Author's Note: Hello, Readers! You were so kind, and I had enough requests and enough leftover Regina-centric feelings that I managed to put together a sequel. It's not much, and I'm sorry it took so long, but I hope you enjoy.

"To the future."

Were anyone to walk into the Sheriff's Station at that moment, they might not notice anything. There had been a flash of green light just seconds earlier, but to a casual observer, the room appeared empty. As if the Sheriff had stepped out for lunch, or a cat rescue perhaps.

But the reality was, the Sheriff was in the office, lying in a pile of tangled limbs hidden behind one of the desks with the former Mayor of Storybrooke. Emma couldn't help but wonder what made some portal landings more graceful than others. But much more pressing than even the mayor's form halfway on top of hers, was confirming that they were in fact, back. As the brunette rolled away, apparently too dazed to notice her landing, Emma sat up and looked around.

The desks were the same. The cell was the same. The view from the windows exactly how they had left it. And most importantly, the clock on the wall was just striking a minute later than when they had left.

They were back.

Emma felt a tugging on her hand. Now also sitting up, Regina had arrived at the same realization but had also recognized their fingers remained intertwined. Despite the magic still coursing through their connection from the power they used to open the portal and the trip through it, Regina knew—they were back in Storybrooke, and everything would go back to the way it was. Though as she tried to unlace her fingers and regain her stoic front, she felt Emma's grasp tighten. In fact, she suddenly felt pulled towards the blonde as the Sheriff only let go of her hand to draw her into a hug.

"We did it! Regina, we did it! We're back!"

Just when she had thought she couldn't be surprised, Emma was at it again. Somehow, Regina was sitting on the dirty floor of the station with Emma's arms wrapped around her, and she couldn't find it in her to mind. Because the Savior was right. They were back.

She inhaled deeply for what felt like the first time in years, removed from the edge, and gently pulled away from the warmth she was disconcerted to find she liked. Emma wouldn't let her separate herself entirely, strong hands once again finding their way to her arms, as if Regina was her tether to reality.

"We did, Emma. I guess we make a good team," Regina admitted.

The corners of Emma's mouth twitched upwards as her hands dropped to find Regina's. She gave a squeeze. They were getting somewhere.

"See? I am right sometimes."

Regina actually smiled at Emma's cheery teasing. It was like she knew they were reaching a point where Regina was uneasy, and she was there to pull her back into their usual, more comfortable banter.

"Don't push your luck, Miss Swan."

Their moment, whatever it was, was interrupted by the sounds of hurried footsteps in the hall.

"Emma? Emma, are you okay? Granny saw Regina come in, and I couldn't reach you—"

David froze mid-stride and mid-sentence when he saw his daughter sitting in front of the former Evil Queen, looking, for all intents and purposes, like she was comforting her.

There was no blood, no evidence of a fight—unless you considered their slightly rumpled clothes, though if anything, it looked more like they had spent the night in them. Which was entirely possible in Emma's case. Regina, on the other hand…

Regina, for her part, was just realizing that Charming was there, that he had thought she was hurting Emma, and that Emma still had her hands. They were holding hands.

She pulled away as quickly as possible, making a move to stand. Too concerned with the situation, she entirely missed Emma's reaction, or perhaps more appropriately, her lack thereof. The blonde wasn't fazed at all by Regina tearing away as if she had been burnt. Though she certainly didn't care what her father thought (unless meant he would think more highly of Regina), she understood the brunette's need to save face in front of Charming, who was in fact acting like the idiot Regina so often called him, standing agape, still immobile in the entryway.

She couldn't help but feel a little anger rising at the fact that he continued to refuse to acknowledge Regina's growth, or at least that she would never hurt Emma for Henry's sake. But mostly, she was irritated that once again his Prince Charming complex meant that she was a damsel needing saving. It was hard enough trying to reconcile that he was her father without his constantly looking out for her. All his protective side did was remind Emma that she had been entirely on her own for 28 years. And just because her foes had been handsy guys and violent marks and foster parents instead of dragons and ogres and evil witches didn't mean she was any less capable of dealing with any of it. In fact, as she quickly remembered, she happened to be the only one capable of dealing with one evil witch in particular who had followed Emma and Snow back from the Enchanted Forest, and likely would have to do so quite soon.

With a groan, she started to stand. Yet another battle was on the horizon, and they would have to get through this…awkwardness first. Her joy in returning home was turning out to be much shorter lived than she had hoped.

Finally shutting his jaw, David realized Emma hadn't just been comforting Regina. Even though that in itself was odd for his daughter. They were holding hands because she needed the contact. Like maybe he and Snow would hold hands. Something had to have happened. But he couldn't bring himself to ask, afraid of the women's reactions but perhaps even more of their responses. At least Emma wasn't in danger. He could go with his other reason for stopping by the office.

"Sorry, Emma, uh, Henry was asking if you could come home early. He's still worried about you, with, uh, Cora around." He glanced awkwardly at Regina who was now standing somewhat off to the side, fully closed off.

"Perfect," Emma replied cheerfully, glad to have him doing the avoiding for her. "Yeah, we'll come home."

Emma started heading towards the door, knowing she would have to turn back for Regina, but when she did, she was struck by the depth of emotion rising to the surface of her eyes. It really was cruel, keeping Henry from his mother.

"C'mon, Regina, let's go."

The request was so simple, and so lighthearted, like it hadn't meant a big change in her and Regina's relationship, in Regina and Henry's. Paired with the emotional turmoil of their unexpected trip and nearing a day without sleep, Regina was horrified to find tears building in the corners of her eyes. She was quickly saved from spilling them, however, when Charming cleared his throat.

"Emma—"

Turning rapidly to face her father, Emma stared him down with her best Evil Queen "say anything and you won't be standing so tall" glare. This time, Regina saw her reaction in its full glory, and she was barely able to contain her amusement and slight pride. Perhaps the princess could make a decent Queen after all.

"…Are you—is everything okay?" Charming changed tacks. Emma may have been able to keep him from commenting about Regina accompanying them, but he wasn't about to let them out of this without some sort of explanation for what had caused the shift between the two women.

"Everything is fine, David. We're both fine." Emma looked to Regina. She figured the former mayor could handle being spoken for this one time.

"But what happened?"

"David." Her tone may have said not to press, but David was never one to back away from a challenge.

"Something clearly happened, Emma. What's going on?"

Emma sighed. They would have to explain this new thing between them somehow. Besides, as much as she didn't want to worry them, her family should know about this unpredictable portal thing. "Look. I promise we'll explain when we're all together, okay? I really only want to do this once."

David considered her response. He could handle waiting a few minutes. But that meant he now needed to give Snow fair warning of Regina coming over.

"Okay, Emma. When we're together," he confirmed. "I'm gonna go back ahead, let Henry and Snow know. I'm glad you're okay."

"Thanks, Dad. See you soon."

With a warm smile that came every time he heard her call him "dad," David turned and left, trying to stem his curiosity until he could tell his wife about it.

After watching him leave, Emma turned to her new friend. Regina was still standing behind her, her arms wrapped around her middle as if crossing them could keep her from fidgeting. The Queen was clearly uncomfortable, but as always, she was not one to discuss it. Emma took a few steps toward her.

"We have to tell them something," she entreated. "Not anywhere near the whole story, but the basics. You can add how I rocked the peasant dress, if you'd like." Tacking on a cocky grin to the end of her comforting words, Regina wondered how she managed it, saying the right things in the right way when she had so often done the exact opposite before.

But she was still worried about seeing Henry for the first time since the incident with Dr. Hopper. Just because he now knew she didn't kill the bug didn't mean he wouldn't still reject her. And Regina wasn't sure how much of that she could take after the day they had. It was just more torture to have him so close and not be able to hold him. But she missed him like she had only ever missed Daniel.

Emma sensed her distress, but she knew she had no control over this one. This was up to Henry. And she hoped he would come through.

"C'mon. Let's go see our kid."