A/N: Thank you to the guest reviewers who I can't reply to! I'm feeling generous so I'm adding an extra and early update. Enjoy :)


To say she was nervous was an understatement. Emma hadn't seen or heard from Lily since the day she had asked for help and Maleficent; she wasn't exactly Emma's biggest fan. In all fairness, she had chosen forgiveness over revenge and had never truly placed the blame on Emma. It had never been Emma's fault; her parents had been the cause of Lily being sent to this world. Filled to the brim with the darkness which should've been her own.

"You okay?" Regina asked, feet crunching on leaves as they walked towards the vault.

Emma nodded tightly, "yeah-" both hands wiped down her leggings, "it's just…my magic isn't that great right now and I don't want to let them down."

Regina crossed her arms, "you'll be fine, Emma."

Emma didn't look her way, her eyes instead focused on the vault which was not too far out of reach. She tucked her trembling hands beneath her arms, not asking for further reassurance where she would get none.

They stopped at the entrance to the vault. Regina kept her arms crossed instead of the way she would usually squeeze Emma's bicep in re-assurance, "you'll be fine," she repeated, caught Emma's gaze then yanked it away.

Emma swallow and spun around. Squinting up at the morning sun, her head tipped back and she sighed. It was early out and the temperature was low, but warm enough the sun hit her face and warmed her cheeks. It felt nice, being out without first having to ask for permission. "Are we ever going to be good?"

All she received was a sigh and eyes which hadn't left where she stood. She couldn't decide if she liked to be watched or not, mainly because she couldn't figure out if Regina was glaring at her with daggers or longing. Which one was worse became anyone's guess.

"Good morning, ladies." Maleficent gave them both brief smiles then made her way to Regina's side, "are we going to get this ball rolling?"

"Will you ever learn the art of patience, dear?" Regina tipped her head at Maleficent's raised brows.

Lily moved towards Emma and bumped her shoulder, "glad you could make it, Swan. Not so bad as a saviour after all."

"I don't know about that. I don't know how much help I'll be…but I'll try." Lily smirked, bounced on the balls of her feet, hands shoved into her jeans pockets. Like a kid waiting for Christmas. "I'm sorry it wasn't sooner."

"I'm not going to say no to some extra help. Especially from the magnificent saviour." Maleficent looked directly at Emma. A hand went to her lower back. Emma wanted to lean into the unexpected touch, but remained stiff and nodded in response. Maleficent chuckled and rolled her eyes, after they had flickered to the protective hand.

"Let's go inside." Regina lifted one eye brow at Maleficent before she walked into the vault, all of them descending the stairs, their feet hitting the stone echoing throughout the vault in quick succession.

Lily spun around quickly, eyes scanning the place, "I'm never not impressed by this place, if not slightly freaked out."

Emma smirked, "you'll get used to it," and made her way to Regina's side from where she had stood at one side of a table.

"Emma took some time getting used to all of this," Regina said, already fiddling with various objects she had sprawled out, then looked at Lily, "you will too. You are a dragon."

"That she is." Maleficent came to stand by Lily's side, the pair facing each other over the table, "so, tell me, how does this work?"

"Right." Regina lifted up a vial containing blue bubbling liquid, "so I found this potion when searching through the books and the idea is to search out a missing piece, a link, something that connects whatever is added to the mix."

"So like when we use objects and they start glowing or whatever." Emma frowned, because as far as she was aware, Lily's father wasn't even in Storybrooke, "I thought you guys don't even know who he is."

Maleficent huffed, "it happened in dragon form, so no, I do not know who Lilith's father is, but I intend to find out one way or another."

"Right." Emma crossed her arms and looked over to Lily, her eyes still scanning around all of it, finger tips brushing over the different material. Regina snatched a weird looking eye out of her hand.

"Don't touch anything." Regina stared at Lily at the same time Emma began to chuckle. That was a fond memory, no matter how frightening. Emma looked back at the time when magic was all so knew to her, wishing she could have that naivety back in bucket loads.

"Yeah," she said, "careful or Regina might try to collapse a bridge whilst you're on it." Maleficent and Lily twisted their heads towards each other whilst Regina had to bite down on her smirk.

She turned to face Emma, a palm resting on the table, "did I or did I not say how much potential you had for magic? Was I right?" The tone of voice was mocking. Emma rolled her eyes, though she did have a point. "And anyway, do you really think I would've let you die? I mean, faking accidents is one thing, but an entire collapsed bridge would've been traced back to me immediately."

"Wow, I feel so much better." Emma did smirk, their eyes connecting and she felt a bubble in her stomach she hadn't in a long time.

"I would watch out for that one-" Maleficent pointed a finger across the table, "she's smart, inventive and add that to her wicked streak, then she can come up with a number of concoctions."

"I think you're thinking of my sister, but, the point…" Regina sighed loudly, holding up the vial and gave Lily a look when her hand went to reach out.

"Sorry," she muttered, pulling her sleeves over her hands.

"If you would've let me finish. No, it's not like when we use a potion to track people, but I can see where you're coming from. No, it detects something missing, so I thought perhaps we could mix a drop of both of your blood," she said, glancing between the two of them, "and hopefully the missing piece-"

"Will be my father." Lily's eyes were wide as she stared at the little vial, "but how would that tell us where he is."

"It won't." Mal seemed a little annoyed, as if Regina's attempts weren't up to her standard, "but…I'll admit, it's a good start."

"I've still not finished." A hand went straight to her hip and she took a deep sigh as if to gain strength, "this is where me and Emma come in. Now-" she began to fiddle with a piece of paper, uncurling it to reveal a type of map, "this is a map of all the realms, well, most of them anyway. I thought, if we drop the potion with your combined blood onto the map, I know a spell which could get the potion to specifically locate all of the pieces. Two should end up here-" she pointed to the 'land with no magic' realm, Emma thinking how ironic that sounded, "then the last part should tell us which realm Lily's father is in."

"Why do you need me?" Emma asked, shrinking in on herself. She bit her lip, arms crossed and bowed her head, "my magic is crap, I'm sure you don't-"

"Emma. I can't do this spell alone." She waited until green eyes had connected with hers before she smiled softly, "now, you don't have to know the specific spell, but you will need to add your magic to the mix. Think back to the mines, you had no idea what I was doing to that trigger, but you went off instinct and added your magic to mine. That's what I need you to do now."

"My instincts were a lot better back then," she muttered, having intended for no one to hear it, but three pairs of eyes all turned her way and her cheeks flamed.

"I can vouch for that," Lily said, "though, at least you're wearing something that actually looks good. The curtain look just wasn't for you."

Regina placed a hand on Emma's back again. Emma turned to face the woman, eyes holding more emotion than they had in a long time. "You're okay," Regina tried to reassure, "just a little off balance."

"As touching as this is-" Maleficent rolled her eyes, "even if this does work, realms are huge. He could be anywhere."

"It's the best I've got." Regina twisted her hand and placed it on the table, "take it or leave it, dear."

"I suppose it is better than anything I have managed to come up with."

"Right. Then let's get on with it."

Lily and Maleficent both nodded, glanced to each other before turning their attention back on Regina, quiet apprehension in the air. Emma was happy to sit back and watch for the first part, moving so she was leant against the back of the wall, slightly away from the group.

Maleficent and Lily both placed their palms on the table, now Regina had poured the blue liquid into a small container. With a blade in her hand, she first cut a gash down Maleficent's palm, grabbed her wrist and tipped it over the container. After the blood had dripped down, she swept her hand over the cut, healing the injury.

"Light magic?" Maleficent raised a brow, obviously having spent a lot of time what one would call, dead, during some monumental moments.

"Magic is what we choose to do with it. When I realised that, I learnt to control it using light magic, which is a lot more powerful than you or I once thought." Maleficent nodded, impressed then placed a gentle hand on Lily's shoulder.

"That looked painful," she said, took a deep breath then placed her hand down, palm up, "okay. Let's get this show on the road."

"Make sure you hold still," Regina grabbed onto Lily's wrist with her free hand just to be certain, creating another wound as Lily hissed in pain, not used to the intrusion then tipped it over the container. She swiped her hand and then the cut was gone.

The mixture started to bubble and fizz, pop and create sparks. Emma pushed from the wall to get a closer look, all of them leaning over as if to inspect it.

"I think we need to give it a moment," Regina said and no sooner had she, did the potion die down and turn a deep shade of purple. "Okay, moment of truth. Emma-" she looked over her shoulder and Emma nodded, coming even closer, "remember what to do?"

"Use my magic and combine it with yours, like when we stopped the trigger."

"You ready?" Emma nodded at the question. Maleficent and Lily both stood still, eyes intently on them.

Regina picked up the potion, smoothing out the map and poured it slowly onto it. Once it was completely onto the map, she placed the container down and hovered both hands over the map, Emma doing the same. Closing her eyes, purple magic streamed downwards.

Emma shuffled, closed her eyes and squeezed them tight, hands positioned like Regina's, as if she were trying to warm them over a camp fire. A few spark came out, but the feeling she used to have had almost vanished and she couldn't call to her magic, let alone do what Regina had asked.

"Can't do it," Emma whispered, like a child being defeated and flopped both arms to her sides.

After a quick glance towards the pair opposite, getting across for them to remain silent she turned to Emma. "Yes, you can do this, Emma. Come here-" Regina gripped onto Emma's hands, intertwining their fingers and squeezed.

"I want you to squeeze my hand and push your magic out. Even if you can't feel your magic, imagine you're transferring it through our palms and making it travel up my arm. I know you can't feel for your magic right now, but it's there."

Hesitantly, Emma nodded, mainly because it meant she could keep her hand clasped with Regina's. "Okay," she said, voice still small, "let's try again."

Regina nodded with a small smile, spare hand going over the map. Closing her eyes once more, she took a deep breath and Emma did as she was told. Hand clasping onto Regina's, she envisioned her magic travelling down her arm, to her hand, over to Regina's hand and then up her arm. Emma squeezed her eyes tightly as she did. They both began to quiver with the intensity of the combination.

Regina's magic came out in streams, a light glow surrounding where their hands were connected. She opened her eyes to see the liquid splitting into three and moving a long the map. A bead of sweat ran down her forehead, their palms growing warm.

"Almost…there…" she panted, Emma opening her eyes to witness two blobs going where Regina had predicted.

When the third blob began to move, brown eyes flickered up to meet Maleficent's and they shared a smile. It seemed as if it wasn't sure at first or it was trying to fight the magic. Either way, after another thirty seconds where the air stilled, did the blob move over to a realm, sitting itself nicely in the middle.

The room stilled. Emma kept her hand clasped in Regina's as their arms fell like dead weights. Mal looked between the map, Lily and finally at Regina. Regina's hand began to squeeze Emma's.

"Zelena," she hissed, anger bubbling between the surface. Emma squinted at the map, it wasn't too difficult to understand, but she hadn't the faintest clue what she was talking about and how it linked to her sister.

"What does that mean?" Lily turned to face Maleficent, who remained in a state of disbelief. She stared at her daughter, mind slowly catching up and when it did, she wrapped both arms around her daughters shoulders. Lily jerked at the unexpected tug.

"I know you're too old and we spent too much time apart, but can you let me be your mom and hold you?" Mal swept hair from Lily's shoulder, keeping her voice low as her lips were only inches from Lily's ear. It took a moment, one which felt utterly private. Emma and Regina shared a look, but they remained in place, silent.

Lily relaxed, arms circling around her mother's waist. Perhaps she was too old and they had spent too much time apart, but it didn't mean she didn't want a hug off her mother.

"Okay," she whispered then preceded to squeeze her arms tighter, close her eyes and snuggle in closely as if she were a child seeking comfort. It didn't matter to her that she was an adult. Not in that moment. Her mother had wanted her, had always wanted her. It was a small moment she could give her back.

"My dear child." Maleficent pulled her closer, keeping her wrapped safely in her warm embrace. Lily felt warm, like her own skin and their combined heat would most likely burn a mere human. Not them, they were dragons and Mal would spend every moment teaching her until she knew everything there was to know.

Maleficent pulled back and there was a gleam to Lily's eyes everyone knew to ignore. She stroked fingers through Lily's hair, guiding it behind an ear. "He's in Oz. Your father is in Oz."

"Like, the wizard of Oz? That doesn't sound insane to you?" Lily looked around the room, the rest of their expressions neutral. Maleficent continued to keep both big glistening blue eyes on her daughter, unable to look away. She tipped her head, grabbed Lily's hand and pressed it to her own cheek.

"We know where he is and I'm going to do everything to get your father back to you." Lily nodded and visibly swallowed and although she wanted to pull away, she let her mother have this. Until Regina's seething anger pulled them back into the vault.

"After we find out where he is, I'm going to kill her." The hand holding Emma's squeezed as Regina slammed another fist on the table, "kill her, then bring her back to life to kill her again."

"We don't even know if Zelena knows he is there." Emma twisted and placed her hand on Regina's, so it was sandwiched between her palms. "Hey, look at me, calm down." Regina turned and took deep breaths. Perhaps the reaction was a little…over the top, but her emotions remained uncontrollable.

"I thought the queen would've received the irrational side, dear." Maleficent wondered where the reaction had come from. In the past they had been something; friends, lovers, a comfort and although she still cared for her friend, that was…unexpected. "Although, I would be inclined to say the split didn't exactly go right down the middle, but I fear losing my head."

Emma's eyes paired with the warmth from her hands had the anger falling away like sand streaming through open fingers. She trembled, half listening to Maleficent's words, the other not wanting to hear at all. It didn't change from the fact she was right. Parts of her she expected to be gone had flared, whilst those she had been wanting to hold onto had withered away. "The split was not as clear cut I originally thought."

"I-" Emma was silenced by the lift of her palm. They would not discuss this now. After another moment where Regina regained her composure, she turned to face her friend and nodded once.

"We will find him. I may have to skin my sister alive, but we will find him." Okay, where had that come from? Regina used her free hand to run down her face, "perhaps using that much magic flared some old instincts back to life. No skinning, but let me handle my sister."

"I can't believe I haven't run into the evil queen. I bet she's more fun that all of you." The three pairs of eyes which swung Lily's way had her lifting her palms in defence, "I was joking. Chill."

"I wish to accompany you." Maleficent leaned against the table, eyes flicking to their conjoined hands before glaring at Regina, "if any skinning is to be done, I will do it."

Regina closed both eyes and shook her head whilst she took a deep breath. "Fine," she said through gritted teeth, knowing she would not stay behind without a fight, "let me figure out a way to approach her," she opened both eyes and stared right at Maleficent in a way which commanded attention. Perhaps the queen was gone, but there had been parts which had been Regina. She had been too reluctant to admit to it, until now, "if we go in there on offence, she will have no choice but to fight back. I know my sister, give me a few days and we will talk to her."

Maleficent stared back, weighing her options. On a sigh she stood up straight, "agreed, but if she isn't cooperative, then I will get offensive."

"Let's take this one step at a time." As if just remembering, Regina pulled her hand free from Emma's and began to tidy away the objects. Emma crossed her arms and stood shuffling, knowing better than to touch anything even when trying to be helpful.

"Better not," she said, as Lily went to do the thing she was avoiding. Maleficent began to help, because she could be trusted, whilst Lily, once again, lifted her palms into the air.

"I'm just going to sit over hear. You know, children should be seen and not heard." Lily moved over to the bench and sat, which prompted Emma to follow.

"That is the smartest thing I've ever heard come from your mouth, child." Maleficent gave Lily a warm look, already missing the momentary connection they had shared. Perhaps it had been taking longer than she would've hoped. But she was here. Maleficent had her daughter and she remained in arms reach. "And whilst I am thinking about this, remember that time you found out I was sleeping with one of your guards?"

"I…did not need to know that-" Emma crinkled up her nose whilst Lily remained silent. She placed a palm over her face as if to shield herself from the impending conversation. The now empty container smashed in Regina's palm.

"Whoa, Regina, what's with you today?" Emma was the one who should be out of sorts. She stood and walked over to Regina, calling magic and swiping it across her palm until the cuts had healed. Neither of them realised what she had done until it was over. "I don't know how I just did that."

Maleficent and Lily shared a look, rolling their eyes as if they knew a secret they didn't. "As I was saying, Regina, do you?"

"Thank you." Regina looked to Emma, not knowing how the magic had happened and not allowing herself to think on it for another second. The anger inside of her was flaring with concerning intensity since performing the spell. She most likely needed some down time, not more talk about the missing part of herself. "Do you have a point, Mal? I'm growing tired."

"Moody, just like the queen." Maleficent snapped her mouth shut, because even though Regina had been on some sort of redemption path and appeared to have recalled some of the aspects she once attributed to her as a young girl, you never wanted to be on the receiving end of calling her moody.

A hand went straight to her hip, "you better have a point, dear." Or she would be getting skinned alive too. Regina took a breath to gather those angry thoughts and place them away, rather than act on them.

"I thought you had taken my magic from me. It felt that way, at least. It started off slow, shaking, dizziness, then eventually I couldn't call to it when needed. Quite inconvenient. Then one day, it simply returned." Maleficent continued to tidy as if she hadn't said anything at all, letting Regina mull it over. Emma had returned to Lily, not intending to be thrown into their past. Now she had begun to realise what they had been to each other, perhaps a pinch of jealousy existed. One she didn't want to dwell on.

Regina and Maleficent tidied in silence. Emma and Lily looked at each other and shrugged, content to sit there and let what was to happen…happen. Everything was almost put away before either of them spoke again.

"Your magic was always inside of you, even in my darkest days I would never do such a thing." Regina remembered it vividly. Sleep with one of her guards, she had been furious, had thrown him to the dungeons to receive a rather slow and painful death and had put her ex-friend slash lover through something slow and painful. It had all been an illusion, of course, but Maleficent wouldn't have know that. "The potion blocked it, bit by bit, until you struggled to access it. Eventually I got bored, stopped making the potion and moved back to more prevalent matters."

Bored? Maleficent huffed, but otherwise, didn't say a word. She didn't have to.

"Do you think?" Regina's eyes lit up, wondering how she had missed it. Now it was like a glaring neon sign.

"The effects were the same. When I needed it, I had access, but most of the time, it was difficult and using any kind of power would leave me drained." It had been awful, mainly because she believed her magic had been taken from within. When it was returned she had shifted and burned down an entire forest, consequences be damned.

"I no longer remember the potion." The gleefulness Regina had been emitting, faded away. She began to tap on her chin as if the physicality of the action helped her think. "At least we have a starting point."

"I would offer to help, but potions were always your domain and I very much doubt the queen would listen to me." She was more likely to burn Maleficent alive. In the queen's eyes she had left, no matter what was the cause or who was to blame.

"I hate it when they do that." Lily sighed, unable to keep up with the conversation even if she wanted to. Emma, on the other hand, had been listening intently. Both hands trembled and she looked to Regina for answers.

"But the queen said it wasn't her." Emma's 'superpower' hadn't flared and although it wasn't at its best, nothing could happen which would result in her being unable to detect a lie when it came from Regina. Any part of her. "She wasn't lying."

"Perhaps not lying." Regina put the rest of the items away and moved over to the bench, "but I've always had a way around words, even in my youth I would drive Rumple to insanity with the way I could find loopholes in his deals." Lying or spinning stories so they technically weren't lies was a talent Regina had always possessed. It could be attributed to growing up with the mother she had, using words as her weapon to get out of trouble.

"Okay, you know what they're on about?" Lily was lost and after she'd spent countless days with them in the search for her father, she'd given up trying to understand half of their conversations. They had a long past and had known each other enough time for their conversations to be filled with half sentences.

Emma's wide eyes looked up at Regina as if to confirm, "my magic, they think whatever potion was used in the past on Maleficent is now being used on me." Regina nodded and for some reason it hurt.

They could delude themselves into believing otherwise, but the queen was still Regina.

"At least now we have an idea what's happening. We can put a stop to it." Emma nodded, but Regina noticed the hesitancy. It wasn't something she wanted to comment on. "We can meet tomorrow in my vault, talk about it and try to find answers."

"Yeah, alright." Emma did feel a tiny bit better; no matter who or what was behind it, at least they had some answers. The not knowing was starting to grate on her nerves.


The time in the vault had been exhausting. Using magic had tired Emma's body and the social interaction had tired her mind. It had been a long time since she hadn't stood around being docile, helpless, an arm clinging around him. She took a deep breath as she exited the vault, the fresh air welcome and filling up her lungs.

"I'm giving you a matter of days. I am not one for patience, Regina, find a way to approach your sister or I will go to her myself." Maleficent meant it. Their past and Regina's willingness to help granted her a grace period where she trusted her to figure out how best to make the next move.

Regina turned to face her, back to her vault and chuckled, "I'm aware. A few days, I'll get Emma to contact Lily."

"I still don't know why you don't have a phone." Lily raised a brow at her mother. It seemed ridiculous she should go around without one. It didn't much occur to her that the need to exist with technology did not extend to Maleficent. Too old and accustomed to her ways, she didn't much plan to change. No matter the convenience.

Maleficent sighed, "we have ways of communicating without such things. A few days and you better be in touch, dear saviour."

"I will-" Emma nodded, hands shoved into her pockets and glanced to Regina for confirmation. She smiled softly in return.

"Guess I'll see you soon, Swan," Lily said, swaying her shoulders and not looking Emma in the eye, "nice having you around."

"Yeah." It was nice being around. More than nice to be included. "I'll give you a call when Regina gives me the get go."

There were some goodbyes before Maleficent and Lily walked in the other direction. Regina turned around and waved her hands to seal the vault before she nodded to Emma and they began to walk. Emma didn't know what to say; talking about the queen's potion was at the very far bottom of the list and Regina seemed more herself around her, but the air remained tense. Their feet crunched on the leaves and branches in the field, the only noise other than that of their breathing.

That was until a staggering pirate holding a flask filled with rum stumbled into their view. He glowered at the pair. Emma's wide eyes found Regina's first, "stay here," she said, not wanting to have to deal with the two of them together. Regina sighed, but nodded and held back where Emma moved closer to him.

"Swan-" a bent finger went to his upper lip and he chuckled, "came t'apoligse, but I see," he swayed and blinked to get his vision to stop blurring, "her." He spat the word out in disgust as if she were somehow beneath him. His glare sent a shiver down Emma's spine. She was so close to pulling the flask from his hands and hurtling him into a shower when she shook the thought away.

Using the hardest tone she could manage, Emma looked him dead in the eye and refused to shrink under his gaze, "we're done Hook. Whatever is or isn't happening between me and Regina isn't your concern."

Emma's insides threatened to turn to mush, but she replayed his words over and over. He had asked her to choose between her best friend and him. He had been forcing the issue between him and her son. What would be next? The rest of her friends, her brother, her parents? Even if she stayed strong for a moment, pretended to be that person who had first met him and was not fooled by his lies.

"C'mon, Swan. I'm be the one to make you happy. You nothing without…me." He hiccupped and swayed on the spot. The action saw to it he drank more of his rum. Head tipped back he poured the last of the liquid then threw it behind him, it landed in the grass.

Emma clenched her hands and reminded herself it was lies. Twisting her head, she saw Regina was stood with crossed arms and head not directed their way, as if she couldn't stand the sight of them. "No," her voice wobbled and she turned back to face him, "I'm better off without you."

"Sure 'bout that?" He attempted the smirk which he'd used many a times as a pirate about to catch his prey. He was on Emma in an instant, hands on her waist and he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. The smell of alcohol strong on his breath.

Emma startled, squeezed her eyes and accepted the kiss, momentarily forgetting she didn't have to. The next moment, when his hands moved behind her and his lips pressed firmer, his body far closer than she would've liked, her knee came up. It hit him between the legs and as he stumbled backwards, her fist came up and she bashed him around the jaw. The shock of it had him fall backwards. Emma stared at her own hand in disbelief. That version of her was a distant memory, but somehow, it had resurfaced.

He was on the ground, sprawled and looking to her with betrayal in his eyes. The pain in his groin and jaw sobered him up. His spit hit the ground, "you're the saviour and you're my happy ending."

"I have a choice. The wedding's off. Go find your precious ship and sail off. Come near me again and I'll give you a bruise around your eye to match your jaw." Emma spun, heart rate speeding up and breathing laboured. She needed to crash and burn, find some time to be alone and mourn parts of herself. It had all been an act, far too unaccustomed to behaving like herself it had to have been.

Hook scrambled to his feet and didn't bother to look in their direction. He turned away and made an escape before Emma made good on her word. He didn't doubt it either. It was as if he had just awoken her instincts, the ones he had managed to shut down.

"Are you…alright?" Regina wanted to congratulate her, but Emma shook in tiny trembles and now he had gone her eyes gleamed. All she did was shake her head and swallowed. "Want to come back to the mansion?"

"No. I'm gunna head h…to my house. Get a shower and whatever. I'll meet you tomorrow, give me a text what time." Regina frowned and Emma could tell she was more than concerned. It caused her to sigh and attempt to shake off the quivering, "I'm fine…just need some alone time."

"Okay, well-" she squeezed Emma's bicep, "if you need anything give me a call. If he shows back up, knock him back out. That was the best entertainment I've had in a while."

Emma smiled shyly, "felt good."

"Good. He deserved it. I'll see you tomorrow, okay? We'll start finding this potion."

"Yeah, see you then, Regina." Emma lifted her eyes, wanting nothing more than to receive a tight hug, but dropped them without pushing her luck. Regina quickly rubbed her arm before letting it drop.

With one more glance, the two of them turned and walked in opposite directions. Emma's arms were around her waist the moment Regina was out of sight.