Author's Note: I would like to apologize in advance, which I realize is not a great way to start, but between only starting the show recently, the frequent flashbacks, and constant tumblr stream, I have almost no idea what happens when and who knows what. So for the purposes of this story, assume that Emma knows next to nothing about Regina's past. Also, a slight alteration—Archie is alive and Regina finds out and comes out of hiding before Cora pulls her back in.

As always, I own nothing.

"Regina, where the hell are we?"

It was a valid enough question. They had been standing in the Sheriff's station, arguing, as per usual, when the floor had begun to vibrate. Undulate, really, glowing green as the tiles turned into shimmering liquid, beginning to swirl, picking up velocity, when as soon as they realized that this, whatever this was, was not something they wanted to be around, they had already started to fall, the floor beneath their feet giving way to the magic.

In no time, or in all the time, or however you quantify time when you're hurdling through space, they had landed in a heap in a field, jumbled from the unexpected fall and the echoes of magic quivering through their systems.

Regina looked up from the ground and took stock of the situation. Lush green bordered by dense forest, rolling hills, and in the distance, a shining beacon of a castle. She recognized it all instantly.

"It appears that we are in the Enchanted Forest, Miss Swan."

Emma, who had been brushing herself off in preparation of standing, froze slack-jawed. She couldn't be back. She refused. Not when she had just returned to Henry, not after days and days of giants and ogres and no running water and her gun not being of any use. She wanted to cry. But in the storm of her thoughts, she caught Regina's pensive look and anchored herself to it. Something wasn't right. She took her own time to clear her head, observe, assess the situation. The flora was right from what she remembered, but it was too…cheery. There were fields and orchards filled with food. The castle was in perfect condition. This wasn't right. This wasn't the land she had just come from—well, it was, but how could things have changed so quickly for the better?

Regina was standing still, eyes fixed on the castle in the distance, but her look was not one of memory but of fear. Regina, afraid? It still wasn't a look the Sheriff was used to seeing, and it made her nervous. Was it just because she had been torn away from Henry without warning? Because she knew of how difficult it had been for Emma and Snow to get back the first time? But no, it didn't make sense. Sure she could be a little afraid, but this is Regina, she should be furious, somehow blaming it on Emma, storming off to wherever she thought she could find a solution to their situation, fighting tooth and nail for what she wanted. She shouldn't be standing stock still in a field, looking afraid, shocked even, like what was in front of her couldn't possibly be real.

Emma stood up. Getting home was worrisome, but right now, Regina was downright terrifying. Something was going on, and while their relationship was hardly one of comfort and understanding, Emma knew she would have no chance of getting back to her son unless the formidable bitch she was used to made a return.

"Regina, do you want to tell me what the hell is going on?"

Emma's words broke her out of her daze, but her eyes were still focused on the imposing building in the distance. She knew she should be formulating some sort of pithy response, a snide remark with a "Miss Swan" added on for kicks, making a plan for how to get back, but her brain was just barely processing the information quick enough and her thoughts came tumbling out unformed.

"Portals must have some sort of after-effect in our world, maybe because the magic is different, maybe because the protection for the town was pierced by it, but there seems to have been some lingering after energy from the portal you threw the wraith through. Perhaps our confrontation in your office triggered it, but it opened. We fell through."

"Yeah, Regina, I think I got that part." Emma's irritation was rising to the surface, still pissed that she unwittingly fell through another portal, the same one really, that Regina was mumbling on about the obvious, and that she couldn't get the Mayor to snap out of it so they could do something about it. "So why exactly does it look so different, and how the hell do we get back? Do we find where we opened the portal over here and argue over it again? Can't you just magic us back? Don't you have some sort of plan, Madam Mayor?" Emma couldn't tell if it was her own anger that brought out the harshness in her questions or whether she was trying to provoke a response from Regina, which generally was as smart as poking a bear. But then she must be a masochist because for some reason, riling up the Evil Queen was one of her favorite pastimes.

However, her words hadn't had even a little effect. Regina seemed to barely notice she was there, and as Emma walked over to see what exactly she was staring at, she saw a long line of little carriages glimmering in the distance as they pulled up to the castle gates.

Still getting no reaction from the brunette at her side, Emma did something she wouldn't dream of in Storybrooke. She grabbed Regina by the shoulders and turned her so they were face to face.

"Regina, if you don't tell me what the fuck is going on, I swear to God, I'll leave you here and go to find home and Henry alone."

Emma cheered inwardly for a brief moment when she saw pure fire flash in deep brown eyes, but it died out when she realized that Regina had made no effort to move from her grasp, hadn't thrown her 15 feet, hadn't slapped her across the face, nothing. Just stared as her lips opened slowly and the queen quietly began to speak. There was a bit of bite to her words, but her heart wasn't in it. Her mind was elsewhere than with the blonde who had the gall to manhandle her into focusing.

"It wasn't a normal portal. Just remnants of it. It transported us, in space, between worlds, yes. We are in the Enchanted Forest, but it is not the Forest you were in. We were also transported through time. This is the Enchanted Forest of the past.

"This is the Enchanted Forest on my wedding day."