I am glad that people liked Emma and Charming. Charming can be a little harder to write then Snow and Emma for me, but I do think he really would do anything for Snow and now for Emma and Henry as well. That is sort of his defining characteristic, in my opinion.

I actually do not intend in this fic to bring up the wardrobe takes two issue. First, it is an external issue that would lead me too far away from Emma, Snow, Charming, and Henry. Second, because I think, in the end, it doesn't actually change the fact that they chose to send Emma away. It will depress Snow and make them both want to punch Geppetto, but I sort of think that in the end it does not change anything. Emma was sent away; she was harmed by having to grow up in the system and both of those things remain to be true regardless of the fact that Snow might have been able to go through. Especially because their first intention was for Snow to go through with Emma before she was born.

I also think it could actually make Emma angrier if Snow and Charming stop owning their choices. They may not have been in full possession of the facts, but in the moment they made the choice to send Emma away, they chose to send their daughter away, and what happened happened because of that choice. Nothing can change that fact. I do think it would upset them all to know that there was a chance for them to have not be separated and Emma would see that and feel sorry for Snow and Charming. I just think that, for me, I don't quite want things to be better simply because Emma feels sorry for them and instead it be better because they have worked through some of their issues. For me, the wardrobe takes two issue is something like well that is too bad that they could have been together, but in the end they weren't and Emma was harmed and they weren't there for her.

Emma just wants to feel wanted and loved and that is what I think matters in the now. The next few chapters will have a lot of Snow and Emma which is really where I most wanted to go. I hope that you all enjoy it.


Chapter 11 – Emma at the Apartment and later the Diner.

Emma stands outside the door to the apartment for what seems like forever having asked the men that are regularly stationed outside the door to wait at the bottom of the stairs. Emma had called James from the bed and breakfast and asked him if Henry could hang out with him while she went to speak to Mary Margaret. He seemed surprised by the request, but quickly agreed.

Emma arrived to drop off Henry at the lower apartment and Emma took a moment to take James aside, asking him if he would come up after she and Mary Margaret were done speaking. He seemed happy with this idea and agreed, telling her to call him when they were done.

Now here Emma stands, outside Mary Margaret's apartment, their apartment, over thinking the conversation she is about to have, worried about what she should say. After standing there for what seems to be an eternity Emma finally knocks. A muffled yell comes from the other side of the door that sounds very much like 'go away', a yell Emma disregards. She knocks again, taking in a breath, preparing to speak through the door; the door flies open and an angry, tear streaked Mary Margaret stands defiantly in the opening.

"Emma!" she squeaks as the anger turns quickly to surprise. Mary Margaret again speaks with such intensity and with such need that it causes Emma to panic, especially after how worked up she had become standing in the hall. "I thought you were James!"

"Okay," says Emma and she tries a slight smile in an attempt to release some of the panic that the need in Mary Margaret's voice has caused; a smile that she knows came across pained instead of reassuring. "Mary Margaret, you have got to stop screaming my name every time I come into the room. It almost gives me a panic attack.

"So," says Emma trying to get her voice to return to normal, "let's try this again." Emma smiles then, a real smile this time, which Mary Margaret hesitantly returns. "This is what we are going to do. I am going to go back out into the hallway and I am going to shut the door." Mary Margaret almost interrupts, the desire for Emma to stay clear in her eyes. "Don't worry. I will be right outside. I promise. I am just going to close the door, wait for a few moments, and knock again. It will be fine. All you've gotta do is say 'Hi, Emma. Nice to see you. Would you like to come in?' Okay?"

Emma waits for Mary Margaret to acquiesce which she does with a hesitant, "Okay."

"Alright, sounds good. I will be right outside," says Emma, giving a slight smile again as she grabs the doorknob, pulling it towards her. "See you in ten seconds," Emma says right before she loses sight of Mary Margaret's face.

Emma takes a moment, leaning her head against the door. She then takes a deep breath before raising her head, straightening her shoulders, and knocking again. The door immediately flies open this time and Emma has no doubt that Mary Margaret had her hand on the doorknob the entire time and from the looks of it also forgot to breathe because Mary Margaret lets out a big sigh of relief as her eyes find Emma's. Emma stands there for a moment, eyes wide, trying not to panic. Mary Margaret sees it and takes a moment to control the emotions playing their way across her face before clearing her throat to speak.

"Hi, Emma. Nice to see you. Would you like to come in?"

The intensity leaves Mary Margaret's face as she smirks when she finishes and Emma laughs, grinning back.

"Yes, Thank you. I would like that."

Emma enters the apartment, hanging up her coat, as the two of them continue exchanging slightly awkward pleasantries. Mary Margaret offers Emma cookies and hot chocolate with cinnamon, both of which Emma accepts. Mary Margaret then moves around the kitchen making their drinks, asking about Henry and how they are settling in at Granny's. Emma answers, helping her with plates and cookies until the two of them finally end up at the table, mugs in hand, cookies laid out in front of them.

The normalcy of it all, making hot chocolate, eating cookies, talking about Henry, has calmed them both. They sit at the table and Emma is suddenly reminded of the first time they spoke in the apartment, here, sitting in these very spots, her second day in Storybrooke.

"Remember the first time I came over. You gave me hot chocolate with cinnamon and cookies, just like this."

"Yes," says Mary Margaret, smiling, "I remember."

"And I asked you about why you said you trusted me."

"Yes. And I said that ever since we met I had a feeling that we had met before."

Emma gives a short laugh at that.

"Well, all things considered, I think you might have been right about that."

"It seems that that might be the case," says Mary Margaret, giving a quick laugh in return before growing serious. "You were so nervous then. Apprehensive to be sitting and talking."

"Well...Henry had told me the day before that Snow White was my mother and then you told me that he thought you were Snow White. Then you said you trusted me and bailed me out of jail. No one had ever said or done anything like that for me. I didn't even know you. And the way all three of us like hot chocolate with cinnamon seemed oddly coincidental in light of all that."

"Ah, I see. Clever boy, our Henry."

"Yes," says Emma, smiling.

"It is so strange though," says Mary Margaret, shaking her head. "It was like I knew even though I didn't know."

"I know, right?" says Emma, amazed by it all. "What are the odds that of all the people in town, I would end up living with my own mother and not knowing it."

Mary Margaret gives a slight smile of pleasure when Emma says the word mother and Emma squirms in her seat causing Mary Margaret to quickly continue.

"I know. Henry and the storybook. I mean what are the odds," says Mary Margaret, taking a sip of her hot chocolate as they both sit there for a moment, smiling at the memories. "I remember when you and I met for the first time, at the school, there was something about you that just seemed so...familiar. I couldn't stop looking at you."

"I remember," Emma says, "when I helped you pick up the books, I remember looking at you looking at me."

"It seems so crazy now," says Mary Margaret, giving a short pained laugh.

Emma returns the laugh.

"Well nothing is crazier then finding out my closest friend is in fact my long lost mother. I mean who would have thought?"

"That is pretty crazy."

"Really crazy," agrees Emma, taking a moment to watch Mary Margaret as she sips her hot chocolate. "Thank you though, for helping Henry. I would never have found my way back to him without you giving him that book and I would never have stayed if you hadn't told me that night that I should."

Mary Margaret smiles and for the first time in days Emma sees the stress completely leave her face and the tension leave her shoulders.

"Your welcome."

Emma looks away, fidgeting again, as she takes a sip of her hot chocolate.

"Emma," starts Mary Margaret and the change in her voice causes Emma to quickly look back, immediately apprehensive about what she might say. Mary Margaret sees it and rests her hand lightly on Emma's arm. "No panic attacks, please. If you want me to stop just tell me and we can sit here and reminisce or talk about the weather until morning if you'd like. But if it is alright, I want to say something about what you said earlier today about why we sent you away?"

Emma takes a deep breath, releasing it slowly, before giving a stiff nod and Mary Margaret waits for a moment, watching her, before releasing Emma's arm.

"It is just earlier today you said that we only sent you away because you were the savior. That that was all we thought of and Emma, that could not be further from the truth." Mary Margaret looks away, clearly agitated. "All we thought about ever since we found out I was pregnant was protecting you. We didn't even know about the curse and -"

Emma reaches her hand out, stopping Mary Margaret's arms which had begun weaving all over the place in agitation. Emma waits, resting her hand on top of Mary Margaret's arms, holding them down, and ending her onslaught of words.

"I know."

"You know?"

"I talked to James."

Mary Margaret's voice hitches, no doubt at hearing Emma say James and not David, and Emma smiles, a smile Mary Margaret returns, as Emma continues to rest her hand on Mary Margaret's arms.

"James?"

"Yes, you know James, tall, blonde hair, like mine actually, tries to be funny, and very, you know, charming," says Emma, gently mocking as she tries to lighten the mood.

Mary Margaret laughs out right at Emma's words and tone and Emma grins in return releasing her arms, picking up her drink and taking a sip.

"And what did James say to you?"

Emma hears the worry in Mary Margaret's voice and she puts down her cup, spinning it slowly in her hands before meeting Mary Margaret's eyes.

"He said what you just said, that all you thought about was protecting me and that that was before you even knew I was 'the savior'."

"It's true, Emma. Regina's threat loomed over us for so long and when we found out I was pregnant, the fear of that threat became all the more real and all the more urgent. We had no idea that she would do something like this." Mary Margaret stops, putting her hand to her head, shaking it. "This is all so strange. in some ways it seems like this all just happened, that I just held you in my arms and sent you to the wardrobe; at the same time, it seems like that was a lifetime ago. My memories are all so jumbled and confusing."

Mary Margaret looks up then meeting Emma's eyes.

"I still remember you being a baby like it was yesterday."

Mary Margaret's hand comes up and she almost touches Emma's hair but stops herself as Emma tenses because a part of her does not like to be touched, but there is also another part of her that wishes she hadn't tensed and that Mary Margaret hadn't stopped. Some of that emotion must have played its way across her face as there is a moment of strained silence before Emma smiles, relaxing her shoulders, and Mary Margaret smiles in return, letting her hand drop to the table.

"I also remember my friend Emma that was my first real friend in this world and I remember how nice that was. It is all so confusing."

"I know how you feel. It is like it is you, but it's not you," shrugs Emma.

"It's still me, Emma."

With that Mary Margaret does touch her, giving Emma's hand a quick squeeze as they again lapse into silence, sipping their hot chocolate.

"You know what Henry said to me today?" says Emma. "He said if this hadn't all happened, the curse, the wardrobe, being sent away on my own then...then he would never have been born."

Mary Margaret takes a sharp intake of breath.

"I know. I didn't even think about that and while I do wish that life for me had not been so...hard growing up. I would not wish anything that would lead to me not having Henry. Not for anything. So all of the heartache that I went through, I'll take it...for him."

"I am so happy for you, Emma," says Mary Margaret, smiling. "That you have Henry. I know how hard it has been the last few months being so close, but not really being able to be his mom."

"I know. I feel so lucky to have him now. It's like a second chance."

Mary Margaret's looks away and Emma sees a sadness seep into her. Emma realizes Mary Margaret is thinking about all the time that the two of them had lost together.

"Mary Margaret," says Emma again resting her hand on Mary Margaret's arm, trying to bring her back from the dark thoughts of their loss. "Maybe we can...we can have a second chance too?" Mary Margaret smiles, taking Emma's hand in hers, holding it this time and not letting go and Emma lets her. "To you know do this whole family thing, a different sort of family, but still family."

"Yes, Emma. I would like that."

"Good," says Emma, smirking and pulling back and Mary Margaret reluctantly lets her go. "Then I have terms."

Mary Margaret laughs.

"Terms? On being a family?"

"Yes," says Emma, smirking sheepishly, but also serious and Mary Margaret sees that so she leans forward, listening intently.

"Alright, let's hear them," says Mary Margaret, meeting Emma's gaze.

"Well, rule number one, like we just practiced no more screaming my name when I enter the room. I know I am oh so much fun and all that, but maybe we can try to find another way of showing it."

"Sorry about that," says Mary Margaret with a pained smile, her turn to look sheepish.

"It's okay. Completely understandable, but maybe just not so scary with our hellos."

"Agreed, and number two?"

Emma hesitates, looking down, staring at her cup, unsure how this one was going to come off, but wanting to say it because it was something that made her very uncomfortable. Mary Margaret had always been so good about it, but now...now everything was different.

"I-I don't like to be touched."

"I know."

Emma's eyes snap up to look into Mary Margaret's face; Emma can see that she hasn't taken this badly and relaxes.

"This is not about you. It's about..." Emma stops because she does not want to bring up those very bad memories of her past. She looks up to see Mary Margaret watching her intensely and pulls the conversation back around. "I am not saying you can't touch me just that maybe we could not do group hugs and not be all touchy feely."

"I am sorry about that as well, Emma. I was just so happy to see you and to remember you that I couldn't help myself."

"Once again, completely understandable," says Emma, briefly touching Mary Margaret's hand, giving her a slight smile.

"Anything else?"

"Last thing, at least for now."

"For now?"

"Yes, I reserve the right to change the rules if need be in the future."

"Of course, continue," says Mary Margaret, waving her hand at Emma and she sees a glimpse of Snow White in that and smiles.

"It is so weird when you do that."

"Do what?"

"Be all, I don't know...Snow White like."

"Well..." says Mary Margaret, stating the obvious.

"Right...so last one."

"Last one," says Mary Margaret, waving her hand again and Emma laughs.

"This is more for our sanity, I guess, then anything. Maybe we could try and be...calmer when we talk. I know that you want to know more about me, what I am thinking, my past and I want to know about you too, but maybe we could take that...slower." Mary Margaret nods as Emma continues, "And I will try to not scream and yell and generally make a fool out of myself, though knowing me, that might be harder then it sounds."

"And maybe you could not run away?"

Emma looks up, suspicious, but immediately relaxes at the look on Mary Margaret's face. There is a gentleness in this request, a real desire, yes, but a gentleness without judgment.

"I'm sorry," says Emma, meaning it. "That I left, before when I took Henry that night. It is just that is my default reaction. To run." Emma takes a moment before continuing, "Maybe I could still take some space sometimes, if I need a break, no running though, no leaving without saying goodbye?"

"Yes, space is fine, completely understandable, but please, no running," says Mary Margaret, quickly, clearly happy to hear those words."So is that all?"

Emma nods, shyly this time, before Mary Margaret continues.

"Then I will agree to your terms," says Mary Margaret, the glint that is Snow again in her eyes, "if you will agree to one of mine."

"What?" says Emma, a little nervous about what Mary Margaret might ask for.

Mary Margaret's voice softens and she turns wistful.

"Eat breakfast with me, you and Henry, in the morning. Every morning if you can. I know you want your space, but do this for me. We always ate breakfast together when we could, before, so let the three of us eat together now as often as we can. The other meals can be just whenever you want to, but for breakfast let's be together."

Emma smiles at the request and then her smile widens as Emma has a thought; Mary Margaret returns her smile questioningly.

"I can agree to that term on one condition," Emma states, taking her phone from her pocket, making a call.

"Condition?"

"Hey," says Emma speaking into the phone, "Can you come up now?" Emma pauses, listening, "Alright. Bye."

Emma looks back, seeing a confused expression on Mary Margaret's face.

"Who was that?"

"You'll just have to wait and see," says Emma, a slight smirk on her face and Mary Margaret smiles.

"You know you remind me of Charming when you smile like that. You really do have your father's look, his hair." This time Mary Margaret does touch her hair, but only to tug on a curl. "And my chin," and they both laugh.

"Speaking of my father," says Emma, as they are interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Emma, it's me," says James' muffled voice from the other side of the door.

Emma snorts as she stands and quickly opens the door.

"That was quick. I thought you were going to wait until I called."

"I did wait...on the stairs...outside the apartment," James answers, glancing at Emma and then moving his eyes to Mary Margaret.

"Henry?"

James' eyes snap back to Emma's, as he gently lays a hand on her shoulder.

"He's fine. I just went to check on him. He's sleeping. We fed him and he gave me this," says James, handing the walkie talkie to Emma, "and then he promptly fell asleep."

"Alright, well come in," says Emma, taking the walkie talkie and closing the door.

She then watches as James walks hesitantly towards Mary Margaret, coming to a stop in front of but not touching her. Mary Margaret stares at him, spinning her ring on her right hand, before tearing her eyes away from James to look at Emma.

"Emma, why is James here?"

"He is here because the two of you are going to make up."

"Emma..."

"No, no, Mary Margaret. I am not going to have the two of you moping around in separate apartments because of something I said. I shouldn't have said what I did about James because that wasn't him, that was David. James is different. You both are and that was not why I left. I-I was just confused and needed the space."

James moves closer to Mary Margaret and she gives him a slight smile, looking up at him as she puts her hands on his waist, causing him to pull her in close. Emma sees the difference in them. They seem so right together whereas before they hadn't. When it was Mary Margaret and David it had not been right, but this is not Mary Margaret, this is not David. This is Snow White and her Prince Charming. So Emma says it just like she did before with James.

"Snow."

Snow starts as she looks towards Emma, a smile of pleasure on her face at hearing Emma say her name. Such a simple thing seems to mean so much and Emma smiles again. She then shifts on her feet, glancing away, as she thinks about what she is going to say and then she stills, looking straight at the both of them.

"I am sorry about what I said to both of you. About not needing you. That was just what I always meant to say to them, to the parents that left me on the side of the highway to d-die. Like garbage. But you guys aren't them, you are the parents I always wished for when I was just a kid. While I am not a kid anymore, I do still want this family thing, so maybe we can be a family even if, like I said, it is a different sort of family. Because, Snow, we were family even before I knew who you were or before I believed it I guess, so maybe we can all be family together now."

Emma sees the tears glistening in Snow's eyes, tears she is trying to control; Emma tries a smile not knowing what else to do, as she again squirms on her feet.

"We would like that, Emma," says James, and she looks at him with relief for breaking the tension.

Then Snow is moving towards her arms out. Emma goes very still, causing Snow to stop, seeing the nervousness in the widening of Emma's eyes.

Snow takes a deep breath, controlling her emotions and asks quietly, "Emma, may I, just this once?"

Emma relaxes, seeing that Snow isn't going to break down and lose it.

"Yes," says Emma nervously, allowing Snow to fold her into her arms, and Emma feels it, safe for a moment, quiet and without panic in her mother's arms. It quickly makes her uncomfortable though so she pulls back and Snow immediately lets her go and Emma gives her hand a squeeze.

"Somehow I doubt it will be just this once."

Snow laughs and Emma is glad, worried for a moment that she might take Emma pulling back the wrong way and very glad to see that she hadn't. Emma nods, turning towards the door.

"Wait, your condition?"

"Oh yes, my condition," says Emma, taking her coat down, pulling it on, checking her pocket for her keys. "My condition, is that you bring him with you tomorrow?" Emma says pointing at James.

"Tomorrow?" asks Snow, moving with Emma towards the door.

Emma opens the door and rests her hand on the doorknob as she turns to face the two of them. James comes to stand beside Snow putting his hand on her hip and she lets him, leaning into his side. Emma sees that and smiles, before looking to Snow.

"Breakfast remember. In the diner though tomorrow, if that's alright? I don't want you to have to cook anything. Maybe we can have breakfast here the next day. Alright?"

"Yes, tomorrow, Granny's say 7:00."

"Let's make it 8:00. I haven't gotten a good nights sleep in days."

"8:00 then."

"And Snow, don't hurt him too badly. He has had a rough night," says Emma giving Snow a serious look, but with a twinkle in her eye, before turning to James. "You too. Be nice."

"I will," says James, laying his hand on his heart in promise. "Per our agreement."

"Good," says Emma and James laughs.

"Goodnight, Snow. Goodnight, James."

"Goodnight, Emma," they both echo, James with a quick grin and Snow wistfully, causing Emma to smile and reach out to take her hand, giving it a squeeze, which Snow returns, before letting her go.

As Emma pulls the door shut she sees Snow and James turn towards one another. James puts both his arms around Snow, again pulling her close. She looks up into his eyes before nestling her head under his chin. Emma smiles to see them like this, her parents, her family, and she thinks that maybe this family thing won't be so scary after all.

ONCEUPONATIMEONCEUPONATIMEON CEUPONATIMEONCEUPONATIME

Emma had finally gotten a full nights sleep even if it was on a cramped bunk bed with Henry tucked in next to her. She had left Snow and James with every intention of heading back to the bed and breakfast, but when she found Henry, safe and sound, out cold, in one of the bunk beds in the lower apartment, she just couldn't wake him. Emma asked if they could stay the night, leading to offers for them to take the loft room upstairs which apparently still had a normal bed in it, offers Emma declined not wanting to go to the effort of moving Henry.

Instead she took off her boots and jacket and slid in next to him. He woke up and looked over at her blearily before turning towards her, leaning into her side and falling immediately back to sleep. She had laughed, running her hands briefly through his hair and then had quickly followed him. It had been a long day.

Emma had awoken the next morning at some insanely early hour, before the sun was fully up, when Henry had climbed over her stating he was hungry. Emma had sighed and gotten up, feeding Henry some cereal that she had found in the cupboards while telling him to save some of his appetite for their breakfast with Snow and James. He had then become very excited when he heard that they were going to be eating breakfast with her parents later on and Emma smiled at his excitement.

So now here they are, sitting quietly in a booth at the diner, waiting for her parents to arrive. Emma and Henry had returned to the bed and breakfast, changed clothes, cleaned up, and gotten ready for the day before heading down to the diner a bit early. Emma was already on her second cup of coffee when she hears commotion outside...shouting. Shouting followed by the sound of steel ringing in the air and then loud popping sounds.

Red, from behind the bar, looks over and goes very still, trying to figure out what is happening outside. Emma stands as the noise gets louder and she hears more popping followed by a loud crash that sounded like it was right outside.

"Oh no," Red says quietly and Emma quickly pulls Henry up next to her.

That declaration is followed by the door to the diner being blasted off its hinges. And after all of the days without any concrete information, where Emma had been lulled into a feeling of relative safety, Regina is suddenly here, dressed immaculately, hair perfect, eyes cold. She is standing in front of them in full on Evil Queen mode staring straight at Henry. Emma immediately grabs him and shoves him behind her as everyone in the diner gasps, taking a step back from the Evil Queen; everyone that is except for Grumpy, who puts his head down and barrels straight at her.

Regina flicks her wrist sending him flying to the right where he hits the lip of the bar, hard, at the point where his shoulder meets his neck. He slumps to the ground unconscious as his head lolls on his neck making Emma wonder for a second if he is dead. Regina's eyes then meet hers, glaring with such hate that Emma actually pauses. Regina then looks towards Henry who is poking his head out from behind her and Regina's face briefly softens.

That does nothing to reassure Emma at all as she again quickly pushes Henry behind her, not taking her eyes off of Regina. This causes Regina's gaze to snap back to Emma's and the glare to return. Emma orders her guards to take Henry out of the diner, causing Henry to clutch at her, pleading with her to come with him. Emma does not hear him, thinking only of his safety and of staying to stand between him and Regina. She again orders her guards to take him out and this time they comply, bodily removing him, as finally a few more people come alive and start rushing towards Regina.

This time Regina rolls her hand and at first nothing happens and Regina frowns before rolling her hand again. This time it works and a ball of fire forms. Emma's eyes go wide as Regina pulls back, throwing the fireball, causing the man nearest her to catch fire as others jump away. The man begins flailing around for a moment trying to put out the flames, as everyone pauses in shock to watch him. All the while this is happening, Regina watches Henry being marched out the back door until finally someone knocks the man to the ground, putting out the flames and pulling him back.

Regina starts moving forward towards the back door that Henry just disappeared through and towards Emma who is standing in her way. Suddenly in the empty doorway of the diner stands Snow with James right behind her. Emma sees Snow's face go ashen with fear as she looks at the mayhem around her and as she watches the Evil Queen striding towards her daughter hell bent on taking Henry.

"Regina!" yells Snow, attempting to distract her from her mission to get to Henry by going through Emma.

Regina stops and turns around, looking at Snow White, and Emma sees the beginnings of a smile on her face, a smile with an edge. Emma sees the hint of violence in that smile before she loses sight of Regina's face as she turns fully away from her and towards Snow. Snow does not flinch at that smile, but instead straightens, lifting her head.

"Regina, this has to stop. Hasn't everyone suffered enough? We can't keep doing this. Not here. We are all stuck in this town together. We can't keep living like this."

Regina does not respond as her back tenses and she takes a step towards Snow. She turns to the side to face her as Snow takes a step forward and turns to face Regina. Now Emma can again see Regina's face and the smile is still there, a smile that makes Emma cringe, as she is suddenly very afraid for Snow. Regina takes another step forward, now mere inches away from her friend, her mother.

"Emma, leave. Go to Henry," orders Snow, not looking at her, and Emma jumps, surprised at being spoken to, yet still unsure of what she should do.

Regina looks briefly at Emma still standing there and back to Snow, that dangerous smile still on her face, eyes cold and dead. All of the sudden, everything is happening all at once as Regina begins rolling her hands, both this time. Once again it doesn't work as the flames flicker for a moment before going out. James jumps forward, yanking Snow back, putting himself between her and Regina and Emma is suddenly moving as Regina is once again frowning in concentration, continuing to roll her hands. This time the fire stays and Emma screams, raising her hands as she leaps towards Regina.

"No!"

The scream is something primal, as Emma feels abject fear course through her as she looks at the Evil Queen rolling a ball of fire just a yard from her parents. Her parents. Emma has just found them. She can't lose them. Not like this. Not so soon. Emma screams all the while thinking she has to get to them. She has to make Regina stop. She has to get Regina away from her parents. Regina pulls back her hand to throw and then she hesitates, frowning. Her eyes are drawn to Emma as the fire sputters out. With Emma screaming, her hands out, Regina is thrown back towards the wall, hitting it hard, knocking over the table nearest the window as she comes crashing to the floor.

Emma continues moving towards her, having no idea what just happened, as Regina looks up and her eyes going wide. Regina returns quickly to her feet, a look of shock on her face as she stares at Emma. Emma pulls back and hits her, hard, with her fist, and Regina is knocked backwards, blood spouting from her nose as she hits the floor like a ton of bricks. Emma yelps at a sharp pain in her hand from hitting Regina, but that pain is forgotten as she once again lunges at the Evil Queen; Regina quickly puts her hand up, waving it, and disappears into a cloud of black and purple smoke.

Emma almost falls to the ground as Regina disappears, but catches herself and straightens, looking around, as she tries to find her target. It takes a moment before she realizes that she is gone and that the attack is over. Then Snow and James are there, putting their hands on her, checking to make sure she is all in one piece. Only then does Emma look around, taking in the diner and the chaos caused by the Evil Queen's visit. Emma scans the room, breathing heavily, before finally meeting her mother's gaze.

"What happened? Henry? Why did she -"

All of the sudden Emma can no longer stand, as she feels her eyes roll back in her head as the room fills with sound roaring through her ears, a hundred voices calling her name. She knows she is falling, but she is unable to stop it as she feels her parents arms around her, catching her, cradling her, and she thinks 'safe' and then nothing.