Emma sat on her horse and watched as one of the six dwarves left their house. It wasn't a castle by any stretch of the imagination, but it was definitely bigger than any of the other houses in the village. The castle could be seen from the house's windows, but it was small dot on the horizon. Emma called their banishment to the farthest most village in the kingdom a condition of Regina's parole. Of course, she called it that mostly in her head since Regina didn't like to talk about it.

It was the one thing that Emma wouldn't tell Regina. The only thing. They shared everything else, their hopes, their fears. But Emma would never tell Regina what Emma had promised her mother and father, Snow White and Prince James, to get them not to burn Regina at the stake.

Regina looked up, she could feel Emma's gaze on her. "You're back."

Emma dismounted. "Ayup."

Regina rolled her eyes, "You do that on purpose."

Emma made a face, "You people here speak so... so wrong. Ya need some slang that's not an accent. Seriously... Use wicked in a way that's entirely wrong grammatically. Throw in a coupla 'draws' or some 'idears'..." She kissed Regina. "You're not going to ask me how James and Mary... and Snow are doing, how they're liking being in charge?"

Regina's eyes twinkled and she smirked, "Just because James and Snow are King and Queen, doesn't mean they're in charge." Emma laughed. "Are they... alive?"

Emma laughed again, "Usually the question that's asked is, are they well."

Regina shrugged, "I don't care if they're well, just that they're alive. They're your family, that's the only thing that matters."

"They are alive."

"Good."

Emma took off her coat and winced as the muscles in her thighs and her back pulled uncomfortably. She definitely liked cars better than horses. Phelan said that she was working on something, but it sucked that only Phelan, Henry, Regina, and herself had kept their memories from what Emma still thought of as the real world. "So, what was Walter... sorry, Sleepy, doing here?"

Regina rubbed circles on Emma's back, "Well, since we've all been, back... he can't sleep."

Emma turned in Regina's arms, "Are you kidding me?" Regina shook her head, "That sucks huh."

"I gave him something, an herb. I think that it won't help though."

Emma frowned as she undid Regina's pony tail. When they'd travelled back to Happily Ever After Regina's hair had magically grown out again. The two of them had an only half serious debate over whether or not Regina should cut it again. Emma loved it long, Regina wanted it short again. "Why don't you think your herbs will help?"

"He and Dopey were friends. With him gone..." Regina shrugged, "But, maybe he's just having too much sugar before bed. I'm not the cricket."

Emma smiled and led Regina over to the front window of their house. "Henry's in his element. I don't think I've ever seen him so happy."

Regina quirked an eyebrow, "Less Math to do I think..."

"Funny..."

Regina cut Emma off before she could continue rambling, "What is it. You found something out at the palace. Just tell me."

"Snow is pregnant."

Regina managed to keep her face devoid of emotion. "Fertile one, isn't she." Regina glanced out at Henry. "That's why we're watching my son play, so I do go all dark and..."

"...twisty."

"You do know that I can tell when you're quoting from a television show. I don't know which one, but I know it was one. Em-, I'm fine."

Emma glanced at Regina, "Yep, that's why you're saying you're fine."

"Em-"

Emma laid her hand by the side of the window, "It's okay to be pissed, or jealous."

Regina turned to Emma and gripped the blonde's chin in her hand, "Emma, I'm not jealous, just preoccupied. Maleficent is gathering forces at the border. I think she aims to force me to send us all back. I'm trying to decide whether or not to lob a spell or two at them."

"Oh, Snow and James'll love that."

Henry crashed through the door, "Hey Mom, Emma... I'm totally gonna be a... a..." He looked up at the two women. "What am I going to be?"

Regina sighed, "Ah, the Happily Ever After grapevine."

Emma just smiled, "Let's see, the boy or girl that Snow White has will be your... Uncle or Aunt."

"Oh..." Emma held back a chuckle, "Oh, I guess that's cool."

Regina pointed at Henry before he could speak again, "Do not say it young man."

"But Mommmm... I mean, this is like, the land of dreams, and Fairy Tales and Happily Ever After. I won't even say ewww... or anything. You could use a... a.. apple seed, or, or something."

Emma squinted, as if trying to remember something. "I think that that's been used. Just couldn't tell you where. I think I read it..."

Henry frowned, then shrugged and was back out the door and playing with his friends again. "We could you know. As long as there has been magic there has been the magic to create life."

Emma bit her lip and looked out the window, "I just, I don't know."

Regina nodded, "You don't trust me."

A staccato laugh erupted from Emma, "Are you kidding me Regina? You raised Henry to be the amazing young man he is, no... no, I don't trust me."

"Oh." Regina pulled Emma closer. "Then, for now... let's just live..." Regina glanced out the window, "And you can help me figure out if we should lob some spells at Maleficent... Sheriff."

Fin ~ February 20th, 2012

A/N: Okay, so, do I admit that yes, I do know what Emma promised her parents in return for Regina staying alive, and that yes, I do know why and what Maleficent will/would do? Or will y'all just make me write another story... ;)