, she had to make a trade with Gold, giving him one of her most prized magical possession, something he had tried to collect for the last decades. So yes, it gave her every right to be angry because again she was the one making a sacrifice. "You" she said adressing Emma "I can neutralize your magic if I desire to do so. It is harder to neutralize foolishness." She said eyeing her step-daughter.

When Regina first saw the state of her vault, she immediately thought that no one could have survived the mix of magical potions. Seeing Snow unconscious, fear clawed at her heart. Thanksfully, as defective as Emma's protection spell was, it had protected Snow enough and kept her from the worst the vault had to offer. Sheer luck … that's all it was … but luck wasn't something Regina was known to count on.

But it was also arrogance and recklessness. And she knew all about that.

"Maybe that's what I should have done already."

"What? Neutralize my magic?"

Snow sensed a sudden tension rise up in the room. Regina was angry but Emma felt guilty and judged which Snow knew could make her daughter feel trapped.

"Clearly you cannot be trusted with it."

"And you are?"

"I'm pretty sure that if someone had proposed that eventuality to the people in the Enchanted Forest at the time, they would have jumped at the opportunity and rightfully so."

"I'm not planning on becoming you."

"You almost did today." A silence fell on the women. "You almost took a life."

"It was an accident."

Regina scoffed humorlessly at the woman's words. "You think it matters how it happened? Your father would still be a widow. What about your brother? And Henry?" And me?

The past years had to count for something! She would keep her promise made to Snow, she would protect Neal, protect him from the pain of losing his mother and his sister. "If you're not taking your magic seriously, you're a threat and I will not allow a threat to stay in Storybrooke."

It was enough for Emma, she didn't need to hear this after the day they had. She took her jacket and prepared herself to leave.

"Where are you going?" Snow asked her daughter carefully.

"That was Dad on the phone. He needs the Sheriff." She looked angrily at Regina, "Unless you think I'm too much of a threat to help with the clean up." Not receiving an answer she left not without slamming the door on her way out.

Snow sat down on the couch tired and anxious. "There was no need to be so hard on her."

"Stop being so indulgent!" Regina said exasperated. "She needs to understand the responsabilities that comes with having magic."

"She does."

"You hope so."

"I know so." Snow reached for the Mayor's hand squeezing it reassuringly. "Emma's story will be different than yours Regina. Because I'm not Cora, and you're not Rumple. What she doesn't need is to think that we don't trust her. She doesn't need us guilting her either." Regina pulled her hand out from the Snow's grip.

"You're coddling her." The Mayor said sourly.

"And you're pushy."

"I'm doing what needs to be done!"

"No" Snow said angrily, "what you're doing is letting your fear that Emma might take the same path you did, control your actions." Regina turned to her glowering. "You know I'm right." Snow said holding her ground. "You cannot take Emma's magic away without changing who she is and I'll not let you do that. As long as we stand with her, we have to believe that it will be enough for her to make the right decisions. But she needs all of us Regina, you maybe more than David and me." It was true, Regina knew more than anyone else what Emma was going through. The doubt, the fear, the burden too, she had lived all that and was still living with it.

Snow threw caution to the wind and despite not being that steady on her legs right now, approached the older woman and grabbed her hand again, this time unwilling to let go. "I need to know you're on her side."

Against her better judgement, Regina glanced at her step-daughter. Her skin was paler than usual, her eyes red as if she had been crying for days, she looked small and awful and will for days given the things she had inhaled. Regina almost gave way to the sudden urge to take the younger woman in her arms, an old reflex to comfort her re-surfacing she didn't even know from where. She pushed it back, squeezing her hand instead.

"I am on her side. I just wish she was thinking before acting."

Snow smiled a bit at that. "Like mother, like daughter I guess."

Snow meant it as joke but to Regina it wasn't anymore. She would never tell her step-daughter that but seeing some of Snow's qualities in Emma was a gift. Each times she was witnessing a bit of Snow White in Emma was a battle won against the Evil Queen and Regina was thriving in the defeat.


After making sure Emma's experiment had not left any kind of surprises in Town, Regina went back to her vault wanting to assess the damages. She was a bit stunned to see Storybrooke's Sheriff there also, sitting not far.

"This is the last place that needs cleaning up." Emma said uncomfortable. She was angry at the woman and at the same time ashamed for what had happened, two emotions she never knew how to handle. She had been waiting for an hour outside after realizing that she – of course – couldn't enter the vault by herself anymore and was thinking of leaving when she saw the woman. The last thing she wanted was to confront Regina so she wasn't sure why she was still here.

The Mayor walked passed her without a word and entered her vault. The door was left open so Emma followed the woman inside. She was shocked to see the place looked worse somehow. Without the fumes – which Regina must have taken care of given the fact she entered without protection – the image was clearer and it was not pretty.

"I'm so sorry Regina." The apology was sincere but Regina didn't seem to care for it.

Regina managed to fix a few things, burned down books mostly. The broken vials were lost though. Opening a few cupboards, she sighed with relief. Emma couldn't have known that but the most dangerous magic items were sealed at all time and couldn't be touched unless Regina decided differently.

"I thought everything had been destroyed." Said Emma looking over Regina's shoulder at the cupboard full of magical items.

"If that had been the case we would all be dead by now. Or worse." She placed a few salvaged books inside before sealing the cupboard again.

"Stand aside" she said curtly to the Sheriff. With a swift gesture of the hand, the vault was once again as pristine as Emma always saw it. "This is what I want it to look like." Regina said adressing the Sheriff. With another swift movement of her hand, the room went back to its chaotic state, as it was five minutes ago. Emma stared at the Mayor a dumbfounded look on her face.

"Without magic it will probably take you the rest of the day so you should start cleaning now if you want to be home for a late dinner." And with that she left.

"Wait!"

Almost left.

"I didn't mean to-" Emma sighed with frustration. "I'll make mistakes. You did too when you started exprimenting with your magic."

"And look where it got me." Regina said with vehemence. There were things she wanted to say to the younger woman about her own journey, things even Snow wasn't aware of. Her goal though was to guide her, not to scare her into submission. "You do not even pretend to acknowledge the cost that comes with your powers. You do not want to confront it so you're pushing it away, hoping the inconveniences will disappear. But believe me, nothing ever does. And if you don't understand this soon, you and I will have a problem."

"We won't." It was said with assurance but even then Regina had her doubts which Emma seemed to see. "I'm serious."

"Then prove it. Keep your end of the bargain."

Which meant no magic outside the vault but it also meant going back to learning how to control her magic but only with supervision. In short, grueling hours in perspective.

Emma nodded at the woman going against her old instincts in doing so. She never was a good student, not that she wasn't smart, she just had her own way of doing things. But she doubted the former Evil Queen would care about that now.

"I'll see you tomorrow then. 6 am here, don't be late."

Before Emma had time to argue, Regina had left the vault in a purple cloud.

"It's my day off tomorrow!"

My family tree is full of bossy women, Emma thought to herself.