Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT.

A/N: Hello Swen!

Ok first of all, I was going to update this yesterday, but I got side tracked. One day and a week of delay, that's better than two weeks, right? Right? Ok then...

Replies!

Jedi Caro, niehausisGuest1 and 2: Thank you dears for the love, I'm glad you're enjoying this story as well. =)

Anon: I don't like Neal too much either, but I hate the idea of having to kill him just for SQ or other ships **cof CS**cof to work. SQ is happening, no matter how many dick$ stand in the way!

LOCISVU: I love the surprise of the review, but I'm not sure what you are surprised about LOL. Either way, things will probably be explained in the next following chapters.

Yurihentai641: Thank you so much for letting me know about those mistakes. I've to admit I have a small dyslexia when I write. I turn words around like orf (for) and I tend to write how the words sound in my head. I'll try to be more careful with those words in particular and soon I'll edit the past chapters with those mistakes. Again, thank you!

Trigger Warning: A small reference to torture, nothing big, but still.

This chapter brings back a character you might have forgotten about. Things are getting real in here. Let's begin!

Enjoy!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Past Ghosts

She was hungry. She was tired, but mostly she was frustrated. The only reason she was tired and hungry was herself. She had failed every test and every trial Mushu had chose for her. Now, with her eyes on a clueless rabbit she tensed her bow and breathed out while trying to steady the arrow despite the wavering of her weak fingers. Mulan hold her breath and let go of the arrow; however, just like many times before she missed and the rabbit started running away from her. She was not a real soldier. This was not her armor, it belong to her family. The simple idea of a woman wearing the armor of a warrior was against the believes of her people, but she needed to do this. There was no other option. She was about to resign herself to another night of starvation when an arrow flew quickly next to her head towards the bunny. Surprised she turned to look back and saw Regina standing a few steps behind her dressed with a beautiful red dress while lowering her own bow. Regina walked past her to reach the now dead rabbit, to Mulan's surprise when Regina came back instead of keeping the rabbit to herself she offered it to her.

"What?" Mulan asked in confusion eyeing the dead animal in Regina's hands with hungry eyes.

"Eat it." Regina said with seriousness looking at Mulan eyes with deep dark eyes that gave the warrior chills. Regina's eyes said so much about the young woman. It was as if her eyes were incapable to hide the whirlwind of her heart. Sadness, desperation, hate and fear were written all over her eyes. Mulan didn't know much about the woman since she met her, but it was obvious that whatever Regina was running away from, it must be something trully awful.

"Mushu said I could only eat what I hunt myself, and that I was not to interact with you during my training." Mulan said shaking her head. She was starving, but she didn't want to disobey the rules of her family guardian. She couldn't afford to be thrown out of the training.

"You won't be able to keep your training if you don't eat." Mulan wanted to say no again, but the hunger won the battle. Minutes later, the rabbit was on the fire while she waited the meat to cook enough, but she was so hungry, she was tempted to eat the poor animal raw. Regina who had helped her to skin the animal, was now sitting in front of her with her eyes trailed over the fire.

"Thank you..."

"You haven't eat properly since you arrived, you need the strength a full meal can give you." The black haired woman said with a small awkward smile. The action seemed a little strained on the young face, as if she was not used to smiling which was both sad and confusing. Mulan didn't know anything about the woman, but the curiosity was starting to eat at her. "Your name is Mulan, correct?" She asked fidgeting a little on her place.

"Yes!" Mulan jumped embarrassed with her lack of manners. The two of them had never been properly introduced in their time in the temple, in fact it was the first time they actually talk since they both came looking for the dragons. "My name is Fa Mulan! I apologize for not introduce myself properly!" She said bowing her head as people did in her lands. Regina gave her a small bow herself and a small smile in return. Mulan almost laughed at how awkward they were being with each other.

"I'm Regina. It's a pleasure, Mulan."

"Likewise Regina." The Asian woman said eyeing Regina with curiosity. Regina noticed Mulan's eyes on her and smiled understandably with a tilt of her head.

"You can ask, but if you do, I'll have the right to ask as well." Mulan jumped in surprise and lowered her head in embarrassment for being caught. She considered Regina's words, not sure if she should agree, but she was curious, so she nodded her head with determination.

"If you don't mind Regina, I'm curious to know why you are here." The dark-haired woman smiled faintly at her with a small sigh escaping her lips.

"Three years ago I found myself in a difficult situation. I felt trapped and helpless, so I asked for help. I've been learning magic since then, but the magic I've been taught is black magic. My heart is getting darker by the day. I can feel the temptation to hurt others, even... even children, so I came here. I heard from my teacher that the Guardian Dragons taught white magic, and I figured that they could help me to clean the darkness in my heart before it is too late." Regina said with pained eyes.

"Before it's too late?"

"I haven't kill anyone yet, I mean my m-" Regina cut herself out. She remembered when she pushed her own mother through the glass. She had finally felt free after many years; however, she was well aware that she hadn't kill her. Cora was still alive somewhere away from her. The problem was that Rumpelstiltskin wanted her to kill someone. She was not sure she was ready to take that step. If she killed a person she didn't even know or hated, she couldn't imagine how easy would be in the future to take lives, and the thought terrified her. "I don't want to be a murderer. I really don't, but it is like if I can't help it. The killing desire has been for a while within my heart and I'm afraid that at some point I'll come through with it." Kill Leopold and Snow. She hated both. Leopold more than anybody she had ever know, not even Cora. She didn't have a problem with killing Leopold, the problem was Snow. She was so young. Could she really leave her without her father after she killed him? Could she at some point kill Snow? The answer was yes, and it scared her. She needed to stop the darkness of her heart now, or the results would be catastrophic. "What about you?" Regina asked noticing how Mulan's body tensed at her words. She didn't want to scare the warrior and she tried to convey as much innocence and calmness as she could.

"I live in the Sunshine Islands." Mulan said rubbing her hands with each other.

"I could tell by your armor and features, Mulan. I've heard a lot of the Sunshine Islands, I know the Kingdom is bright and filled with hope."

"It was." Mulan said with sadness in her voice. "A couple a years ago the King went mad and a war started between the realm and all the clans within it."

"I'm sorry." Regina said frowning at the description.

"I need to learn magic, so I can be powerful enough to end the war." Mulan said looking down at her hands with disillusion. "I've been obeying everything Mushu has said, but I haven't been able to make not even a small spark of magic."

"Well, clearly you haven't obeyed everything I said." The voice of the dragon surprised the two women who turned to look at a miniature version of the red dragon throwing a disapproving glare at Mulan. "I told you to hunt your own meals, Mulan." Mulan stood up and glanced quickly down to the cooking bunny on the fire, and immediately felt herself burn with embarrassment and fear that she would be denied to eat after all.

"I'm sorry, Mushu. I'm just so tired and hungry."

"I'm afraid you are not going to eat anytime soon, unless you hunt your own meal." Mushu said with finality. Mulan lowered her head in defeat ready to accept the command of the dragon, she wasn't counting with Regina who stood in defiance against the guardian.

"That's ridiculous! She needs to eat!" Regina barked angrily at the dragon that turned to look at her with annoyance.

"If you know what's good to you, you shall not interfere with my student, Black Witch!" Mushu said glaring at Regina.

"You think I'm afraid of a lizard?" Regina stood her ground, not backing up even though she knew Mushu was a strong spirit guardian.

"Hey! Dragon. Dra-gon, not lizard. I don't do that tongue thing." Mushu released a hiss with his tongue at Regina taunting her. Regina in response created a small fire ball on her hand. She wasn't expecting the guardian reaction. In a flash of light, Mushu was back to his original size and a second later the red dragon put his front claw on top of Regina pinning her in the ground. Regina angrily tried to shake herself out of the Dragon grasp, but Mushu was too big for her now. "Ha, now who is small one!"

"Mushu!" A thunderous voice called out, making Mushu back down enough for Regina to stand up again. Seconds later the Stone Dragon appeared assessing the situation with piercing yellow eyes. "What's happening ? Why were you attacking my charge, Mushu?" Seki asked angrily at the smaller dragon.

"She dared to interfere with Mulan's training. I only pinned her to the ground after she dared to use dark magic against me." Mushu defended himself.

"I didn't throw that fireball at you!" Regina argued rolling her eyes in annoyance, but the truth was that she would have done it if Mushu didn't move faster.

"That's beyond the point Regina, you are here to clean your heart of darkness, if you keep using dark magic all your efforts will be in vain." Seki reprimanded.

"My efforts are stupid!" Regina said angrily clenching her fists on her sides. "The only thing you have taught me until now, is sword fighting and archery. I don't understand how is this helping. You are suppose to be helping me get rid of the darkness and the murdering desires, and here I am learning more ways to hurt others." Regina was frustrated. For almost two weeks, she had only learned martial arts and sword fighting from the Dragon. The training was only making her even more dangerous to others. It didn't make any sense.

"The martial arts are suppose to show you the importance of power. With time, you'll learn to use your power to defend yourself and others, not to do bad or selfish actions." The Great Stone Dragon responded calmly at Regina's exasperation.

"Well, it's not working."

"It is, my dear charge, you are just to scare and frustrated to notice." Seki reassured her. "That said you shouldn't have interfere with Mushu's training."

"That's not training that's torture!" Regina defended again while the yellow eyes of the Stone Dragon focused on her with interest. "She is starving! She won't be able to keep her training if she does not have the strength!"

"You don't get to judge the terms of my training!" Mushu retorted with equal anger, but Seki once again interview between the two.

"Regina is right, Mushu." Seki said surprising Mushu. "Mulan is too weak because of the hunger, she needs to regain her strength." Seki look at both humans before him and nodded with resolve. "From now on, your trainings won't be private. You two may lean on each other during your training if that's what you wish. You are now allowed to train together in your free time, just as long you practice what Mushu and I intend to teach you both. Maybe this way you two can learn important lessons from one another." Mulan and Regina turned to look at each other in surprise. However, it was a pleasant surprise for both, neither had realized that deep inside, they both shared feelings of loneliness and both were craving for companionship.

"Seki..." Mushu looked at the larger Dragon with curiosity, while the Stone Dragon simply nodded to the red one.

"Eat, tomorrow will be a long day." Seki said before turning around and flying away. Mushu doubted for a second, but soon he flied behind Seki. The two women were left alone and for a long moment neither knew what to say. They were both not used to be around many people with made them to act nervous and awkward around each other.

"Uh...thank you, Regina, for standing up for me." Mulan said trying to hide her embarrassment. Regina looked down and shrugged nonchalantly.

"I guess we are now going to work together?" Regina asked with doubt and a hint of hope on her voice. Mulan smiled at her and gave her a small shrug herself in response.

"I guess... I'll be a pleasure." Regina actually laughed at that, and gave Mulan a small smirk back.

"Yeah, we'll see."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Emma played awkwardly with the small ropes hanging from her Lost Boy's outfit while listening to Regina and Mulan talking ahead of her. The two women got along really well. So well actually, that Mulan had even teased Regina about her own Lost Kid outfit and Regina had, to Emma's utter astonishment, gave the Asian woman a playful punch in her shoulder while laughing. Emma's jaw fell almost like in those old cartoons. Regina was so at ease with Mulan that Emma was sulking about it. It seemed so wrong to her eyes, that Regina got along so well with the warrior and surprised herself when she thought that Regina should be getting along with her not Mulan. Emma felt that she had the right to feel that way. She had really tried to be Regina's friend, but even so Regina was still stoic and sarcastic with her most of the times, while with Mulan she was suddenly her BFF.

She grumbled annoyed to her own stupid thoughts. In all honesty, Regina had the right to be skittish around her. She was the daughter of her worst enemy and she had betrayed Regina's trust in numerous times. That actually made Emma feel even worse, because she realized that she wasn't really a friend to Regina, at least not until recently. She thought that at least the woman would try to include her in the conversation or something. She looked up and glared at the back of Mulan's head in irritation. She was jealous of Mulan, and she hated it because it meant that Regina's friendship meant more to her that she had imagined, and right now she didn't have the time to sit down and dwell on it.

Regina tried to concentrate on her conversation with Mulan, but it was hard to do it while feeling Emma's eyes burning holes in the back of their heads. Mulan seemed not to notice, or if she did she was simply ignoring Emma which was really amusing considering that Emma was practically growling at them. Could it be that the blonde was jealous? Either way Regina was enjoying herself. It was a little revenge after seeing Emma dancing around Rumple's son and the stinky pirate for so long. After a while though she started to feel bad for Emma. She could practically feel the pout directed at her, so she excused herself with Mulan and told her to wait while she stepped behind to talk with Emma.

"Sure, I was starting to worry about Emma attacking me with her sword." Mulan said in amusement. Regina chuckled and fell behind to start walking next to Emma.

"Hey, you've been quiet."

"I'm not quiet, you just have been busy talking with your new best friend over there." Emma said bitterly and cursed herself for acting like a petulant child. She just hated it. She was the one suppose to make Regina smile out of all people, not Mulan!

"I'm just catching up with her, Emma." Regina defended herself frowning at Emma's overly aggressive response. She wanted to make Emma sulk a little, not get her mad at her for something so silly.

Emma frowned noticing Regina's concern in her tone of voice. Emma was acting like a fool. She wanted to be Regina's friend and yet there she was making everything worse by being a bitch to her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so abrasive, it's just... it's surprising to see you so open around other people." Emma said lowering her gaze to her marching feet.

"I was open with Ariel as well." Regina argued.

"It was different." Emma said with a frown. "With her you were like, sisters, perhaps. With Mulan..."

"We are just friends Emma. We have a long story together." Emma knew that. It was obvious that the connection between them was strong.

"So do we." Regina said surprising Emma who turned to look at her with gaping eyes.

"What...?"

"We also have a long story together. We are friends now, Emma. Right?" Regina asked with hope in her voice and Emma jumped to answer with a smile already creeping in her face because of Regina's words.

"Of course! We are friends." Emma said nodding in encouragement.

"You are the only person that accepts me while knowing the evilness of my past deeds. You see Regina instead of the Evil Queen because you chose it that way, and I thank you for that Emma." Regina said sending a small smile to the blonde who blush in embarrassment.

"Yeah well..." Emma wasn't sure what else to say. She was happy that Regina was reassuring the importance of their friendship to her. Mulan didn't know that Regina was the Evil Queen once. Emma was the friend who accepted all of Regina and it made her smile weirdly proud of herself for beating Mulan on who was Regina's best friend.

"Good, now you can stop being jealous of Mulan." Regina said with a smirk. Emma blushed madly at the comment and turned to look at Regina with surprise.

"I-I'm- I'm not jealous!" Emma exclaimed with fervency, but the blush on her cheeks did nothing to help her.

"Of course not." The witch said with sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"Regina." Mulan voice called their attention. Regina's smile disappeared as soon as she noticed Mulan's concern eyes. "I think someone is following us." Mulan said prompting the two other women to keep walking and pretend nothing had happened. Regina cleared her throat and lower her voice to a whisper so she could speak without giving away anything to whoever was following them.

"Are you sure?" Regina asked with a small scowl. Emma sobered up and sent curious glances around trying to tell what Mulan had seen to claim that they were being followed.

"I'm sure."

"How many?"

"Just one." That didn't make any sense. The Lost Boys hunted in groups. Could it be Pan? If it was him, they could considered themselves dead because there was no way they could fight against him in their current state.

"Do you think it could be Pan?" Emma voiced her worries, but she shook her head before looking at her.

"No, Pan wouldn't just chase us. He would kill us as soon he finds us."

"Who is Pan?" Mulan asked with curiosity.

"He is the child-devil who kidnapped Henry." Regina said with poison dripping off her voice, but Mulan frowned in confusion.

"Henry? Emma's son?"Mulan asked and Regina whipped her head so fast at her she scared her a little.

"He is my son!" Regina said almost purely on instinct.

"Hey, he is my son too!" Emma retorted immediately, but that answer only confused Mulan more.

"Wait, Regina you have a son you share with Emma?" Mulan asked. Emma blushed violently at how Mulan had made it sound.

"It's not what you think!" Emma tried to explain, but at the same time Regina had speak out.

"Yes, we do." Emma turned to look at Regina with wide eyes and rosy cheeks, and Regina simply lifted an eyebrow in response as if daring her to challenge her statement. Mulan noticed the exchange and smirked at Regina with a small smile.

"I can tell you two have quite a story to tell. I can't wait to hear it, but maybe we can deal with our assailant first." Mulan said looking ahead still not wanting to give themselves away.

"Do you think whoever it is might attack us?" Emma asked looking at Mulan with concern.

"Whatever he is doing, he seems to be waiting for something. The question is what?" Suddenly. there was a loud explosion behind them. The explosion was far away, but it had started a fire in the woods. "Run!" Mulan screamed and started running the other way, but another explosion happened before them, soon enough they were surrounded by fire without anywhere to go.

"Is in it great, what a little bit of powder and gasoline can do?" A male voice sounded in the sea of fire.

"Who the hell are you?" Emma asked getting angry and more nervous at every second that passed by. The fire was starting to grow and soon there will not be a way to run.

"You don't recognize me Emma? Maybe you should ask the Queen." Emma frowned and turned to look at Regina. To her surprise, Regina's eyes were wide open looking to the top of the threes with lost eyes. Regina was scared. She was actually trembling in fear and Emma couldn't understand why. "We got rid of the son of the Dark One, now the Savior shall die too." That's when Emma recognize the voice and frowned angrily towards the voice.

"Greg Mendell, you son of a bitch!" Emma barked angrily.

"Because of all of you Tamara is dead! Now, it's time for me to kill you all!" Greg laughed hysterically from his hiding. Emma once again turned to look at Regina, but the woman was paralyze in fear and Emma was not sure why, until it hit her. Greg had torture Regina just a week ago.

When Regina heard Owen's voice she felt her heart stop. Immediately she was brought to the iron table that had her restrained while torturous amounts of electricity traveled inside her body. She remembered the feeling of despair, fear, helplessness and hopelessness she felt while he watched her slowly die with delight. She remembered wishing for dead just to end the pain. The memories were too much and Regina was now paralyzed in fear, relieving on her head everything that had happened when she was in that table.

Emma had never seen that kind of expression in Regina. The witch was completely terrified, and Emma felt the sudden urge to defend her against Greg at all cost. She grabbed her sword and pull it out of the robes that sheeted it. She moved forward and step in front of Regina, ready to defend her in case Greg decided to attack them personally.

"I'm not going to let you hurt her! Not again!" Emma said angrily and rising the sword in the air she swung it with all her strength creating a powerful gush of wind. However, the flames barely waver and Greg laughed at her failed attempt to stop the fire.

"You are not a Savior, Emma, and you are not going to save her neither. First, I'm going to kill you and then, I'm going to enjoy my time with her." Greg spat viciously. Emma could feel the anger bubble in her chest again the angry man that not only had tortured Regina, but had dared to kidnap Henry. He had dared to hurt her family, and she was not letting him do it again.

"You are not laying a finger on her." This time Emma swung the sword towards the threes, but instead of a simple gush of wind, a blue light flew out of the sword that when in contact with the fire, it turned the red vivid flames into frozen blue pillars. The sword had freeze the flames as if they were water to the surprise of Mulan and the others. Now with an open path, Emma was going to go after Greg before he could reach Regina. "Mulan." Emma called drawing the surprise dark eyes of the warrior towards her. "Take care of her. Don't leave her side." Emma commanded and a second later she was jumping over the frozen fire to run behind Mendel.

Emma's sudden command woke Regina from her terrified trance just in time to watch her ran towards the woods.

"Emma?" Regina voice trembled. Emma had gone behind Greg, and Regina was petrified thinking about him hurting Emma in any way. Owen was a psychopath, and she knew Emma wouldn't be able to kill him if necessary. "Emma!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXXX

I hate Greg so much! But I needed to address the torture again. Good Emma! Protect your wife!

Thanks for reading and don't forget to review!