Hello again! Not much to say except to enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.

"Is someone going to tell me where my son is?" Regina asked, walking beside Emma, an uncomfortable distance between them. "Or have you imbeciles just let him run off?"

"He only runs away when he's with you," she quipped. "He's safe with Ruby at the diner helping all of your victims find their loved ones."

A hefty silence filled the air once again as they walked toward the sink hole. Snow and Charming walked several feet ahead, poised and ready to jump back into action. Emma just felt that her head was spinning. Just that morning, Regina was telling Emma that they were going to reveal their relationship to Henry. For once in her life, she truly felt happy and content. Now, everything had fallen apart, quite literally. The wheels in her head kept turning, and the more she worked through things, the more her head ached. Her body felt warm and her fingertips felt like they were going numb. 'Maybe I should've stayed in the hospital,' she thought.

"Are you okay?", the brunette asked, watching as the Sheriff eyed her hands as if they were on fire.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Well, you certainly don't look fine."

"It's not like you care," she said, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, let me ask you something." Regina nodded at her, showing she had her attention. But she didn't dare say anything for fear that her voice would give away her worry. "What really happened to me?"

"Your Majesty!" Happy yelled, running to Snow and Charming. A swarm of excited dwarves followed him, all circling to bow graciously. Regina took this as her cue to avoid this topic. She walked on ahead, pretending that she was distracted by the commotion.

"Are we going to spend all afternoon gawking over Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum or are you going to show us the crater you've been going on about?" The crowd noticed her for the first time, made clear by the gasps and murmurs.

"What the hell is she doing here?" a woman yelled from the back.

"You said you wanted justice," someone else jeered, aiming their anger at Emma.

The gathering of citizens began to speak their mind simultaneously, the sound becoming an annoying buzz that left a ringing in Emma's ear. She covered it with her hand in an attempt to cease the sharp pain piercing through her eardrum.

"Stop, stop!" she yelled, trying to stop the crowd. Despite their distrust of her, the murmuring stopped. "She is currently under arrest."

"Why isn't she in jail then?" Granny piped in, gripping her bow tightly.

"Well," she said, rubbing her hand along the back of her neck. "Why am I feeling so strange?" she thought, trying to ignore that persistent numb feeling that seemed to be travelling along her body. "We don't currently have a jail. These dangerous tremors kind of destroyed the whole sheriff's station."

"So, what now?", Grumpy said bitterly. "You're just going to babysit her and hope she doesn't kill us all?"

Regina, usually quick to retort with a snarky one-liner, was quiet. Instead, she was intently staring at the Sheriff that hadn't stopped squirming since the curse broke. A heavy guilt washed over her as she began to worry that she was experiencing unforeseen side effects of the sleeping curse she'd ingested.

"She's under our watch until other arrangements can be made," Charming stepped in. The Storybrooke inhabitants appeared to visibly relax, their tense shoulders and clenched hands loosening with their prince's words. "And as soon as we have an alternate holding place for her, we won't let her hurt anyone anymore."

Emma furrowed her brow, slowly realizing that she had lost the trust of the citizens she'd been protecting for months. The curse had been broken, supposedly by her in ways she didn't understand, and they somehow lost hope in her. Was it because she was being too lenient on Regina? She didn't deserve any mercy. She was a villain and a monstrosity. She'd promised Henry that Regina wouldn't die, but that didn't mean she earned any special treatment.

Reaching over, she pulled on the Mayor's arm and snapped on the cold cuffs that had once been a part of an exciting game but now were just a painful reminder of a once beautiful love. She gasped, turning to look into emerald green eyes that once lit up to see her. The hurt washed over her face as she felt her close the metal ring around her other wrist, trapping her hands in front of her.

"She doesn't have magic, but this is reassurance that she'll still face her consequences," she said confidently, ignoring the brunette behind her. She approached the chasm, peering down into the dark abyss. She kicked a nearby rock into the darkness below. Everyone grew silent, realizing what Emma was trying to discover. She patiently listened, leaning over a safe distance to listen more closely. The silence remained, until finally she sighed.

"It's either too deep for us to hear the sound, or considering the return of magic, it's endless."

"What now?" Regina snapped, her anger building inside her. "Now you're all just going to trust the bandit and the shepherd to save us from a hole straight to hell?" Spinning on her heel, Snow turned to face her.

"What else do you suggest? You're useless without your magic, and we have no one else to turn to. David and I can handle this."

"This is clearly magical, and therefore far out of your area of expertise, Snow. Someone created this, and it wasn't me. So, best of luck figuring this one out."

"Mr. Gold," Emma said, trusting that uneasy feeling she got every time their paths crossed. "Or… Rumpelstiltskin or whatever. We need to talk to him."

"That's a bad idea," her royal company said in unison. The Queen and Prince side-eyed one another, each annoyed with this incarceration arrangement.

"He's dangerous, Emma," replied Snow, reaching out to touch her leather clad arm. "All magic comes with a price."

"I don't want him to use his magic." She shrugged, walking away from the magical canyon. "I just want his knowledge of magic. I'm going to interrogate him."

Regina smirked, raising her eyebrow at the Charmings, relishing in her former lover's rebellion against her newfound parents. She sashayed towards Rumple's shop on Emma's tail, finding at least a little joy in their moments of frustration with their long-lost daughter.

[X]

"Sorry, but we're closed."

Mr. Gold stood behind the countertop, holding Belle's hand as the authoritative blonde burst through the door, a restrained Regina and Charmings in tow.

"I need your help," she retorted bluntly, cutting right to the chase.

"What part of 'We're closed,' did you not understand?" He released Belle's hand and edged her toward the back of his shop, wishing to protect her from whatever business he may need to attend to. She smiled softly at him and snuck behind the curtain, knowing better than to argue with him.

Facing his guests, a large grin graced his face as he noticed the shackled Queen. She lowered her head trying to avoid his eye contact, but his chuckle made her skin crawl.

"Well, well, well, dearie. It doesn't look like things played out the way you planned."

"Shut it, Rumple," she snarled, her upper lip rising just where her scar lay.

"You know what they say about the best laid plans," he mocked. He subtly gestured to himself with his cane as he added, "Although some of us are really quite good at it."

"Gold," the Sheriff interrupted, still furrowing her brow noting that she was missing something. "What do you know about the magic in town right now?"

"The curse is broken. I thought that was rather obvious." Emma rolled her eyes.

"I meant the shaking and the giant hole on Main Street."

"Well, I don't know anything about any shaking," he said, placing his hands on his cane. "And the only thing I know about the opening in the road is that it is really quite bad for business."

"Look," David said, stepping to the forefront. Emma tensed up, her shoulder muscles tightening. She knew they meant well, but she wasn't used to this leadership role that they both resumed the moment the curse was broken. She couldn't blame them. They were a prince and princess destined to rule an entire land. But that didn't mean she had to like it, especially when her interrogation was highjacked before it even began.

She sighed and stepped back, at least acknowledging that magical knowledge was in their realm and maybe she couldn't be the leader on this one. This world was different now. Everything she knew her whole life was now a foreign concept. Things she believed to be make believe as a child were not only real, but a direct part of her life. She finally found her parents, and yet she couldn't shake that bitter feeling she felt deep inside her heart, and their attempts at reconciliation were only making it worse.

All this internal conflict and inability to settle and digest all the new information was again throwing her mind into a tailspin. She suddenly felt so dizzy and needed to sit down. David continued speaking, but Regina eyed the blonde suspiciously, resisting the urge to place her arm on her lower back and steady her. Emma swayed, and she reached to catch her, but her right hand pulled the cuffs taut between her wrists, clanking and reminding her that her former lover went against her word to leave her unrestrained. The Sheriff caught herself along the opposite counter, playing it off as if she meant to lean on it. Regina remained undeceived, noticing the sudden pink hue to her usually pale skin.

"We know that these earthquakes are of some kind of magical doing, and that leaves only you."

"I'm fairly certain the Queen – or is it former Queen," he added, once again jeering the brunette, "has proven to be quite capable of wreaking havoc with her magical powers. And she evidently has more motive than I. I think you're barking up the wrong tree."

"She doesn't have her magic," Snow continued, not allowing the older man to dodge their accusations. "If she did—"

"…she would have destroyed us all by now," Regina interrupted. "Yes, yes, we all know. That line is old, Princess," she jibed with disgust. "If you're going to keep reminding me that I'm presently incapable of magic, at least be more creative." She rolled her eyes dramatically. "I'm tired of hearing that one."

"What we're saying is that you are the only other person in Storybrooke that has magic and has a lengthy rap sheet for hurting people," Emma chimed in from the other side of the room. The common language for this world was unknown to them, but with a moment to interpret context clues, the room of wizards and royalty understood.

"Who's to say I have my magic?" he sneered with a smile.

"Oh, stop with the riddles and games, Rumple," Regina spit. "You gave me this damn curse. Don't try and tell me that you didn't ensure you'd have your magic when the curse was broken. This was your plan all along." She tried to lift her hands, as she'd always been one to move them when speaking and was once again annoyed at her restraints. She audibly expressed her frustration with a groan, and Rumple smirked.

"You don't seem to be in much of a position to make accusations, dearie." He turned to address Snow and Charming. "You really should've found a way to keep her quiet."

Emma, having become rather faint and desperate to get some space, made an executive decision. "We're obviously not getting anywhere with this, so let's go." Without waiting for an answer, she walked out the door and back to Main Street. The Charmings eyed one another curiously before David turned to Rumpelstiltskin once more.

"This conversation isn't over."

"It seems the Savior says it is."

Ignoring his jest, David motioned for Regina to exit the shop, not wanting her to be the last in line. She ducked her head, hating having to follow orders from anyone, let alone Snow's shepherd boy, and hurried out the door with Snow and David close behind.

Despite closing the door behind him, the Prince still spoke softly. "Emma, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just know a dead end when I see one." She watched as her friends glanced at one another before returning their concerned gaze to her. "Stop looking at me like that," she responded, pulling her leather jacket tight around her as if it were her armor against this truly uncomfortable situation.

"Sweetie," Snow started in a motherly tone that caused her to squirm. "We still haven't really… talked."

The Mayor turned around and took a few steps away from the reunited family. She wasn't fond of them, Emma aside, so she certainly didn't want to be in earshot of a Snow White mushy hope speech.

"Emma, you're my daughter and I want to talk to you. Really talk to you." Emma tucked her hands into her pockets and rocked slightly on the balls of her feet, knowing she couldn't avoid this conversation any longer. "During the curse, we were just friends. But now, we know that we are mother and daughter, and I want to really know you." Her daughter nodded, motioning for her to continue, despite her obvious discomfort. "We're finally together," she took a deep breath, "and I can't help but think that you're not happy about it."

With a sigh, Emma said, "Here's the thing. No matter the circumstances, for 28 years, I only knew one thing… that my parents sent me away."

"We did that to give you your best chance," her mother said with a smile, hoping to explain her side of the story.

"I get that," she conceded. "That's who you are: princes and princess. You're heroes and that's wonderful and great. But that doesn't change the fact that for my entire life, I've been alone."

Although it was not her intention, Regina could still hear their conversation, and she felt a pang of guilt in her chest. Not only was she responsible for her separation from her parents, but she then broke her heart and continued her perpetual feeling of loneliness. She fought back tears knowing that she, of all people in this situation, had any right to feel sadness.

"But if we hadn't sent you away, you would've been cursed too."

"But we would've been together." Her chest began to ache, the tingling in her fingers making an unwelcome appearance once again. Stressed, confused, and all together in need of some space, she made an excuse to leave. "C'mon. We have to get Regina to her house."

Regina whipped around toward the mention of her name to see Emma walking determinedly down Main Street toward the Mayoral Mansion. An unexplained coldness washed over her at the loss of Emma's presence, and she rushed in her heels and handcuffs to catch up with her, even if she wasn't sure where the compulsion came from. David and Snow jogged after them, confusion etched on their faces.

Upon reaching the fence of shrubbery, the blonde took a moment to catch her breath. Regina neared her, surprising Emma with her husky voice. "It's not easy to run with my hands tied, Miss Swan." The name didn't carry as might bite as it once had, and Emma saw the recognizable hurt in her eyes. She scrunched her face and bit her lip, realizing that she'd turned on Regina like everyone else. She'd become a part of the pack, and she suddenly hated herself for that. As she reached toward her bound hands, the Mayor felt a warmth wash over her at their closeness, and she cursed herself for yearning for her soft touches. She knew she didn't deserve them.

As the Charmings approached, Emma recoiled, and the brunette nearly sighed aloud at the near contact. She closed her eyes tightly as she couldn't help but recognize the similarities between these circumstances and the ones she'd found herself in when the feisty blonde came to visit her office: she was bound by handcuffs and was entirely at her mercy, aching for her gentle caresses. Except this time, it was far less pleasant.

Regardless of her quick attempts to hide her intimate moment with her former lover, Snow and Charming saw her yank her hand away from Regina's, adding to the list of suspicious interactions they'd already witnessed.

"What are we doing here?" he asked, still unaware of their intent.

"We don't have a jail to put Regina in, so I thought of something better."

"Anything is better than following these two morons around all day," she retorted. She resumed her regal ways, needing to separate herself from the hope of ever being intimate with Emma again. But the fact that there were only "two morons" implied that the blonde was not included, a fact that was quickly recognized by her counterparts. The Sheriff glared at her, reminding her that she wasn't helping her case.

"We don't have a jail to put her in, so I figured we could put her on house arrest."

"I don't follow," Snow said quietly.

"In this world, house arrest is still detainment, but the person can stay in their home and just be monitored. I mean, they usually have an ankle monitor," she paused, recognizing again that they're not privy to her modern terms. "It's a little tracker bracelet that would be put on her ankle. But I'll just stay here and watch her instead."

"One of us can stay," David offered. "You should go home and get some rest. You've been through a lot today."

"I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway. I'll just stay the night."

Suspect of her insistence, Snow said, "You don't want to go home and be with Henry?"

"Of course, I do," she said defensively. "But you all have lost time to make up for. Henry's known our relation all along, but you're his grandparents. He needs, and has been looking forward to, spending time with you both now that the curse is broken. He'd really enjoy a night with you." They again shared a knowing and sympathetic glance, and she continued. "Just head to Granny's and let him know he'll be staying with you. I'm sure they've done all they can for the day to reunite families. It's getting late, and it's nearly his bedtime." Regina smiled at her motherly nature, enjoying that regardless of all she's been through today, her focus is still on Henry.

"You're right. We want to spend time with our grandson. We'll go pick him up," David agreed. "But please don't hesitate to call if you need anything at all."

"I won't. And please call me as soon as Henry is awake in the morning. I want to get breakfast with him and check in on him."

Without any preamble, Snow swooped in for a hug, enveloping the leather clad form in front of her. Emma let out a small grunt, having not expected the contact. David joined the hug, gently holding the back of her head. Slowly, she gave into the idea and returned the hug. Regina kept her eyes to the ground, trying to avoid her own overwhelming sense of loneliness. Once they released their grip on her tight and tense body, they smiled at her warmly and walked once again toward the road.

The moment they were out of sight, the Sheriff reached into her pocket and pulled out that small key that meant Regina's freedom. The metal rings popped open, and she rubbed at her wrists that have since become rather red and sore due to her hours of capture. The blonde grimaced as that nagging guilt made her throat tighten. Her dizziness returned, and she closed her eyes for a brief moment.

"Are you all right?" Regina questioned once again, unable to hide the concern in her voice.

"I'm fine," she answered, her response short but not dismissive. "Let's get you inside."

The Mayor led the way onto her large porch. Emma leaned unceremoniously against the white pole waiting for her to get the door open. She dug her keys from her blazer pocket, happy to find that it was still in there in spite of the several earthquakes she endured.

Upon entering the mansion, the Sheriff was met with cool air and a fresh linen smell mixed with something sweet, a smell that she could always pinpoint to be the smell of her lover's home. The numbing sensation, aches, and pains she'd felt sporadically throughout the day subsided, and she took a deep breath, releasing it in a sigh of relief.

The brunette walked up the few steps and took off her blazer, placing it on a hanger in the closet. She suddenly felt naked and exposed as Emma stared at her in her black vest and white blouse from the door. She no longer had a jacket to tug tightly around her, hiding her vulnerability.

Emma raked her eyes over her, taking in her soft features, recognizing them as the woman she'd come to love, not the disgruntled Mayor or the Evil Queen that she had been at odds with so many times before. She felt the urge to run to her and wrap her arms around her, burying her head in her shoulder. But she couldn't. She let Regina in, taking down the walls she spent 28 years building, exposing herself for the first time in so long, but she had been betrayed. The hurt made her feel as though she was drowning, which only increased her need to have Regina's hand rubbing along her back and her soft lips pressed against her forehead. She nearly yelled in frustration.

The lights flickered above them, and as the Mayor surveyed her house around her, the lights had flashed on and off in every room. She eyed them curiously and then turned to face the Sheriff, making eye contact for the first time since their moment near the shrubs, and miraculously the lights were no longer a concern. She looked into emerald eyes and, for the first time, she couldn't quite decipher what she was feeling. Or maybe she was afraid to find out.

Finally, she headed up the few steps into the foyer, simultaneously entering Regina's space. She felt the compulsion to take a step back, but her desire to be near Emma overrode her need to distance herself from her own vulnerability. She watched as she gently grabbed her hands and turned them over in her own, taking in the redness that circled her wrists. She touched the sensitive skin gently with her thumb, biting at her lip as she did so. They looked worse than they felt, but she was too confused by her sudden concern after she had been calling her a monster only hours prior.

"I'm sorry," Emma whispered. Her warm breath brushed against Regina's cheek and, had it not been for the movement of air, she might have convinced herself she hadn't heard anything but her own thoughts.

"It's okay," she said gently in response. But Emma's apology was loaded, and she meant it for much more than just placing her in cuffs after indirectly giving her word that that was not her intention.

"I—" she stammered over her own words, and she again felt flush, her leather jacket increasing the feeling that her skin was legitimately on fire. She lifted her eyes from her thumb continuously stroking her wrists. She released her hands gently, and nearly reluctantly, before saying, "Can we talk?" Her former lover could only nod in response.

The blonde sighed and began taking off her jacket as she walked toward the study, longing to sit on the couch that she'd spent many nights having conversations with Regina, friendly and difficult alike. Regina's eyes went wide as she realized where Emma was headed, and she reached out to grab her arm, but she was just out of reach.

"Emma, don't! You shouldn't go—" she called after her. But she'd turned the corner and took the first step into the room.

So there it is! It's messy, I know. Leave reviews and let me know what you think!