When Regina woke again she was alone on the couch. She sat up and rubbed at her eyes, trying to be as awake as possible. Suddenly a mug appeared in eyeline, she jumped back a little, but took the mug and looked up to find Emma smiling at her.

"Thank you." She took a sip and sighed, Emma may not have very good at a lot of things, but she made a mean cup of coffee. Without invitation, Emma sat on the couch beside.

"I thought I'd lost you yesterday." Emma admitted refusing to look Regina in the eye, "I had a best friend and suddenly she disappeared with PETA's nightmare." Despite the serious topic of the conversation, Regina couldn't help but chuckle, which turned into laugh. Soon Emma joined in and both pairs of eyes were watering with laughter. Regina knew laughter wouldn't convince Emma, like it might her parents. She wrapped an arm around Emma's shoulders and squeezed.

"I'm okay though and I'm not leaving anyone here without a fight." Emma smiled, convinced, for now at least. She'd missed spending time with Emma, she realised. Robin had monopolising her time. She'd barley been to any of their Wednesday lunches and Henry was over at Emma's more often. Even the Charming's tried to get her out of the house. "None of you even liked Robin, did you?" Emma grimaced,

"No, we kept our traps shut because we thought you were happy."

"I wasn't. I realise that now but I think things are different now." Regina flicked her wrist and pile of books appeared on the coffee table. She picked one up and passed to Emma,

"Homework, really?"

"Get reading. We need a way to figure how to take James home with us." Emma groaned but smiled and opened the first of what assumed would be many books.

"My ears are burning." Regina turned to see James leaning against the counter and stood. Regina sauntered up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. James' eyes widened at her boldness, but Regina laid her head on his chest and squeezed her arms slightly. He wrapped his arms around her, revelling in the fact that she was still with him.

"I'm taking you home." Regina declared as she pulled away from the embrace,

"Do I have a choice in the matter?" He asked, an eyebrow quirking and a smirk finding its way to his lips.

"No." With that she lightly smacked his behind and went back to her books, leaving James still leaning against the counter, grinning.

"That's going to take some getting used to." Regina heard as she sat next to Emma again.

"What is dear?" Emma blushed and didn't look at her,

"It looks like you're with my dad." Both fell into laughter once more and it took some time for them to sober up enough to get back to reading. Regina would not be leaving the underworld without her newly-found happy ending.

After hours (days, if you asked Emma) and hours of reading, Regina's cry of triumph was enough to scare Emma out of her boredom induced stupor,

"I'm listening." She yelled, trying to appear awake, the cry had done its job to well and Regina glared at the blonde, who at least had the decency to look guilty.

"I found it, I found a way to bring James with us. It'll mean trapping Robin here though, but if there are no objections, it won't be a difficult spell to do." Emma grinned, happy that her friend was finally getting some good luck.

"You won't hear any objections from me." Regina grinned at the blonde. She turned, not expecting the Charming's, Henry and Hook to be behind them. They all looked at each other, if she didn't know any better Regina might think they were conspiring against someone.

"We're with you all the way Regina." Snow spoke up,

"He's my brother, it'll be good to have him around."

"I have no patience for a man who thinks nothing of abusing a woman." Regina felt a shot of respect for Hook, not expecting the reply.

"I just want you to be happy Mom, if James makes you happy, I'd let you leave me here." Regina smiled and hugged her son,

"Thank you, Henry, but I assure you it won't come to that." She looked up at James, suddenly his opinion was the only one in the room that mattered.

"I'm all for damning Robin Hood, but aren't there better people than I that could return with you." Regina smiled and quickly moved towards him grabbing his hands in her own.

"The fact that you just said that proves it has to be you. So, either you come with us or we both stay here." James blanched at the thought of Regina even being in the same realm as Robin Hood, he wouldn't damn her to this life.

"Alright let's do it." She grinned,

"We'll need something that belongs to Robin, that part may be tricky," James interrupted.

"Not as tricky as you might think, Emma?" He turned to his niece, who remained oblivious to what her Uncle was talking about. James rolled his eyes, he had his work cut out for him.

"Remember, what you pulled out of my arm last night?"

"James! What did she pull out of your arm!?" James grimaced at the shrillness and the worry of Regina's voice. Emma who had finally caught on and had retrieved the item.

"An arrow."

"You had an arrow in your arm?!" James flinched,

"I'm fine Regina, it was practically a flesh wound." Regina pinched the bridge of her nose and breathed deeply.

"Okay, the arrow will work. And you and I will have a talk later." She said pointing at James and moving to the table to conjure a cauldron. James swallowed and looked around the room. Everyone was now wary of Regina, her anger was obviously famous and they silently decided to give her space, except Emma. Emma sat with Regina as she prepared the spell, bantering back and forth with the brunette to ease some of the tension. Regina worked into the evening, adding leaves and liquids to the cauldron, keeping a steady eye on it. Despite the anger towards him right now, he enjoyed watching her work.

"Okay. It's ready."