A/N: in honor of the show coming back tonight I have decided to post. So excited right now! "The Witch isn't working alone. People are saying that she's working for some higher power," Emma explained. Tess had quickly replaced her mask without an issue, having always had to recover from things faster than she should've. "Gather everyone, she probably already knows we're here," she ordered, moving to find the group and head back. They already had vague whereabouts and a possible motive but a few questions remained, hopefully to be answered by the others. *+*+*+*+*+ About an hour later they were all gathered outside of the city. Tess quickly scanned the crowd, counting heads. With everyone accounted for they began the trek back to camp. Regina caught up to her, clearly with information that would probably be a breakthrough. "Find something or are you thinking about trying out for the track team?" Tess smirked with a glance at Regina. "Very funny, but I do have something that could be of use to you," she stated, her pace now slowed down to a trot to keep up with Tess' long strides. "I assume you're going to tell me regardless of it's actual use," Tess cut out. Her mood remained fairly sour from her earlier confrontation with Hook, her mind never trailing far from the encounter. The two had barely spoken a word to each other in a icy silence that was sure to explode soon. Regina's eyebrows popped up, "May I remind you, Miss..." She asked for a name wordlessly, finding it rather embarrassing that she didn't know her last name especially when her use of formal address were a staple for her. Tess had apparently picked up on that as the corners of her mouth twitched up in yet another smirk that was fast becoming a trademark of hers. "Mercer," she supplied, smirk still haughtily in place. "Need I remind you, Miss Mercer, that my presence was in fact by your request," Regina reminded a bitter edge forming on her words. "I am aware of that, however I have been bombarded with the same information by nearly everyone in our party and am growing tired of finding the same dead ends every time," Tess bit out. "Well that's because they don't know what questions to ask." "And you do?" Tess challenged. "Yes. Tess," Regina pulled her aside from the group, "People aren't born in Oz. It can be a dreamland for some but for others it's the land where nightmares are born. You have to travel there." Tess popped an eyebrow. "Clearly I'm missing the relevance because I'm not seeing anything." "It means she's from somewhere else," Regina explained, "She had to come from somewhere. Magic can't just be taught. The only way to get it is if an ancestor has it. It doesn't skip generations." "You think we can find her family," Tess caught on. Her inner gears began working. Who did she know that could possibly be related to the Witch? "Well, I figured given her skin tone it wouldn't be that difficult," Regina supplied, frustration building. Higher power. Distorted skin color. She knew the final piece was missing but she had to find it. Soon. *+*+*+*+*+*+*+ When they finally returned everyone was gathered around a bonfire. The chatter quickly silenced upon their return for a moment before everyone erupted in cheers. Henry ran from the group and into Emma's arms. Regina watched as they embraced each other so lovingly. Emma bent down and talked to him. Regina couldn't but smile at Henry's excitement. But just as she couldn't help the smile, she couldn't help the tears either. She moved to excuse herself but found only the numbing realization that there was no one to excuse herself from. So, she just turned and headed for the smaller camp set off to the side. She had already filled Tess in on what she had found so they wouldn't need information from her. No one would notice her quiet absence, other than the fact that Robin wouldn't have a solemn hip ornament. No, no one would care. She sat on one of the logs placed around the pit for fire. She threw a spark in and a flame ignited. She bit back tears. Now she wasn't being strong for anyone but herself. No one came to greet her. She half hoped that Henry would realize her absence or maybe Robin but each would assume she was glued to the other. She stared into the fire, her mind absent of thoughts though her heart was roaring with emotion. She sensed she wasn't alone after a moment. She looked up, surprised to see Tess. No, her presence wasn't what surprised her. But the fact that she wasn't gloating. Even she had been received back as a hero, and despite their heart to heart the previous night, Jack didn't seem like someone who would let something like this pass without at least a snarky remark. But, no, her face held something she hadn't expected, concern. "Here to mock?" She couldn't help but ask anyway, though her instincts told her the opposite. "I must be more out of practice than even I realized," Tess tried to make light, to her credit, but Regina didn't receive it. Tess took a seat next to her. She also stared into the fire, unsure how to respond. Comforting had never been her thing, it was obvious to Regina. And she had never been quite sure how to receive it. Her mother had always taught her that comfort was a form of sympathy, and sympathy, pity. "I know how you feel." There was the line. For some reason, probably unknown to Tess, this was what made her snap, made her blood boil. She could be strong. She could deal with anything life threw her way, but the moment someone tried to level with her it made her burst. "You know how I feel?" She asked incredulously, "You, Jack the giant slayer, the savior of the weak, or Tess Mercer powerful business women, know how I feel?" She looked at Tess rage and disbelief blatant on her face. "You know what it's like to put everything you have into something only to have it ripped away from you by someone who threw it away? You understand what it's like to have the person you care about most despise you for what you were even though you try so hard to change? Don't tell me you know how I feel when you can't even comprehend what it's like to be a mother," she snapped. Now Tess snapped. She understood, she wished she didn't but she did. Tess reverted to her cold, sharp manner. Her eyes flashed as she snapped back. "No, you're right. I haven't done that. But I do understand raising a little boy and trying so hard to love him enough that he wouldn't turn into everything he was destined to be because of who he is. I do understand watching as he begins to see you as someone who betrayed him. I do understand watching as he falls to darkness and pulling him back right into the arms of the person you tried to be for him," a lone tear fell down her face as she got louder and louder until her voice broke, becoming nothing more than a whisper, "I do understand loving a person enough to change who they were becoming and then having them forget about you." Regina was stunned into silence. She assumed- exactly, she assumed. Guilt replaced the anger on her face, dissolving it into sorrow matching the one on Tess'. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize," she attempted, knowing it wouldn't make a difference, but trying anyway. "What was his name?" A fond smile took her face through the salty tears. "Alexander." "I'm sorry," Regina apologized for her outburst. She didn't deserve that. She was trying to help and it was something she wasn't quite used to. "Why don't we head up? We might as well enjoy ourselves," Regina offered, standing up, prepared to lead the way. *+*+*+*+*+*+* As they sat around the campfire and for the first in what felt like forever they all sat around the fire peacefully with idle chat and a general attempt at warming up from the frigid air. But, especially in their lives, does this ever last? The gentle murmurs were interrupted by an ambush by soldiers in all black. The ran in on horses, their neighing startling the entire group. But quickly they were all up with weapons drawn. The men in black didn't say a word, just swooped in and began the battle. Ruby transformed. The fairies sprouted their wings and drew pixie dust to use for more violent purposes than it's original use. Tess knew the first priority. Get the weak away, Archie knew he wasn't experienced in battle and made a run for it. Granny also ran, understanding she'd only hurt the cause and draw Ruby's concentration away from herself. Henry, on the other hand, would want to take part in the action. Henry picked up the sword Charming gave him for emergencies, assuming this qualified. He moved through the crowd pretty easily. Tess was moving towards him, the way she figured others were, but just to be sure. She saw one making a move behind him. No, she couldn't make it. She picked a knife from the holster wrapped on her thigh. She flicked it out, spun, swinging her sword, decapitating an oncoming soldier, and using the momentum, threw the knife, hitting the soldier right in the heart, instantly killing him. She breathed a sigh of relief. Hearing someone running up to her, she spun, bringing her sword around with her. The sword was met with another, blocking her attack. She gripped the other edge of her sword and pushed, feeling it draw blood, knowing that the officer would take the move to mean inexperience. She pushed further, harder, pain prickling across her hand. The officer chuckled, pressing downward slowly, wanting her to pay for her inexperience, slowly and painfully. She dropped to one knee. It was her end. She twisted her knee out, spinning on her hind leg. The officer fell forward, surprised, swinging his sword in a last ditch effort. She bent backward, never stopping her sideways movement. She plunged her sword in his side. And he fell, dead, at her feet. She whipped around, having lost sight of Henry longer than she would have wished. He lay at one of the soldiers feet. The soldier's sword was raised, ready to sink into his chest. Tess moved for another knife, but it was too late. The soldier was already on the downward plunge. Then time seemed to stop. Next to her, Regina stood. Her eyes glowed purple and her hands shot purple rays, the same color as her eyes. Energy emitted off of her, blowing her raven hair back. Her eyes were wide open, their focus unidentifiable due to the neon purple that engulfed them. One word came from her open mouth, power coursing through each sound, "No!" The sound was long and drawn out. Waves of air and energy came rolling off of her, power coursing though her veins evident in the air, killing every one of the witch's soldiers in the valley in an instant, blowing everyone else down, with only Regina standing. Henry lay frozen on the ground in fear, looking at his adopted mother with actual fear of her gleaming in his glassy eyes. "Henry," she whimpered, shaking her head with tears already forming in her eyes. "You promised," he whispered, voice so quiet for words so loud. "I couldn't," she persisted, "they would've-" Henry stood up, eyes still glued to hers, with shocked accusation still blazing within them. "You promised no more magic," he yelled. He shook his head slowly, whimpering, "You killed them." He turned, running full speed, air blistering his face a welcome distraction. Regina went to follow, but Tess held her back by the arm. Regina looked at her and Tess shook her head, slowly, solemnly trying to tell her to give him a moment. Emma ran after him, yelling, "Henry." Snow came and stood beside her, offering comfort by her presence. The entire village was gathered around them with watchful eyes, waiting as though this was a play, wanting to see what happens next. Tess sent venomous eyes across them and they scattered, she followed herself, leaving Snow with a shaken Regina. Snow could only assume that there were a thousand things running through Regina's head. Still, all she could manage was, "I'm just like her." Snow was adamant, "No," her voice was firm and reassuring, "You're not. Don't think that." "It's exactly what she would have done," Regina replied. "No, it's different," Snow insisted. "How?" Regina snapped, her frustration clearly building and exploding. Snow now frustrated as well, grabbed Regina's hand and put it on Regina's chest, right on her heart. "Feel that? That's a heartbeat, she didn't have that. That's the difference," Snow answered forcefully. "She would've killed me if I was this close. Regina, you're not her, always remember that." *+*+*+*+*+ Emma entered her tent, having seen Henry go in. She sat down next to him. "Hey, kid." "Hey," Henry grumbled. After a moment Emma speaks again. "Look, I know you're upset with your Mom but she really was just trying to protect you." "She promised she wouldn't use magic anymore," he retorted. "Not all magic is bad," Emma pointed out. "It is when she uses it," Henry grumbled Emma gave him a look. "I know she has a...history with it, but that doesn't mean she can't be better." Henry remained silent. Emma sighed. "Well, when you feel like talking, you know where to find me." She exits the tent, unsure of what else to say. She runs into Tess head on. Tess grabs her by the shoulders before collision. "Sorry." "He being stubborn?" Tess questions. Normally, she wouldn't have answered that but she had a genuine curiosity that rang in the question that was so unlike her usual demeanor. "Yeah." Tess stared at the tent for a moment, before turning to Emma. "Give him some space. He'll come to you." "You sound like you've been through this neck of the woods before," Emma pointed out. Tess didn't say anything but remained staring at the tent. "It's complicated." "Fair enough."
