Chapter 9: Finding The Mirror

Regina was still in the vault trying to hunt down the mirror that Rumple had given her after she'd come back from Monstropolis. She knew that it would be easiest way for her to find out if June was okay. She didn't delude herself into thinking that she would still be a girl, but thinking about what happened to Henry in Neverland and hearing Emma's comments, Regina knew that she had to find out something. She tore sections apart and then put them back together.

She tried to remember the last place that she saw the mirror and when. Nothing came to her. And, then she remembered what Rumple told her when he gave it to her. She shook her head. There was no way for her to find June without going to see Emma. The mirror was gone. It had served it's purpose. She had no way to contact Roz, if the old slug was even still alive, if she wanted to. There was no bond between them. And, even if she tried to use Henry's closet, he was too old. No monster visited him.

She laughed at the thought of Henry's monster. The poor thing was frightened by him within the first week. Henry had never honestly been afraid of him and he tried his best to make Henry, but he hardly got anywhere. She figured it was the magic of the curse and didn't pursue it. But, thinking about it now and how June reacted, she wondered more about it and how the monsters were chosen for each child.

Giving up on her search, she decided that she needed to make a call on Monstropolis. She huffed when she realized that she would have to go see Rumple about it. He was the only one that might have enough power to open a portal between the two worlds, or he would know how. She knew that it wasn't the best idea, but it was the only one that she could come up with. It wasn't like any of her magical texts spoke about Monstropolis or monsters. It was a human creation from the Land Without Magic.

She teleported back to her mansion and then got into her car. She felt like driving, even though it was only a short distance into town from the mayoral manor. She hoped that the short drive would help her clear her head enough before she dealt with Rumple. She parked on the street just outside his pawn shop. Steeling herself, she went inside.

"Hello, Dearie," he greeted her.

"Rumple."

"What have I done this time that you've come to ask me about yourself?" he questioned.

"Nothing."

"Then what do I owe this pleasure to?"

"I need to find someone."

He cocked her eyebrow at her and then leaned against his glass counter. It was obvious that he was waiting for her to tell him more. His smile grew as her nervousness grew.

"I don't want to waste town money on it and I know that you can find them faster than if I sent Miss Swan after them."

"I don't know about that. She can actually leave town, and all... But, who is it that you want me to find?"

"A woman."

His face changed. It wasn't what he was expecting. He still liked to rub in the fact that Regina had come to him to get a child. Only he knew that he was bringing her the child of the Saviour, the child of Snow's child. However, he didn't know it was his own grandson at the time or he would have kept him for himself. But, thinking about quickly, Henry could have done worse than having Regina as a mother. She actually loved the boy regardless of his lineage and that endeared his former pupil to him a little more.

"A woman? Surely, there is someone here that could..."

"Don't finish that thought, Imp. I don't want a woman for that. I...I need to check on someone outside of Storybrooke."

"Outside of town?"

"Yes, she doesn't know about Storybrooke, but she knows me. I need to know that she is doing well. I feel like I might have failed her in someway."

"Still trying to make up for things that you did in the Enchanted Forest at the Evil Queen, are we, Dearie?" Rumple inquired.

"I never met her there."

"Then, where?"

"Monstropolis, thanks to your friend, Roz, whom I've gathered found Bae for you here in this realm," Regain informed him.

"The girl?"

"Yes, I want to know what became of her," Regina stated.

"I see. That is a reasonable request. I will look into it for you."

"No cost?"

"Oh...we'll call this a freebie. You did get me the information about Baelfire being here thanks to Roz by helping that girl. So, I guess in sense, I owe you."

"Well, thank you."

"I'll get your information as soon as I can. I don't promise anything, but I will do my best. But, why haven't you used the mirror, Dearie? Lost it already?"

Regina just looked at him. Her eyes narrowed. She didn't answer as she saw the strange smile on his face.

"Good day, Rumple."

"Always a pleasure, Your Majesty," he replied as she exited the shop.

Since she was already in town, she decided to go see Emma. She didn't know why she felt that she should, but she did. She wanted to make sure that the Sheriff was still doing well and that Neverland hadn't scarred her too much. She walked to the Sheriff's office.

When she entered the building, she started absentmindedly rubbing her left arm. She didn't notice it, really, but she did feel a pang of pain there. She dismissed it as soon as she felt it. She hadn't hit her arm. She just figured that it was a nervous twitch because she'd left Rumple's shop. She had them a lot as young apprentice to the Dark One when she was younger. She thought she'd outgrown them, but evidently, he still found ways of getting to her now.

Emma was in her office. It looked like she was playing another resounding round of trash can basketball. Regina would have been more amused if she wasn't still on edge. Emma looked up just in time to see Regina coming straight for her. She dropped her legs from her desk and sat up. Straightening her jacket, she waited to the lecture to begin. None came. Regina just sat down across from her.

"Is there something that I can help you with, Madam Mayor?"

"I think I should be asking you that question, Miss Swan."

"I thought that we were past the Miss Swan stage."

"You're on duty, Miss Swan. I think that it lends to your profession. Or, would you rather I just call you Sheriff Swan?"

"I was hoping we could drop the whole Swan thing, but whatever. What did you need, Regina? If you came to check up on me, I am good. I don't need a babysitter. Now, if I could just get my parents to realize that, I think things would be great," Emma told her.

"Would you like me to talk to them?"

"Regina, you don't talk to them. You dictate to them. I don't think that you've honestly not just commanded them to do something," Emma stated and then cocked her head as if in thought about it.

"That isn't the issue here."

"Then what is?"

"I was coming to make sure that you were still well," Regina told her.

"I'm fine."

"Well, you know you could come over again if you need to sleep."

"Is that a permanent offering?" Emma asked.

"It might be."

"Why?"

"I would feel better knowing that you were sleeping. Plus, Henry sleeps better with you near. I am not saying that we make it a permanent thing, like you moving in or something, but just know if you need it, I'll keep the guest room open for you," Regina told her.

"I appreciate that," Emma replied.

"Is there anything that you need to report?"

"Not really. Just the normal. A few speeding tickets. Leroy being drunk and disorderly. Nothing of true consequence."

"Well, let's keep it that way."

"There is one thing that I am wondering about," Emma said.

"And, that would be?"

"The Lost Boys."

"What about them?"

"Are we going to keep them here in Storybrooke or are we going to find their families?"

"I think it depends on when they were taken."

Emma nodded, "I hadn't thought of that."

"I would think that you would be doing some inquiries in their families and when they were taken," Regina stated.

"I am. It's just that...I know what it's like to be wondering about a family. Dad and I have been talking to them. Some of them don't want to talk. Some want to go back to Neverland. They would rather face the perils of Pan and that crazy land of never growing old, then go home. On some levels, I understand them. I know what they've been through. I know what they will go through. But, there are a few that I wonder how well they will acclimate to our little way of life here," Emma stated.

"I understand that, Emma. Those are all valid concerns. Felix is the boy I am most worried about. He being Pan's second in command, I am afraid of what he might do. Especially now that we are back here and they are in school. Have there been any reports of the boys acting out terribly?"

"According to Snow, nothing more than normal. Felix seems to be the worst of them all, but he at least is keeping mostly to himself. He seems to be lost without Pan to command him. I don't what to do with him. He won't go to a family and he doesn't want to try to fit in. I am almost tempted to give him to the dwarves and call it a done deal. I think that Leroy, Doc and the rest would have better luck with him. I doubt that dwarves want him, but I can't take him. And, as much as I love my parents, I don't think that they are ready for an angsty teenager."

"I would offer to take him, but his history with Henry would preclude me from being helpful in this situation."

Emma just nodded. Felix was going to be a problem and they both knew it. But, they couldn't leave him behind. Now, Emma was worried that he might turn feral and start attacking. She thought about letting Ruby handle him, but she wasn't sure that the Wolf wouldn't eat him.

She was about to say something else when one of the thousand citizens of Storybrooke came in. Emma moved to greet them. The man smiled at Emma and then looked at Regina. His smile faded but he didn't stop. He kept coming towards Emma's office. Emma met him just outside the door, Regina just behind her.

"Sheriff," he said in greeting.

"Armand," Emma replied.

"I found some things at the stables this morning. I couldn't place them until I ran across one item. I think that these are all Mr. Gold's."

"You're sure?" Emma asked as she reached for the bag Armand was holding.

He gave her the bag. She opened the burlap sack and looked inside. It looked like old trinkets and miscellaneous items. Things that possible could have been from Gold's shop. She handed the bag to Regina to look through it. Regina knew that it was because Emma was worried about one of the items being magical in nature.

"Do you think it was the boys?" Emma asked him.

"I am not sure. I don't know where it came from. I just didn't want Rumple to think that I took them from him," Armand told her.

"I understand. I'll return it to him. Thank you for bringing it by," Emma told him.

Regina studied each piece carefully. She couldn't make heads or tails of most of them. She didn't know what most of it was, but she knew the second her hands hit the mirror. She felt its magic. She pulled it out and put it her pocket. She would use it later. Now, they needed to deal with the bag, its contents and the fact that they all might be Rumple's.

"Anything?"

"No," Regina lied.

"I'll take it back to Rumple."

"I'll be in my office," Regina told her as she left the office, her hand in her pocket, covering the mirror.