First of all, I am really sorry for all the time it took me too upload this fanfiction. Hope you will enjoy this next chapter !
"I didn't remember the Lake was so far away."
They had been walking for a couple of hours by now, even though it felt like ages for the Queen.
"All due respect, Your Majesty, but we have no idea of where we've landed. For what we know, we could even be in the wrong realm.", Gold groaned.
His leg was hurting him more than he was willing to admit and he had hoped Regina would know more precisely where they were going. He stopped, leaning on his cane and looking at the woman who was scanning the landscape, a few steps away from him.
"No, this is mine", she certified, "I know it. I feel it."
"Well, if you're right, it was yours. But now I'm afraid you don't own anything anymore."
Regina had to admit reluctantly that he was not entirely mistaken. The realm that once was hers was long gone. All was left of it was sand and dust. From time to time, they came across a dead tree. Its dried up branches casted a shadow onto the devastated ground. The place, now a desert of desolation, had a taste of apocalypse. The sad sight she had to witness, added to the high reflection of the sun, made Regina close her eyes.
"Come on, Gold.", she pressed him, "Let's keep walking."
Which they did, for about another hour before the Queen gestured the Dark One to stop.
"Regina ?"
"It's here.", she whispered.
Gold looked at her, suddenly worried that the heat might be causing her some hallucinations. Indeed, the lands that were stretching before them were as dry as all the ones they had encountered since the beginning of their journey.
"Dearie", he said, trying to sound as less sarcastic as he could, "we are looking for a lake. Yet, I can't see any water."
"Don't be stupid !", she said, annoyed, "I can see there's no water here ! But it was the Lake's location before the curse, I'm sure of that."
"So let me get this clear. We came all this way to find the waters of a lake that don't even exist anymore ?"
"Stop yelling at me", Regina protested, "I couldn't know it would be dried."
Gold let himself fall on the ground, quickly joined by the mayor, and asked :
"Now what ?"
"I don't know.", Regina conceded, "I guess we could try to bring the water back. There must be some more deep down in the ground."
"So what do you suggest ? We make two shovels appear and start digging ?", he scorned.
"Of course not ! We use magic !"
"I thought I had be clear enough.", he yelled, "we are not that powerful, Regina ! Not anymore ! Don't you see ? We need the Lake to find our powers back but we can't reach the Lake without our powers."
Regina felt panic overwhelm her. Gold was right, they had reached deadlock. She was trying to figure out a way out when she heard Gold's voice.
"Regina ? We've got a problem."
"What could possibly be worse than…"
She stopped, too shocked to go on talking… She couldn't believe her own eyes, staring at what she would call a ghost from her past. And as far as she could tell, the woman standing in front of her could indeed be a ghost. Or worse.
"M-Mother ?", she stammered.
"Hello Regina."
"But… It's not possible.", she denied, nodding her head, "you died."
"Well, obviously not.", a male voice sniggered.
"Hook !", Gold screamed.
"Crocodile.", the captain answered calmly.
Ignoring what had just happened between the two men, Cora came closer to her daughter and added :
"I'm here now. The whys and wherefores don't matter. The real question is how come you are here as well ?"
Regina hesitated but since Rumple didn't prevent her from answering, too busy trying to stop himself from killing Hook, she told Cora everything that has happened in her life since the curse. When she finished, she was surprised to see a smile on her mother's face.
"I can help you.", she ensured, "Rumplestiltskin is right, Lake Nostos' waters are required. And to get to them, you need an extra source of magic."
"And that would be you.", Rumple understood.
"That would be perfect", Regina agreed, "but why would you help us ?"
"Regina, you're my daughter.", Cora reminded, "I want you to be happy. You need to get back to your son and I will help you with that."
"I'm sure you're not doing it only in the name of maternal love. What is your price ?"
"It's more a request than a price. I help you two get home but this time, you take me with you. We have been apart for too long. And once we are there, think about it, we could run Storybrooke like a family."
"Regina, can I talk to you for a minute ?", Gold asked.
He dragged her away from Cora and stated :
"We can't let us come home with us ! She is too dangerous !"
"I don't like it either but we can't go back without her. She's right, Henry needs me."
Noticing that the Dark One was still not convinced, she added the one thing that could make him give up.
"Like Belle needs you."
Rumple sighed. Cora was there anyway. She wouldn't go, she wouldn't let them go and she wouldn't help them without going to Storybrooke with them. And he was certainly not powerful enough to take care of her and Hook.
"Alright", he resigned himself, "Let's go home."
