CHAPTER 12

The next morning was miserable for everyone though for different reasons. Regina had to crawl out of bed literally and deal with morning sickness that wouldn't stop coming.

Tink and Ruby were still completely hung over. All 3 of the women looked like a huge mess.

Regina brushed her teeth and made it back into her bed before collapsing. She had fallen asleep again when her phone rang. She picked it up sleepily, "Hello?"

"Regina? Are you okay? You don't sound too well child. What's wrong?"

Regina recognized the voice as Granny's. "No Granny, I'm fine. It's just the morning sickness," Regina was touched by the concern.

"Listen Regina, I don't know how to tell you but – "

This got Regina's attention. She sat up, "What? Just say it."

"The Charmings are back," Granny said it as gently as possible. She used the same voice one would use to say your cancer is back.

"Oh."

"Emma's been asking around about you. I didn't say nothing to her and neither has anyone else. Although don't be surprised if Archie needs to take a few days up there with you all. I don't think he'll be able to hold out much longer very well."

"Well, Archie's more than welcome to join us. I appreciate your call Granny. I just – I can't deal with that right now, you know?"

"I know child. I know. You just worry about being okay for those babies. That's the only job you have right now. And I'll send Archie down there. I'm sure he'd enjoy a vacation away himself."

"Thank you Granny. We'll be expecting him."

"You take care. I've got things covered on this end. Remember you've got people who love you and will support you whether you choose to come back or not."

Tears were falling down Regina's face by this time. She had never had people who cared or tried to help her ever except for Emma. And Emma had proven that she wasn't her first choice. "Thank you," she said her voice thick with emotion. "That means a lot to me. Goodbye." Regina disconnected the call.

She laid there and weighed her options. She could go back and confront Emma. But that was really no option at all. Emma had already chosen and that choice wasn't her.

She definitely couldn't face Henry anytime soon. Henry had gotten the upper hand on her because he was her son. And she loved him. So she hadn't even lifted a finger to fight back as he attacked her. But she knew that wouldn't be the case this time. She wouldn't be able to hold back. But could she really hurt her own son? Even after this, he was still her little boy and she loved him still. She shook her head that was no road to go down.

So it seemed moving forward was her only option. She would find a nice place to raise her girls in and find a career that she loved. She felt done was politics. And she knew she wanted something that would give her a flexible schedule. One where she would have plenty of time to spend with her girls.

She enjoyed cooking and her culinary skills were extremely high. Maybe she could look into some classes to get them sharpened. She loved food. And she loved making people happy and seeing their faces light up when they were enjoying a meal.

Regina took out her laptop and began exploring cooking schools. She could do this. Because she swore that no matter what her girls would have the best.

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Emma took a few minutes to lie in bed and pretend that nothing had happened. Regina hadn't left her. And Henry was still a sweet kid who hadn't tried to murder his own mother.

But the more she fought against the awareness that that wasn't the case, the more her brain fought against her and refused to let her wander. Eventually she sat up and went to the bathroom. She grabbed a shower and freshened herself up. Then she made the bed and cleaned up around the office. When she had finished every mundane task in the building and couldn't put it off anymore, she finally sat down at her desk staring into space wondering where to go next.

Snow walked in with a plate of food. Emma's stomach growled at the aroma and she remembered she hadn't eaten in days. She had abstained from David's hunter's stew. After seeing those carcasses she wasn't sure she could eat meat ever again.

"Hi honey. Dad's with Henry," Snow handed over the plate.

Emma attacked it as if it was her last meal. She was done in minutes. "Thanks."

"How's the search going?"

"It isn't. Everyone swears that they haven't seen Regina nor heard anything about weird occurrences at the mansion. Although Gold did know that Henry had used the glove on Regina. Other than that he claims he has no idea about anything."

"Well, why would he lie? He and Regina weren't exactly the best of friends."

"They weren't enemies either. They were something… weird… it's always been weird between those two. I'm sure there's something else there, I just don't know what." Emma laid her utensils across the now clean plate. "Anyway, I'm thinking I need to set up a search party. Your dwarf friends know about those woods pretty well don't they?"

"I think so," Snow said. "I'm sure they'll be happy to help."

"No, they won't. But if you ask them it'll go a long way in getting it done."

Snow nodded, "Anything you need honey." Snow put her hand on Emma's cheek, "I'm sorry that this happened. Maybe if I had've been honest then – "

"It wasn't all you. It was that damned book. I knew it was weird for a 12 year old boy to be that involved in a fairy tale book. He should've been interested in girls or something like that – and instead he's obsessing over curses and fairies and the meaning of prophesies," She hadn't wanted to ask but knew she had to. "How is he?"

"He's upset. He knows what he did was wrong if that helps."

"I wish I could say it did. But honestly, it doesn't." Emma shook her head, "I just don't understand how he could get something like that into his head. I mean- I knew that things were bad with his boasting about me being the savior. I knew that it wasn't a good thing and it made me feel – I don't even know the name for it. Like a fraud I guess. I'm not a savior or a hero. I'm just me. And Regina wasn't the Evil Queen she was just a woman who made mistakes the same as me," Emma looked at her Mom before she tried to deny it, "The same as you."

Snow chewed on her lower lip. "I know that I've made mistakes. And I'm trying to own up to them." She looked at Emma, "I'm really sorry that I made you go back to the Enchanted Forest. I just – all I could see was my heart all black. And I was terrified if I stayed here I'd turn dark. But I had no right to make it your problem or responsibility to look after me. I'm sorry if you feel that Regina's gone because of me. That's something I couldn't live with either," Snow bent her head and tears cascaded down her face.

Emma averted her eyes. What Snow had done was pretty awful and Emma knew it did contribute to what followed. But there was plenty of blame to go around. And plenty of time for everyone to have to confront their parts in this nightmare. But for now what they needed more than assigning blame was to find Regina. That was the first step. Because Regina was always the key to everything involving her life.

"If you call up the dwarves and let them know I need them I'll head over to Granny's and see if there's anyone there who'll be willing to join in the search party."

Snow nodded, "I'm on it. I'll send your Father over and I'll sit with Henry in the time being."

"Thanks," Emma almost walked away but she turned and gave her Mom a hug. This wasn't completely on her. They were all to blame.

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Emma had only been able to recruit about 5 other men in the help to find Regina. They cordoned off the woods and divided it into quadrants. Then they spaced out and began searching.

David had gone back to the mansion to comb for evidence. Emma just didn't feel like she could handle seeing what had happened.

By the time night fell the woods had thoroughly been combed through twice and there were no signs of Regina. Emma went back to the station defeated.

Snow came by and brought her some dinner. Emma could only sit and stare at it. She looked over at Snow with tears pouring down her face, "She's gone," Snow wrapped her arms around her and Emma allowed herself to collapse against her Mom.

David walked in and took in the sight in front of him. He shifted uneasily knowing that he was going to have to say some things that would only hurt his daughter further. He cleared his throat loudly, "Emma?" When she looked over at him he shifted his weight on his feet then lowered himself onto a chair across from Snow and Emma.

"I think we need to start preparing ourselves for the fact that she's not here," he waited a beat for that to sink in. "And she may have left on her own."

"What are you talking about? This is her home. Regina would never leave this place. She would never leave us."

David squirmed in his chair, "Emma there were a lot of her personal items missing. And a lot of her clothes. There was no sign of a break-in except for you smashing in the window. And someone put evidence in a rubbage bag. Things between you two weren't great. And she had just been attacked by her own son. I think – she may have just had all she could take and she left."

Emma's blood boiled. "NO! Just because that's something that you all would do, doesn't mean she would ever do that. Regina's not a coward like you! She fights! She's a fighter and she wouldn't just leave. She wouldn't just leave me. She loves me! She's missing. She's out there somewhere hurt and alone." She whispered the next part, "I have to find her."

Snow stretched out her hand to Emma, "Honey – "

"No!" Emma shook her off. She made her way outside and headed over to the Rabbit Hole. She still couldn't face Henry. Not without Regina by her side. And she definitely needed to forget the day.

"Give me 3 shots with a beer back and keep them coming," she said to the bartender.