A/N: Next Chapter is here! Plus I've been so inspired to write recently that I've just finished a quick one-shot story about Regina. Its going to be called The Curse of Invisibility and I'll be posting it tonight. Keep an eye out for it :)


Chapter 11

Emma and Henry were pacing the floor of her bedroom. They had finalised their plan hours ago. Emma would teleport them both down to the dungeons to see Regina, then Emma would simply magic herself into Regina's cell and then magic them both back out, grabbing Henry again on the way. Simple.

Admittedly they weren't too sure what to do after that. Neither of them new this world well enough to know where to escape too. Regina would know though. It'd be fine…

They'd originally only meant to get down to the dungeons to speak to Regina but they'd gotten a bit carried away. The newly named Operation Jailbird was on.

They just needed everyone to go to sleep. Even though they didn't need to sneak through the castle anymore, Emma was still worried that someone else might be in the dungeons. Surely someone had to go down there to feed her right? It wasn't worth the risk. She was praying that Regina had kept her promise and tried to get her strength up in the last few days. Her emaciated figure still haunted Emma. She didn't want Henry to see that if it could be helped.

After what seemed like hours Emma finally decided it was as safe as it was ever going to get.

She grabbed Henry's hand tightly in her own and pictured the space in front of Regina's cell, letting the love she felt for the woman flow through her. She'd found it the easiest way to draw forth her magic.

Green light surrounded the pair, Emma felt her stomach lurch in a way that become all too familiar and she tightened her grip on Henry's hand. She opened her eyes. They were in the dungeons. She'd done it!

Emma spun around to face Regina and was shocked at what she saw. Several of the bars of her cell had been removed, seemingly with quite a lot of force, and collapsed on the floor behind those that were remaining was the brunette.

"Regina!"

"Mom?"

Regina didn't move. She was barely even breathing.

"Henry I need you to stay right here. I'm going to go in there and get her ok? Don't worry. Just don't move."

"Ok. Just help her!"

Emma quickly transported herself into the cell itself and dropped to her knees beside Regina. She scooped the other woman up in her arms and gave her a gentle shake.

"Come on Regina. It's me. Henry's here too. Come on! You need to wake up."

Emma was relieved to feel the small body in her arms tremble slightly and then see her brown eyes flutter open.

"Emma?"

"Yeah honey it's me."

"I hate being called honey." Regina voice was barely audible but Emma sighed all the same. If Regina was strong enough to complain then she would be ok. Bitchiness was reassuring.

"What's happened Regina?"

Regina took a few moments to compose her answer. "I…I realised that with the right motivation my magic could break the bars… but not every time. Sometimes it backfired a little bit."

"This is a little bit? You could have died! I said I'd get you out! You didn't need to do this on your own."

Regina completely ignored what the blonde was saying. She'd just realised that Henry was on the other side of the bars staring straight at her.

"Henry."

"Mom."

He ran up to the iron bars. He managed to squeeze most of his upper body through one of the gaps between them and reached out to her. She closed the distance between them instantly and hugged her son for the first time in weeks.

"Henry I love you so much. I'm sorry for everything. Please, please forgive me."

Regina didn't care about being strong anymore. She just needed her baby boy to love her back, however undeserving of that she was.

"Of course Mom. I love you too. We're getting you out of here."

Emma watched this exchange, her heart practically bursting inside her chest. The moment was ruined when she took a closer look at her son's other mother. She could clearly see deep purple bruises around her neck and as her simple dress slipped down slightly it revealed a disturbing array of wounds, some fresh with blood.

She wanted to know exactly what had happened but she didn't think the answers would be something Henry should hear. She mentally filed this away for later, trying to concentrate on the beauty of the reunion in front of her. Despite her best efforts, one question kept floating through her mind; were her parents responsible for this?

"Come on we're leaving."

Before Regina could argue she grabbed her hand and concentrated on Henry. She had to get back to the other side of the bars before she could teleport with him too. The usual green light began to flood the small cell when Emma was struck suddenly by the same electric force she'd previously seen hit Regina.

Henry gasped as he helplessly watched both of his mothers writhe in agony at the shock.

Only one word escaped Emma's lips.

"Shit."

Both women went limp.