Chapter 21

Tribunal

Emma's stomach growls, "I'm starving."

"Me too. Maybe we can get something from Granny's dinner once things settle down."

"Oh what I wouldn't give right now for one of her Tuna melts."

"So how should we handle this?" Regina and Emma are driving to the jailhouse.

"This... as in the town or us?" Emma gives her raised eyebrows but she reaches over and interlocks their hands.

"The town." As serious as the situation was Regina couldn't help but smile when she looked at Emma.

"The Mayor is asking me how to handle the town?" Emma mocks.

"You haven't got a clue.." Now they are both laughing.

"I feel like I want to be kind, genuine even. I guess I'll do what I always do. I'll be the ruling, all-knowing, un-yielding commanding not-so-evil Quee...

"Bitch?"

"Ha ha very funny princess."

"Regina your not evil anymore although I may think you are if you call me princess again."

"Well even though I feel like frolicking in a field of flowers I'm sure I can pull off some authority yet. Besides no matter what they will always look at me as the Evil Queen and I don't trust any of them."

"That's not true. My mother told me over the last year that you were the hero. You saved everyone."

"Good deeds are easily forgotten dear."

"Not if I can help it. But how about we sneak in through the back?"

"That works for me." They both let out a sigh of relief.

"Regina how do we talk to Henry?"

"Well despite what everyone thought of me I raised him to be open-minded, not prejudiced nor racist. But I doubt that'll be the issue anyway."

"He may not have an issue at all. He told me the night I ran after you in the rain that you weren't meant to be with Robin Hood."

"He certainly is perceptive. Still after all of our fighting and history I just don't know how he'll react."

"Well at some point he's gonna have to learn that theres a very thin line between love and hate. Besides he knows my parent's story and how they hated each other at the beginning."

"They did?" Emma nods her head. "I never knew that actually."

"Passion does strange things to people."

"You're telling me." Regina leans over and kisses Emma.

"We need to find out what Gold did with Anna. And you need to convince your friend to stay calm and let us handle Gold."

"And if that doesn't work?"

Emma doesn't respond because she really doesn't know.

They park around a corner and start back towards the alleyway. Even in the back they can hear the roaring of the crowd, "Send the ice woman away." "Lock her up." "That won't work...surround her by fire." Emma thought 'Who are these people?'

They walk in. Immediately Henry sees them before anyone else and runs towards them. He stops in front of them and wraps his arms around them. "What took you so long?"

Regina and Emma are speechless.

"By that you mean driving or..?"

"By that I meant why are adults so dense?"

"You're saying that you knew? And you're ok with us?"

"Nobody can stand in the way of true love. And are you kidding?...both my moms are in love with each other. I couldn't of wished for anything better."

Regina who's been mute the entire time, "But Henry how did you know?"

"Lots of things. For one it just made sense. Think about it. Mom you cursed an entire land because you, yourself were living in a curse. Emma is the Savior who just so happens to be my biological mother.

Mom you gave birth to me and the woman who adopts me happens to be the person who needs saving the most.

You were my mothers before you even knew of each other's existence. Then there's the way you looked at each other, the constant bickering, I could go on.

Plus I read the book. It's a total, Duh!"

Regina is hugging him now. So grateful to have such an intelligent son. "Thank you."

"That's great kid...but we're in the boo..."

"Well if it isn't' the happy family. Wanna come and help stop them from killing the snow bitch over there?" Grumpy certainly had a way with words.

"At least don't curse in front of the kid." Emma moves past him. Henry stays with his arm wrapped around Regina as they follow Emma.

"Hey Dad what's happening here."

James lights up whenever she calls him dad. He looks to his side and sees Regina. As much as he wants to inquire about their recent development he decides to play nice and act like a normal person.

"Everything was fine. We brought Elsa in for her protection and to ask her some questions. Then when the bright light enveloped the town it took but 10 minutes to have this place swarming with people. Everyone wants to know what it is and how she did it..."

Regina and Emma look at each other.

"Why is she in the cell?" Regina looks over to her friend concerned.

"For her protection. We know she can easily escape that but nobody else has a clue."

Emma stands up on a desk. "Everyone listen to me. She had nothing to do with the white light. We will take care of everything. Please just go on home..."

"Take care of everything? The way you've been taking care of the Evil Queen?"

Emma gets a flashback of some of the earlier moments she shared with Regina and she temporarily looses her words.

"First of all she is NOT the Evil Queen anymore! Have you all forgotten how she saved this town a few days ago?"

"And how she saved us all this last year." Snow's voice is heard over the crowd and everyone turns around. Emma thinks, 'Thank God! They always listen to her."

"That's all fine but what of the winter woman?!"

"She kidnapped a woman!"

"Yeah!"

Emma thinks 'Not even Snow can calm them.'

Now Regina steps up next to Emma. "She's clearly locked up she won't hurt anyone."

"But what of the light? If it wasn't you then it was her!"

"Yeah...We know it was her!"

"No it wasn't." The calm but assertive voice of Rumplestiltskin carries through as he walks in with Belle. He puts his arm up towards the jail cell and says a word that seems to put Elsa in some sort of magical prison. She waves her arms up in anger but it's like a translucent box has been cast all around her.

"Regina is right she can't hurt anyone now can she?"

Regina takes advantage of the situation, "Before things get any worse. Everyone go home. Lock your doors. I'm sure sheriff Swan will update everyone as soon as we have some answers."

The crowd may question the Charmings, but not Regina and Rumplestiltskin in the same room. People lightly protest but slowly leave.

Regina jumps off the table, "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing dearie, simply stopped her from hurting anyone."

"Where's her sister?" Emma follows suit.

"Please let him speak. He too is no longer the same man." Now it's Belle's turn to speak up.

"Why didn't you tell them where the white light came from Regina? Emma?"

Snow and James walk closer now curious that Emma and Regina seem to know.

"Because I'm sure you yourselves don't fully understand."

"No but I'm sure you'll tell us."

"I will. Not only that but also the whereabouts of Ms. Anna."

"What do you want Gold?"

"Wait Emma, Rumple what are you doing?" Belle who thought this would be a moment of redemption is starting to suspect foul play.

"You'll know soon enough." He still directing his words to Emma.

"No. No Emma!" Regina steps in between them protecting her. "We are not playing your game. This is how you got me. This is how I ended up cursing an entire land because you manipulated the entire situation."

"That may be true dear but did you ever ask yourself why?"

"I know why, DEAR, so that you could have your happy ending with your son. And we all know how that turned out."

"Oh Regina. Come on. Now you know me better than that. Did you really think I didn't know about your true soulmate? Don't you think I knew that your love for each other would create pure white magic? That's right I know all about that. It's why you were able to practice white magic in front of the portal. Because Emma was there. But I'm sure you figured that out by now. However, you really sealed the deal when you consummated your love just a while ago didn't ya."

Regina lounges at him. 'White magic or not I'm going to kill this bastard.' Emma grabs onto her just in time. "He's not worth it."

"We all experienced it as a burst of white light." He raises his hands in the air as he says this and looks at the Charmings. Rumple continues to limp around them as if nothing's happened.

"A soul once dark can only turn to light through true love. Reciprocated by their one true soulmate of course, courtesy of Emma Swan here, a child also born of true love and magical in all her right. This soul now completely pure of heart, can do something no one else in any of the realms can do. Regina you have the power to give life where death has set its course. Only one turned from dark to absolute light can do so."

Regina and Emma are in shock. They feel exposed. This man manages to make something so personal feel as if it were his own tool.

"You will bring back my son. I in return will let Elsa here have her sister."

"Rumple! I cannot believe you lured me here under the pretense of apologizing and saving this woman's sister."

"Belle I'm sorry but you have to understand.."

"I understand that Baelfire died in order to save YOU."

He turns to Regina and a horrified looking Emma.

"I will help you find Anna. But Henry tell me you don't wish to have your father back."

"You shut your fucking mouth right now." It's Emma who needs to be held back now by Regina. "Neil is dead. You tell us where her sister is and you leave us alone. You leave Regina alone. Haven't you done enough?"

"Emma you don't seem to understan.."

"Enough! Listen to me Gold. No matter what happens from here on out you don't talk to Regina, you don't look at Regina. You don't even think about Regina! Understood?"

As she gets angrier a cloud of misty white smoke starts to form at the bottom of her and Regina's feet. They are completely oblivious to this though.

"Yeah." He nods his head. Emma continues to stand in front of Regina looking over at Henry.

Gold walks over to Elsa. "Your sister is safe back in the enchanted forrest. I will work on creating a portal so that you may go over and get her."

Elsa is yelling and banging away but nobody can hear her through the magical wall.

"You will create a portal but you will come with us! And bring us back." James is all business.

"I was thinking more along the lines of creating an open road between the two worlds. Allowing us to go and come as we please. But I would need Regina and Emma's help for that."

"Out of the question." Emma is still huffing. Regina walks over and puts her arm around Henry.

"Well, why don't you think about that dearie."

Gold walks over to Emma and whispers to her, "I'm sure Elsa would love to know what happened to her beloved sister's Kristoff. I require 168 hours alone. Then come see me. We will open the gate."