Chapter 14

The next morning Regina woke up to her phone ringing, rubbing her eyes she reached over to get the phone, she glanced at the clock and saw it said 5:45AM, she answered the phone, "Emma? It's 5 in the morning."

"Technically it's almost 6," Emma replied much chirpier than the mayor and much more awake by the sound of it.

"Why are you up this early?"

"I couldn't sleep, so I started doing a little digging. Regina. I found her."

That woke her up, Regina sat up on the bed trying not to be too loud to wake the blonde in her, "you what?"

"Lily, I found her. She lives about a 4 hour drive from here. We can go today."

"Are you sure you found the right person?"

"Positive. Listen the faster we leave the faster we can come back, so get up."

"I. Am. Up." Regina muttered.

"Well get ready."

"Emma can this not wait a few hours? I can't just leave Henry here."

"Oh right… okay fine, after breakfast. We can eat at Granny's I'll call my parents so they can take Henry afterwards. And tell your girlfriend to keep her friends in check while we're out."

"She's not my…"

"Whatever you say Regina. 8:00 at Granny's. Gives you another hour or so to sleep."

"I'll see you then."

"See you."

With that they both hung up, but there was no way Regina was going to get back to sleep, not now. Not after knowing that she may be able to see her daughter today. She got out of bed and went downstairs to brew up a cup of coffee. What if she doesn't want to come back? What if she hates us. She's got a right to be mad at me, this was my fault in a way, but Mal. Mal would have done, no she did, she did everything she could and then some. If only I'd known I would have… what Regina what would you have done? She thought to herself. She couldn't trust that she would have done the right thing, not then anyway.

Regina went back up to her room after finishing her coffee and sat down next to Mal. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and watched the blonde sleep for a minute before lightly shaking her. "Maleficent. Mal we need to get ready." She said softly coaxing the dragon to wake up.

"Regina what time is it?"

"6:30."

"Why are you waking up this early?"

"Emma found her."

Not knowing if she had understood correctly, Mal opened her eyes to look at the brunette, "What?"

"Emma found our daughter, or she thinks she did. We're going to drive out today and see if she's there, but we need to get up and get to Granny's by 8 so we can go."

Maleficent sat up, clearly awake now. "How long will it take you to come back?"

"I'm not sure. The drive is a few hours but we don't even know if she'll be there or if she'll come back willingly."

"You're her mother of course she'll come back."

"She's not a baby Mal. She's an adult. She may not want to."

"You can bring her home."

"I'll try. Now go shower and get ready while I pack my bag and wake up Henry." She said giving Mal a quick peck before heading to the door. "Oh and Mal, Emma asked that you keep your friends in check while we're out."

"Right… Regina stop worrying, I said I wouldn't do anything."

"I know." With that she left the room to wake up Henry and get everything she needed for her trip.

Regina, Maleficent and Henry met Snow, David and Emma at Granny's for breakfast. After quickly grabbing a bite to eat and saying their goodbyes Regina and Emma walked towards Emma's yellow bug to drive out of Storybrooke. Before she could get into the car, Maleficent ran over to Regina and stopped her.

"Mal?"

"I know you can do this. But, if she doesn't want to come back. Tell her that I love her, I never stopped and I never will. If this had gone my way she would have been raised by me."

Regina reached up to stroke Mal's cheek, taken aback by her words. She always knew Mal had a caring side but seeing her like this was different. At that moment she didn't care if Snow and David saw and realized she had lied earlier, saying she wasn't in a relationship with Maleficent. "I will but if I don't tell her yourself when I bring her back."

"Be safe."

"Thank you. I should get in."

"Yeah, umm... fuck it." Mal cupped Regina face kissing her deeply not wanting to let her go without a proper goodbye. Regina kissed back holding onto Mal's shoulders for support. Before breaking apart. "Alright go."

"I'll be back, don't burn my town down."

"I'll try not to." Mal replied with a wink, stepping back onto the curb as Regina got into the car and the yellow bug took off down the road towards the townline.