A/N: Another double posting. They're both on the long side. Get ready for the confrontation. Thanks again for sticking with this story and supporting me with your reviews.
Snow found herself in Regina's childhood home. Why would Regina have sent her here?
"Where are we?" Roland asked. "Where's everyone else?"
"We're in Regina's home. I think everyone else is still in the forest." Snow said.
"Why are we here?" Roland asked.
"I'm not sure, honey. Maybe Regina was trying to keep us safe."
"I want my daddy to be safe." His lip trembled. Snow pulled him into her arms.
"Don't worry. He's with Regina. She'll keep them all safe. I think…I think it's better this way. I think we were distractions for her. This way she'll be able to do what she needs to do to save us all." Snow said.
"They'll be safe? You promise?" Roland asked earnestly.
"I promise." Snow said.
"Are there toys here?" Roland asked looking around.
Snow's eyes caught on the dollhouse that looked like it had never been touched. Everything was perfectly in place. Everything in the room was absolutely perfect. It was eerie being seeing what Regina's life had been like. Why had she never wondered what Regina's childhood was like? She'd been in this room before. Her eyes caught on the stables attached to the dollhouse.
"It looks like there are some horses over there. Do you want to pretend we're on an adventure?"
Henry looked at the book. He wasn't sure where it had come from. Had his mom gotten it as a surprise? It was an antique looking book of fairytales. He flipped it open. "Once Upon a Time" His mom hated fairytales. She wouldn't really have gotten it for him would she? Maybe it was to make up for the fact she'd been gone a lot more recently now that she was dating someone. He sat down on his bed with the book in his lap and flipped it open. It was a story about Snow White. He frowned as he flipped the page. The Evil Queen looked a lot like the woman he'd been seeing in his dreams. But in his dreams she seemed softer and nice. He turned the page again, engrossed in the story.
Robin watched her. She wasn't sleeping. She flipped over or changed position every two minutes.
"Are you uncomfortable?"
She jerked into a sitting position, clearly startled. "Why are you watching me?"
"I have strict orders to make sure you sleep. And you are clearly not sleeping." Robin said. "So I thought maybe you were uncomfortable."
"I'm sleeping on the ground in the middle of a forest. Of course I'm not comfortable." She answered.
He nodded. "I'll find a sleeping bag." He left.
Her eyes followed him. He was quite attractive. But he hated her. He was only doing this because he owed Rumple, not because he cared for her.
Robin returned with the sleeping bag and spread it out on the ground for her. He unzipped it and pulled it open. She gathered up her skirt and climbed in.
"Please, don't watch me. It makes me uncomfortable. I promise I'll sleep." Regina said cursing herself for how pathetic and vulnerable she sounded.
"I won't watch you then. I'll just watch around you to make sure you're undisturbed."
Regina sighed and shut her eyes. That was the best she was going to get.
Regina was, for once in her life, sleeping peacefully. She could feel pressure on her shoulder. Someone was trying to wake her, but she was so comfortable. "Five more minutes." She mumbled leaning into the touch which abruptly stopped shaking her and just rested on her shoulder.
Robin stopped shaking and watched her sleep. She looked so peaceful and serene. How could she have done such evil things? And knowing who she was, why did he just wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her? He sighed. He would let her sleep a little longer.
Snow smiled at the sight of the little boy playing in Regina's childhood bedroom. She stood and began wandering around the room. It was pristine. What lovely things Regina had had. She saw the closet door was still open and began skimming through the dresses. She caught site of a simple blue dress in the closet. She looked at her own tattered and wet cloths and stepped into the closet.
She was just finishing lacing the back of the dress up when she heard breaking glass and a scream from Roland. She rushed out of the closet and found two of the witch's monkeys. One already had a whimpering Roland in his claws. Snow rushed to grab Roland, but instead, the second monkey easily lifted her up into his claws and both monkeys took off out the window with their captives.
"I'm scared!" Roland cried as he dangled from the monkey's claws.
"Just stay calm and don't move, sweetie. You'll be fine." Snow shouted to him as they were flown through the sky.
Robin was still keeping watch over Regina. She hadn't moved at all since she fell asleep. Maybe he should make sure she was still breathing. No, that was silly. Of course she was fine.
"What's that?" Hook pointed up to the monkeys flying back, obviously carrying some sort of prey.
They all looked up where he was pointing. David squinted. "Snow." He breathed softly. And he was almost instantly at Regina's side. He grabbed the collar of her dress and yanked the sleeping woman up throwing her against a tree.
Regina's eyes snapped open and she blinked furiously trying to figure out what was happening.
David pushed her harder into the tree. "You said they were safe!"
Robin had only taken a second to react. Before David knew what was coming, Robin's fist had knocked him to the ground.
"Are you alright?" Robin said gently to Regina.
Regina nodded slowly. She couldn't quite figure out what was going on. "I'm fine." She blinked again. "Did I miss something?" She looked down at David who was quickly getting to his feet again.
"The witch has Snow again. All my efforts rescuing her were wasted because of you." David said.
"She has Snow?" Regina asked.
"The monkeys just flew into the castle with Snow and Roland." David said.
"And Roland?" Regina asked.
"What's the matter with you? Yes. And with Roland. Are you going to repeat everything I say?"
Regina didn't respond. He was right. Her brain wasn't moving quickly enough. How deep of a sleep had she been in? Or maybe it was the unexpected emotions she was feeling that was distracting her. She felt sick at the idea of Snow and Roland being with the witch. She thought she might vomit. This really was her fault. If they were hurt it was her fault.
"Regina?" Robin repeated for the third time. She turned to look at him.
"I'm so sorry." She said with genuine regret. "I thought they'd be safer. I don't know how she found them. I didn't send them to Rumple's castle. I thought that would be where she'd look."
Robin put an arm around her, helping support her weight. "It's okay. You were trying to take care of them. We just need to get them back now. So tell us what we need to do."
Regina looked at him. He wasn't angry. She'd used magic that resulted in his son's capture and he wasn't angry. Why?
"Now, Regina. Now." David said rubbing his jaw.
"Nothing. You do nothing. We proceed with the plan. I'll go to Rumple."
"Go tell everyone to get ready." Robin said to David.
"If anything happens to her, you'll wish you were never born." David hissed at Regina before turning to go.
She didn't tell him she already did. She pulled away from Robin and moved to the bushes where she emptied what little was in her stomach. She felt a gentle pressure rubbing her back.
"It's okay. He's just worried." Robin soothed.
Regina turned to Robin, "I'm not upset about David. He can threaten me all he wants, but he can't actually do anything to me. I'm strong enough to defend myself."
"Then what are you upset about?" Robin asked.
"He's right. It's my fault. Now the witch has leverage. And something bad is going to happen. And it will be my fault. Everyone I love dies. I must be cursed." Regina said immediately regretting making herself so vulnerable.
"You have the book. You have leverage too. And this isn't your fault. You've done plenty of horrible, destructive things you don't need to go taking credit for things that aren't your fault."
Regina let out a small laugh.
"I used magic on your son when I knew you didn't want me to." She admitted.
"And I was grateful you did. I couldn't understand why Roland was so drawn to someone so evil and dangerous, but I see now."
Regina searched his eyes. "What do you see?"
"The gentle soul underneath the evil. The instinct to protect and defend. The ability to love." Robin said. He put his hand on her face and leaned in toward her. She felt her breath catch. His face was inches from hers.
"Regina! What are you waiting for!" David yelled coming around the tree. Regina jerked out of Robin's arms and stood.
"I was just explaining to Robin that I will make sure Roland and Snow are okay. I'm leaving now." She said and disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke.
Robin stared at the space where she'd been. She wasn't going in alone.
"I'm going after Roland." Robin stated. "Do you want to come with me and get your Snow White?"
"Do you have to ask?"
Rumple looked surprised to find Regina standing in the middle of his group.
"It's time." She said.
He looked her up and down, she did look stronger, but not full strength and she looked emotionally drained.
"What's the rush all of a sudden, dearie?" He asked.
"She has Snow and Roland." Regina took Rumple's hand. "We're ending this."
Roland was sitting on the floor in the corner, hugging himself and rocking. Snow had tried to go to him, but he had just pushed her away.
The witch was grinning at them wickedly. "Such a precious little thing, aren't you?" She poked at Roland. But then she whipped around to face Snow. "What's so special about you? Why was she trying to protect you?"
"I don't know." Snow answered honestly. "She probably just needed someone to take care of Roland."
"I don't want you to take care of me. I want my daddy. And I want the magic lady to save me. You promised we'd be safe." He whined accusingly at Snow.
"Stop your sniveling, you little brat before I feed you to the monkeys." The witch hissed.
The monkeys leered at him, hungrily.
Roland just buried his head in his knees, causing him to miss the cloud of purple smoke and the two people that materialized as it dissipated. Snow and the witch stared at the visitors.
The first thing Regina saw was the little boy rocking with his head buried. She felt a sting in her heart. Roland was scared. She waved her hand and before anyone knew what was happening he was behind her. Snow remained. The witch was standing too close and obstructing Regina's view.
Regina felt Rumple jab his elbow into her side in a silent reprimand. Regina turned at the jab, which is why she didn't see the monkey the witch had sent at her.
"Watch out!" Snow yelled in warning, resulting in the witch shoving her to the ground.
Regina looked up as the monkey sunk its claws into her arm and reached for the strap of the satchel with its teeth.
The book reacted, throwing the monkey back. Roland, realizing he'd been moved again with magic, noticed that Regina had arrived and he crawled closer to her wrapping his arms around her leg and burying his face in her dress.
The witch just smiled and held out a potion bottle for the monkey who lifted his claw and let Regina's blood drop from his claw into the bottle.
Regina looked down at her arm and wondered if she should heal it. There were too large gashes that were still bleeding. Who knew monkeys had such sharp claws? She glanced at Snow who had remained on the ground where the witch shoved her.
The witch slipped the bottle into her pocket and stalked toward Regina, seemingly unafraid of her magic. Regina didn't back down. She liked to size up her opponents before attacking, but she wasn't sure she'd be alive to do so if she didn't attack soon.
"You should be older. How did you make yourself so young? Even he's older." The witch nodded toward Rumple.
Regina frowned. She didn't know what was going on.
"She's not who you think she is." Rumple said to the witch.
"Don't lie to me. She has hardly changed at all." The witch inspected Regina closely. "She has gained some weight."
Regina was suddenly aware of the book against her body. It was pulsing magic.
"And I remember you too." She said to Rumple.
"Remember me? Dearie, we've never met." He responded.
"Oh no, you're right. We haven't had the pleasure. But you are the Dark One. And I do know what you did. To me. To my sister." She said.
Regina was taking in everything around her. There was something in the caldron. The witch was brewing some kind of a spell. She just needed to focus on the ingredients to determine—
"Regina. Watch out!" Snow shouted as a chandelier fell from the ceiling and was headed right at Regina. Rumple waved his arm and the chandelier reversed course.
"You're really letting the place go. The Queen would have never let things start falling from her ceiling." Rumple taunted.
The witch furiously turned back to Snow and grabbed her and then whirled back around to face Regina.
"Regina? Is that what you're going by now, Cora?" The witch asked as she tightened her grip on Snow.
Regina stiffened. "I'm not Cora."
"You look just like her, and you're evil just like her. I don't believe you." The witch stated.
"She's not. She's really not Cora. Cora is dead. Regina's her daughter." Snow said.
Rumple rolled his eyes. Didn't anyone ever understand the importance of withholding information? Regina tensed at the mention of her mother. This was no good. He needed her here and focused.
"What is it you think I did to you?" Rumple asked the witch. Get information, don't give it, he thought. Really did no one other than him possess common sense?
"You sent that young man, that Jefferson, to Oz. To steal my sister's shoes. And my crystal ball." She accused.
"Actually I did do that." Rumple giggled. "Sorry about that. I needed a new wardrobe."
Regina stared at the witch and Snow a small detail suddenly registering. They were both wearing her dresses. Really? Did no one have any respect for other people's belongings?
"Apparently everyone wanted a new wardrobe. Mine." Regina said. Snow blushed.
"I'm sorry, Regina. My clothes were wet and—"
"You don't need to apologize to her." The witch snapped at Snow and then turned to Regina. "If you wanted your things, you shouldn't have left them sitting around for anyone to wander in and take." The witch stated.
"I left a protection spell." Regina said.
"Oh, is that what that was? It fell apart so easily I wasn't sure." The witch returned.
Rumple sensed Regina's patience wearing thin. She was going to do something impulsive. And stupid.
"If this is about me taking your crystal ball, you stole it back. So we're even, yes?" Rumple asked.
"It's not about the crystal ball. My sister was killed because of you. Your silly errand boy killed my sister." She said.
Regina frowned, focusing on the conversation again. "I thought a house fell on your sister."
"It did! And that stupid girl stole my sister's shoes after killing her." The witch said.
"Clearly I'm not as unstable as you are, but I'm not making the connection." Rumple said.
"He brought that stupid girl and the house with him." She said.
"I don't believe he did." Rumple said.
"He did! And then you cost me the man I loved!" She spat at Regina. "And you stuffed my favorite animals. And killed my best monkey. Now, you will pay."
Regina summoned her magic; she was about to form a fireball when she felt Rumple's hand on her wrist. She frowned, but dissolved the magic.
"How did the Evil Queen here cost you the man you loved?" Rumple asked.
"She stole my book. So I couldn't save him when that stupid, blubbering blonde got him attacked by the Oz guard." The witch raged. There was suddenly lightning outside.
"Really, you should get your facts straight before you go around accusing people." Regina said. "I've only recently come into possession of the book and I didn't take it from anyone."
The witch seemed ready to respond angrily, but it was then that she noticed the book glowing in the satchel against Regina.
"My book." She murmured softly. "Come to me."
Regina's satchel began to move and the pouch suddenly opened and the glowing from the book filled the room.