So the majority voted good Cora so that is what you'll get! :)

Another long one!

Chapter 6

Frozen to the spot, Regina looks to the woman in front of her with wide, somewhat fearful eyes feeling not sure on what to make of her. Cora simply smiles in awe taking hold of her daughters wrists. "Let me look at you...quite the young woman now.."

Trying to open her mouth, the brunette struggles to ask the many questions that have taken over her mind. 'What is she doing here? Why now? What does she want?' Looking into what appeared to be a loving gaze, Regina clears her throat. "..you came back..."

Nodding tearfully, the older brunette goes to pull her daughter into a hug but stops when the girl backs up, looking away.

"I..I can't.."

Turning on her heel, Regina hastily heads upstairs to her room finding it hard to breathe. Leaning against her now closed door, she rests her head against it letting a couple of tears drop down onto her blouse. Placing a hand to her chest, she tries to calm herself. She was having a panic attack. Reaching across for the landline as she left her bag downstairs, she shakily dials for Emma. Silently praying for an answer.

"Hello?"

Trying not to scare her, the brunette turns position and rests her forehead against the door to see if it helps. "Em..Emma..its...I.."

"Regina? Are you okay? What is it? Talk to me?"

Gulping back a lump, Regina attempts again sounding choked. "..I..need..calm..me..I..cant.."

"Okay Regina listen to me? You are going to be fine. Is your front door unlocked?"

Sliding down the door, the brunette lets her tears run freely. "..yes.."

"Okay, give me five minutes"

Dropping the phone to the floor, Regina brings her knees up to her chest hugging them and starting to wheeze.

Within five minutes, Emma comes racing through the front door glancing over briefly at the woman sat on the couch, holding her head then runs upstairs causing Cora to lift her head at the noise.

Making it to Regina's room, Emma knocks then attempts to open but is prevented as the brunette is sat against it. Filled with worry, the blonde knocks again. "Baby it's me.."

Hearing a slight shift around, she pushes the door again, this time managing to open it enough to step through. Upon seeing Regina looking at her teary and huddled on the floor struggling for air, Emma quickly shuts the door and sits beside her. Taking hold of her face, the blonde looks directly at her. "Hey..breathe for me..it's okay, just take deep breaths, I'm here.."

Taking a few deep breaths, copying Emma's actions, Regina starts to calm then shuffles closer to the blonde, prompting the teen to pull the brunette on top her lap to hold her. Resting her head against Emma's chest, Regina closes her eyes allowing the sound of the blonde's heartbeat to relax her completely while the said girl rubs circles on her back soothingly.

"You're okay now.."

Looking down feeling guilty, Regina replies quietly. "I'm sorry..I guess Mary Margaret wasn't happy with this..I just..she.."

"It's safe to say the whole Mary Margaret thing ended a while ago, I was at David's, he said it was fine and I'm guessing by she, you mean the woman who looks distraught downstairs?"

Lifting her head, the brunette shows a teary face frowning. "She does?"

Emma simply nods. "Your mother?"

Regina nods back. "Yes, she just..turned up. Father's going to be furious..and..I don't understand, she was all nice..it was too much. I was always told of this horrible person, then she walks in all loving and wanting to hug me and compliment me..I just..don't get it.."

Stroking some hair out of the brunette's face, the blonde bites her lip. "I get that..and hey she'll probably not like me because..Mary Margaret's kid..but..I think you should hear her out..then it'll all be clear for you.."

Sliding off Emma slowly, Regina stands up encouraging the blonde to do the same. Wiping her face and checking in the mirror, the brunette sniffles. "You're right..I'll talk to her..you will be here though?"

Taking her hand to give it a squeeze, Emma smiles. "Yes, I will hang back..on the stairs if you need me"

Regina takes one final breath and heads out her room. Pausing a moment to look at the blonde, the brunette smiles. "Emma?"

"Yes?"

Giving a playful frown, the brunette questions. "Baby?.."

Emma bites her lip glancing away shy. "Oh..yeah.." Looking back with a nervous grin, the blonde smiles more seeing Regina look at her in awe over the nickname.

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Making her way downstairs, Regina finds Cora pacing concerned. Clearing her throat to announce her presence, the brunette hitches her breath when she sees the upmost worry in her mother's eyes.

Looking back to find her daughter's face all red and puffy with a hint of watery eyes, Cora tries to hold it together. "Regina..dear I am so sorry to just..show up. I never wanted to hurt or upset you..I personally thought you'd be better off without me. Your father is such a kind, caring and decent man who I did love very much so..I thought you would be best with him because I..I hurt..a family..destroyed them when I didn't mean to. I thought I was helping.."

Raising an eyebrow from the top step of the staircase, Emma sits herself down and watches through the banister. 'Is she talking about my family?'

Regina approaches her warily. "What happened?..what was so bad you left town? Father even said you was going to give me up.."

The blonde's eyes widen from her position on the stairs hearing this. She could never imagine Regina in the system. She wouldn't cope. Not saying that the brunette was not strong and independent but her emotions would get the best of her. Regina was too caring and concerned, she would want to look after the younger kids and that would get in her trouble with the older ones for being a 'soft touch' but that loving quality is what Emma finds most endearing.

Cora briefly looks at Regina then walks slowly back to the couch setting herself down while taking an audible breath. "I did..say that once but it was only because I assumed you'd be better off without me and at the time, your father and I were arguing about a certain matter and I regret that I mainly said it out of spite because I was in a panic. I needed to leave Storybrooke so the decision to take you with me or not was up in the air but then I realized..I couldn't let you grow up without both of us and your father was the best option"

Regina takes a moment then follows into the room, sitting opposite her on the armchair. "Was your arguing to do with you leaving?"

Looking down to her hands, the older brunette nods. "I had told him what had happened and that I needed to leave. He understood the aftermath of it but never thought I would go, so when I said I was..we argued,..at first he was..begging me not to leave but then he was more or less shouting for me to go"

Leaning forward to gain eye contact, the younger brunette looks desperate. "..Mother..what happened?"

Hearing her daughter's plea, Cora looks back at her. "There was a young girl...barely..eighteen and she was at the time, the mayor's daughter, who was brought up with high expectations and a plan of college and everything else then she got pregnant. It was the same time I was pregnant with you and if I hadn't of seen her trying to sneak a test from the pharmacy I don't know what she would of done. I couldn't imagine what she was feeling because I was older and married..but I told her I would keep it secret and help her if she needed it. She began to trust me and so I helped.."

Intrigued, Regina questions more. "Helped how?"

"She was scared to tell her parents but didn't have the heart to have an abortion, so her plan was to give the baby up for adoption. Which she did, I took her to the agency for support, by then I had you..and even though she kept saying it was for the best, I could see she was devastated..she held you all the way home as a comfort. The father..he knew she was pregnant and said he would support no matter what despite them both being in school, but he never knew she was giving their baby girl up. They argued, he left, she broke down and I just knew she needed her mother.."

Looking teary, the young brunette bites her lip guessing. "So you told her mother.."

Having sat through the whole conversation, Emma grew pale putting the pieces together. Mary Margaret's secret that was told by Cora. The girl Cora is talking about is her mother and she was the baby.

"I told her mother that she was having a tough time but I never told her about the baby. Her mother went to her, she blurted it out assuming I had told, her parents never forgave her afterwards for being 'stupid'. They then came to me, blaming me for influencing her and threatened to hurt me in the worse way a mother could be hurt. They were going to take you. I couldn't allow it so I left of my own accord so you could stay with your father and be happy"

Rubbing her head, Regina gulps. "So they drove you..out of town.."

Taking a deep breath, the older brunette tries to keep it together. "Once I left, I heard that her parents died and..well she was supposed to be mayor but couldn't take it..the guilt had set in. Then I heard your father was elected and that was that"

Frowning, the teen looks sad. "So you could have come back then...but you didn't. Father has been mayor for ten years.."

Cora reaches across for her daughters hands. "I'm sorry..the longer it got, the harder I found it to come back..I didn't want you hating me and I knew that Henry must have told you some story of why I went, saying it was my fault to save face and upsetting you if you thought I left because of you"

"But you did!" Shaking her head to fight back the tears, Regina tries to take her hands again.

"To keep you safe! Regina I never wanted to leave you.." Gripping the girls hands preventing her from taking them back, Cora allows her lip to tremble, wanting forgiveness.

Slowly walking down the stairs, the blonde stops at the living room entrance still in shock of what she had heard. "Regina..I..have to go..."

Both Mills women look over to Emma, Regina with concerned and Cora frowning at recognising her. "Regina dear..who is this?"

Rising from her seat and releasing herself from her mother's grip, the brunette goes over to the blonde taking her arm worried. "This is Emma..my friend..she is Mary Margaret's daughter.."

Cora looks astonished staring at the blonde. "You're..you.."

Emma looks to the woman and nods. "The baby in the story..you just told.."

Regina's eyes widen in shock. "What?! Hold on the woman..you helped was Mary Margaret?!"

The blonde cuts in before Cora can answer. "Makes sense now, why..she wanted me to stay away..and why she reacts the way she does when your mother is mentioned..I really have to go" Pulling her arm back, Emma makes a run for the door.

Regina looks to her mother still in shock then runs after the blonde catching her down the pathway. "Emma!"

Turning round to face the brunette at the end of the path, the blonde looks teary. "I don't know what to think! I need to talk to her..she was scared but, she didn't fight for me! And David didn't even know she gave me away..."

Pulling her into a tight hug, Regina holds the back of her head. "I'm sorry that my mother-"

"No all this time Mary Margaret made her out to be some villain when all she did was help her..and because of my family, you had to grow up without her.."

Stroking her hair, the brunette presses a kiss to the side of her head. "Honestly..I just think that everyone thought they were doing right by their child. I know what Mary Margaret done was hurtful but she was protecting you..from what it sounds like, her parents..they..I don't know, what if they had asked to get rid of you? you wouldn't be here now"

"I need to talk to her.."

Moving back, Emma rests her forehead against Regina's. "I'm sorry I caused all this..it's all a mess.."

Quickly kissing her nose, the brunette gives a small smile. "You didn't and we will figure all this out with both our parents together"

The blonde smiles back. "I like the sound of that..."

"Go on..go talk to your mother.."

Emma goes to leave but stops again and turns back to kiss her, taking hold of her face. Regina kisses back holding her arms before the blonde pulls away. "Needed some courage.."

Chuckling, the brunette watches her leave then heads back to the door seeing Cora in the doorway and goes red. "Mother..I.."

Holding her hands up, Cora simply smiles. "You don't need to explain..it was obvious.."

Frowning, Regina heads inside shutting the door behind her. "Why do people keep saying that..."

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Knocking on the door, Emma looks up feeling impatient for an answer. Opening the door, Mary Margaret looks confused as to why her daughter has come back. "Emma? Is everything okay?"

Emma screws her face in confusion. "Maybe..I don't know..but I know.."

Holding onto the door, the short haired woman steps aside. "Know what?.."

"Why you gave me up..everything..the whole story.."

"Oh..Emma..I-"

Stepping inside, the blonde takes the door from her mother, shutting it. "Cora..told me, well told Regina but I was there and listening.."

Mary Margaret looks panicked. "Cora?!"

Emma takes a breath and looks at her. "It's okay..I..I don't blame you, I mean..it could have maybe been done differently..but I get it..and Cora isn't to blame, I know you were scared when your mother found out but Cora never actually told her about me..just that you could have done with having your mother at that time..I know putting the blame on Cora was the easy option to keep your parents on your side but..it wasn't fair. She was only helping you and she lost her daughter too because of it"

Mary Margaret looks down feeling guilty and upset. "They always kept on Emma..to be the perfect daughter..to make them proud. Pregnant at eighteen to them was never in the 'life plan' and they said I was a disgrace..and ruined everything.."

Taking a deep breath, Emma steps forward and wraps her arms around her, shocking both of them. As soon as she feels her daughters arms, the short haired woman hugs her for dear life. "I am so sorry Emma.."

Shaking her head profusely, the blonde squeezes her, getting teary again. "I think maybe you should talk to David..let him know the truth, let him in"

Nodding, Mary Margaret sniffles. "I've kept it all in for so long and I..I miss him so much"

Emma pulls back holding her hands. "Call him..talk to him okay? I will leave you guys to it.."

Stroking her daughters face, Mary Margaret smiles. "You are too smart you know that.."

The blonde grins slightly embarrassed and jokes. "Well someone has to be!"

Nudging her arm, the woman takes a breath and sorts herself out while Emma heads back to the door. "Call me when I can come home?"

Her mother nods with a smile, watching her go. 'She just said home'

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Cora and Regina had spent the next couple of hours catching up and getting to know one another when Henry comes home. Walking into the kitchen, he stops dead in his tracks seeing his estranged wife. "Cora?"

Both women look over from their seats at the kitchen counter. The young teen grimaces at her father's appearance, hoping that they won't argue. Cora looks at him with a mixture of sadness and guilt but also happy to see him again. "Henry.."

Walking through, the mayor goes and stands beside his daughter placing a hand on her shoulder. "What are you doing back here?"

"To make amends?"

Henry scoffs. "Amends?..for walking out and missing the majority of your daughter's life?!"

Regina grabs his hand concerned. "Daddy..please..she told me everything, can we at least try and get along? I know its sudden but..I want to get to know her..maybe not quite as a mother yet but as a friend.."

Cora smiles grateful to even have that with her daughter. Henry sighs and looks between them. "Fine but I am warning you now Cora, hurt her in the slightest and you are out of this town"

Regina smiles and hugs him by the waist as he is standing. "Thank you"

Cora nods. "I understand perfectly and I can tell you now, I will not hurt her.."

Henry merely nods back. Regina stands up quickly. "I had made dinner for myself but didn't get around to eating, however there is enough for the both of you as well if you are hungry?"

The mayor smiles appreciative of his daughter. "Looks like we have to set an extra place at the table.."

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Walking along the docks, Emma sits herself on a bench. She was tempted to call Ruby as she knew Regina would be dealing with her family but decided against it to enjoy the peace and quiet for a little while.

Thinking over everything, the blonde brings her knees up to hug while watching the water. This was it. What she had just said to Mary Margaret was right. This was home. She finally has a place where she belongs and she sure as hell is going to make it stay that way. Now that everything was out in the open, Emma prays that the review meeting next week goes well and maybe she will no longer be a foster kid, but just a regular one.

A/N: so it's all out. Will Henry and David be able to forgive their ex partners? What will happen when Sarah comes back to check on Emma's wellbeing...