A/N: A new posting tonight! Thanks for all the lovely reviews
"Regina, this doesn't make any sense. Why are you wasting everyone's time? You know the book isn't any of those places." Emma said.
Regina rolled her eyes. Sometimes the woman was just as dense as her father. "I don't trust Rumple. Something's off about him."
"It's Gold. There's always something off about him." Emma said.
"So what is your real plan?" Snow asked Regina.
"I need time." Regina said. "I can't take the witch on yet."
"That is a bit of a challenge since we don't know where she is." Hook said.
"I know exactly where she is. But she's strong and ready for the battle and I'm not." Regina said.
"You're not? I thought you said you were fine." Snow said.
Regina sighed. She hated feeling weak. And she hated admitting weakness even more.
"Magic takes energy. I'm exhausted." Regina said.
"Because of Jefferson's attack?" Snow asked.
Regina rubbed her head. "Because I've already been battling this witch for weeks. Just because the memories are lost doesn't mean it never happened."
"What are you talking about? How do you know it's been weeks?" Hook asked.
"I remember." Regina said.
"How? Can you bring everyone else's memories back too?" Emma asked.
"I'm not exactly sure how. I have a suspicion, but no. I can't bring everyone else's back." Regina said. "But that doesn't matter. They'll come back as soon as we break the curse."
"And you know how to do that?" Emma asked.
"I think I do. But it's going to take some time." Regina said.
"What do we have to do?" Snow asked.
"We'll get to that. First we need to decide what to do about the book. I don't want it with Henry. It puts him in too much danger." Regina said.
"Emma and I already tried to get it. It won't come with us." Hook said.
"So our options are bring Henry and the book here, or take you to Henry to retrieve the book." Emma said.
Regina rubbed her head again. She shut her eyes. If only the pounding would stop. And now her face was throbbing too. From the swelling. Snow was staring at Regina intently. She moved her eyes to Emma.
"I know you didn't want Rumple to heal you, but maybe Emma could." Snow suggested.
Regina jerked her head up. "What? I'm fine."
"You aren't fine. You just told us that. Tell me what to do and I'll try." Emma said.
She really didn't want Henry to see her like this. She took a deep breath and took Emma's hand and held it up directly in front of the large bruise on her face.
"Focus on the color my skin should be and how it should look without the swelling." Regina said still holding Emma's hand. She could feel the magic tingling in Emma's hand and suddenly she felt the warm tingling on her face. She shut her eyes. The throbbing was gone. She lowered her hand. "Good work, Miss Swan."
"Okay. What's next?" Emma said.
"That's enough." Regina said.
"No, you had a lump on the back of your head too." Emma moved around so she was standing behind Regina and lifted Regina's hair to find the lump. She held her hand over the lump and thought about shrinking the swelling. Regina felt the warmth on the back of her head. And then the pounding wasn't so bad. Emma walked around to face Regina again. She was grinning. "I did it."
Regina returned her smile. "Yes. You did. Thank you."
Robin felt extremely uncomfortable in Zelena's presence, but he wasn't sure why. She was being most accommodating and he couldn't have asked for her to be more thoughtful or considerate. Bringing him water, fluffing his pillows. But her mere presence filled him with a sense of dread.
"I'm sorry, Zelena. I'm really feeling quite tired. I'd really just like to take a brief nap." Robin said.
Zelena frowned. This was not working the way she'd expected. Even without knowing who she was, Regina had foiled her plans. She'd pay for that.
"Of course, darling. Would you like me to bring you anything before I go?" Zelena asked.
"No, thank you. I'm quite alright."
Zelena nodded and picked up her purse. She needed to catch up with Rumple anyway and find out what he'd learned.
David looked around. The mines were empty. He felt guilty leading the dwarfs around knowing perfectly well they weren't going to find anything.
Zelena was waiting in her home. She'd summoned Rumple. Where was he? She saw him running quickly toward her.
"Next time, you better find a way to get here in a more timely fashion." She said. "What did you learn? Where's the book?"
"Regina doesn't know. She's sent groups to various locations around town. I'm supposed to be checking the clock tower. Regina was going to her mausoleum." He reported.
"Well then that's where I'll be. Be alert in case I summon you." And with that she disappeared.
"Are you alright, love?" Hook asked, noticing how Regina was gripping the car door handle so tightly her knuckles were white. In fact, her face was pretty white as well and she was sitting perfectly straight clearly tense.
Emma slowed the car. "Regina?" She glanced over.
"It's fine. Keep going." Regina said.
"You're afraid you'll lose your memories?" Emma asked.
"I didn't lose mine." Hook said.
"I know. And we don't have a choice. I just don't know how this curse works. I should be fine. I could always leave Storybrooke before." Regina said.
"But you weren't cursed that time." Emma said.
"I know. But Hook is fine. And I don't have an alternate identity, so I think I'll be alright. My cursed self is the same as myself." Regina said.
"You know that sentence made absolutely no sense, right?" Emma said.
"Just drive, Miss Swan." Regina said shutting her eyes as they crossed the line.
"Well?" Hook said.
Regina opened her eyes. "Well, what?"
"Do you have your memories? Are you okay?" Hook asked.
"I have my memories."
They entered the small bed and breakfast Jeff had given Emma instructions to. Emma immediately spotted Jeff and hurried over.
Hook and Regina stood outside waiting for Emma to return with information on where the book was so Regina could go get it while Hook and Emma distracted Henry.
From her vantage point in the passenger seat, Regina caught side of the teenage boy climbing down the side of the building. She let out an involuntary gasp. "Henry." Before she knew what she was doing, she'd flung open the car door and was running toward the building.
"Get back inside! You're going to fall and hurt yourself!" She shouted.
Henry looked down at her. Shocked to see the face of the woman in his dreams, he was distracted and his hand slipped. He was falling.
Regina's hands shot out; she was planning on catching him with her magic. She gasped when she realized no magic was coming. Was she too tired? Or did she just not have access to the magic outside of Storybrooke? She rushed forward, maybe she could catch her son the old-fashioned way. But Hook had been faster. He caught the teenager in his arms and they both fell to the ground.
Regina was at their side in seconds. "Are you hurt?" she asked, the panic barely contained in her voice.
Henry moved quickly off of Hook and backed away from Regina who was reaching for him. She saw the fear in his eyes, and put her hand down. Not only did her son not remember her, he was afraid of her. Well, maybe he did remember her and that's why he was afraid. She couldn't breathe. She felt like someone had knocked all the air out of her.
"Don't worry about me, love. Just a few broken ribs. I'm sure I'll be fine." Hook said sitting up. "Nice work, avoiding the boy."
Regina glared at him, but turned her attention back to Henry. "What were you doing? You could have been killed." Regina reprimanded.
Henry just stared at her. She was the woman from his dreams. But he was pretty sure she was also The Evil Queen in his book.
Just then Emma and Jeff walked out.
"What is going on? You were supposed to wait in the car!" Emma yelled at Regina as she approached her.
"Mom!" Henry said. Regina shut her eyes as he ran right past her and straight into Emma's arms. She swallowed.
"What are you doing out here, Henry? You said you were going to play video games in the room." Jeff said.
"He was sneaking out." Hook said. Regina focused on Hook. She could handle that. As long as she didn't look at Henry she could do this. She held her hand out and helped Hook up. "Thank you, love." Out of the corner of her eye she saw a light. She moved to the bushes where it was coming from. There was Henry's backpack. She felt the tears start to well up in her eyes. He never went anywhere without that backpack. She leaned over and picked it up. Opening it, she found the book. She took the book and closed the backpack. She walked past Emma and Henry dropping the backpack at his feet, but not looking at him.
"We have what we need. Let's go." Regina said and continued to the car without a glance back.
"I'll go talk to her. You say goodbye to Henry." Hook said. Jeff stepped back to give Emma and Henry their space.
"Mom, what does he mean goodbye? You're not leaving me here again." Henry said.
"Henry, it's not safe for you to come with me right now." Emma said. "I'll be back soon."
"Why'd you come at all if you were just going to leave me?" Henry accused.
"We needed to get the book. It's a dangerous book and it's not safe for you to have it." Emma said.
"But it won't go with you or Hook. You'll have to take me with you. See I'll show you." He opened his backpack and went to show her the book. "Where is it? Did you let the Evil Queen take it?"
"Henry, I don't think you should call her that. Her name is Regina. And yes, she has the book." Emma said.
"No! She'll do bad things. She'll curse you all again." Henry said. "I read the other book. And if Hook's real and The Evil Queen is real, then she must have really cursed everyone. Is that why you have to go back? To break the curse?" Henry asked.
"I have to break a curse. But not Regina's." Emma said. "Listen, I'm going to tell you everything, but right now, I have to get back to Storybrooke. I need you to stay here where you're safe with Jeff. And no more trying to sneak out. Understood?"
"I understand." Henry said.
"Good." Emma nodded and pulled Henry close. "I love you, kid." She kissed him on the top of the head.
"I love you too, Mom." Henry answered.
When Hook opened the car door Regina didn't even turn to acknowledge him. Her whole body was shaking. He climbed into the back seat of the bug next to Regina. She still didn't acknowledge him.
Regina kept her eyes fixed on the tree in the distance. He didn't remember her and he still hated her. She focused on her breathing. If she could just get the shaking under control. She wasn't supposed to have to see him. They'd planned it out. Henry always had a knack for messing with her plans.
"We could bring him along. You could make a memory potion for him."
Regina jumped slightly at the voice. She hadn't realized Hook had joined her in the car. She turned to face him. "No. It's too dangerous. We're sticking to the plan. Henry stays out of Storybrooke where it's safe. Where's Emma? We should get back before the witch figures out where we've gone."
As if on cue, Emma opened the car door and slide into the driver's seat. "Ready?"
"Let's get out of here." Regina said.
Zelena was in the woods standing outside Regina's family mausoleum but Regina wasn't there. Had the imp lied to her? He couldn't. She was in control. So where was Regina? Maybe she'd underestimated the Queen.
Rumple walked into his shop. Belle flew from the back room at the noise. "Rumple!" She squealed and ran to him throwing her arms around him. "Regina said you were alive, but I didn't believe it."
Rumple held her. His beautiful, sweet Belle. She would be so disappointed in him if she knew what he was doing. But he didn't really have a choice. The witch had his dagger. Try as he might he couldn't fight her commands.
"Are you alright?" Belle asked.
"Yes, I'm fine. Is Neal with you?" Rumple asked.
"No. I don't know where he is. No one has seen him since…since the day Regina was supposed to reverse the curse." Belle said.
"She did reverse the curse, Belle." Rumple said.
"Then why are we still in Storybrooke?" Belle asked. "I don't trust Regina."
"Someone else cursed us all again. I know you and Regina don't have a pleasant history, but you can trust her. Promise me you'll help her any way you can." Rumple said.
Belle looked into his eyes questioningly, but nodded. "Okay. I promise."
"Good. Now come with me."