Chapter Three
Regina and Henry watched as Emma finished up the last picture in her little story. She sat back on her heels, apparently satisfied, admiring her work. It was all pictures and no words, which didn't surprise Regina, because the child looked like she was too young to write.
"Finished!" Emma declared, looking up at them.
"So can you tell us your story now?" Henry asked.
Emma looked at him, confused. "It's right here," she said pointing at the pictures.
"But maybe you could tell it to us, anyway," Regina suggested, "like how Henry read you stories from his book."
Emma nodded. "Ok," she said, pulling out the first page. "This is the flower garden, where the fairy found me. I was a baby and I was all alone and sad. I don't remember, but that's what she told me. I was crying, and I was naked," she said, with an innocent giggle.
"Then what happened?" Henry prompted.
Emma turned to the next page, which depicted a figure in yellow, with wings. "The fairy looked all around, but there was no one there. So she turned big, and picked me up and took me to a house. She named me Perdita, because I was a little lost girl," Emma said, scrunching her nose.
"What was the fairy's name?" Regina asked.
Emma looked at her like that was the most ridiculous question she had ever heard. "Yellow?" she said, pointing at the yellow figure in her drawing.
"Of course," Regina said. She should have known.
"So the Yellow Fairy took care of me, and some other fairies came sometimes. They taught me to walk and talk and tried to show me how to do magic, but I was bad at it. I broke lots of things and they didn't like that," Emma sighed, turning to a page with several unhappy looking faces on it.
"And one night, when they thought I was asleep, I sneaked down and listened to them talking. And the Yellow Fairy said there was something wrong with me. She used magic on the mirror and that's when…." Emma's voice trailed off, as she looked at her own picture of a blue figure and shuddered.
"That's when the Blue Fairy appeared?" Regina asked.
Emma nodded. Well, that explains how she found out about her, Regina thought to herself.
"I watched the Blue Fairy in the mirror and I thought she looked nice, but she didn't look like a fairy. She had no wings and weird clothes, like the clothes I saw her in today," Emma explained, "I couldn't hear what all the fairies were saying about me, but the Blue Fairy told them to bring me to the mirror, and they did, and she said 'I think I know who she is'."
Emma flipped over to a page with a picture of a lake. "So the Blue Fairy said that the Yellow Fairy had to put a spell on a compass, and drop me into a lake, and I would find my way home. I was scared and I didn't want to go, but the Yellow Fairy said I had to. She said I had to go to the land without magic, and I would be safe there."
"So the Yellow Fairy gave me the compass and told me to be brave, and she dropped me into the lake," Emma continued. "And when I came out, I was in a forest. She said I would find my way home, but I was all alone, until Henny came."
"How long were you alone?" Regina asked.
Emma shrugged. "I don't know. But the fairy lied. This land has magic. She sent me to the wrong place."
"No, she didn't," Henry insisted.
Emma looked at him. "But I didn't find my home."
"We're going to help you do that," Regina said. "But tell me, Sweetheart, what did the Yellow Fairy think was wrong with you? Why did she call the Blue Fairy?"
Emma shrugged. "She never said. She just said I wasn't normal, and I didn't belong there."
Regina watched as Emma slowly gathered up the pages of her story. It occurred to her then, that if she was right about who this child actually was, then her story was really repeating itself. A baby, lost and alone, taken in by strangers who eventually tossed her away. Regina knew she caused that the first time around, but this time… this time she had the chance to be on the other side. She had the chance to help this little girl, instead of condemning her. She didn't take that lightly.
"I'm hungry," Emma said, suddenly.
Regina looked at her watch. "I suppose it's time to make dinner," she said. She wanted to ask Emma about her earlier comment, about her dreams making her forget, but she supposed that could wait, for now.
"Come on, Emma, we can watch a movie while my Mom gets dinner ready," Henry suggested, as he helped Emma pick up the crayons. Regina's heart skipped a beat when she heard Emma's name pass Henry's lips. She was sure that was the first time he had said it since Emma died, and she was worried about what would happen if after all of this, they were wrong about who this child was.
At least she now knew that there was little chance anyone was looking for this girl, if her story was true that her caregivers tossed her through to another realm. She didn't see any reason not to believe it, since David had found the compass, and Emma didn't know about that.
"So, we're convinced it's her now, right?" Henry said, startling Regina, as he entered the kitchen.
"I thought you were watching a movie?" Regina asked.
"I put one on for her. She seemed less disturbed by it this time. She's just sitting on the couch, watching it. It's strange… it's like she gets what TV is now."
"That is strange," Regina agreed, "but Henry… I still don't want you jumping to conclusions. We still could be wrong, and you're going to be heartbroken all over again if we are."
"But mom, you heard what she was saying about her dream… that was her first family. She was talking about the Swans. She even said they called her Emma," he insisted.
"Henry," Regina cautioned.
"Mom," Henry interrupted, before she could continue. "You said this morning you saw it, too. Everything is pointing to the same conclusion. Why are you still so unsure?"
"We're you not listening? She just told us a story that started with her being a baby. She is now at least three, maybe older… Emma has only been gone four months. It's not possible."
"Then how else do you explain a child, who happens to look just like her, coming through the same well, and having the same memories and the same name?"
"We don't know for sure those are the same memories, we're just assuming they are. And I called her that name, twice. That's how she got it in her head," Regina insisted. She knew Henry was right, and all the signs pointed to the child being Emma, but she had to play devil's advocate anyway, just in case. For all she knew, David could call any second telling her he had found a couple who had lost their little blonde haired girl with an over-active imagination yesterday, and Henry would be devastated all over again.
Henry sighed. "I don't think you even believe that. You're just trying to protect me, and I get it. But it's her."
"Go watch the movie until dinner's ready," Regina replied. She knew if she allowed this conversation to continue, she was likely to start agreeing with him, in spite of herself.
When dinner was ready, and everyone sat down at the table to eat, Regina noticed that Emma was just playing with her food.
"What's wrong, Little One?" she asked. She still wasn't ready to call her Emma.
"Can I really stay here, until you find my family?" Emma asked, not looking up.
"Of course, Little One," Regina said with a smile.
"And what if you don't find my family?" she asked, her green eyes turning to meet Regina's this time.
Regina swallowed hard, thinking about how exactly to answer that. She fought the urge to say if that were the case, she could stay there forever. "We will find them," she said.
Emma blinked at her a few times, clearly not having much confidence in that statement. "I like it here," she said, finally.
"And we like having you here," Regina replied. "And we'll still be your friends, even when we find your family, so you don't have to worry."
Emma seemed to relax at that, and turned to begin eating her food. Henry grinned and Regina knew what he was thinking. If they were right, Emma's family wasn't far. One of them was sitting across from her right now.
After dinner and a bath, Regina helped Emma change into one of the new nightgowns she had bought her that morning. That seemed so long ago now, so much had happened that day. It seemed hard for her to believe that Emma had only been there just over twenty four hours. It seemed much, much longer.
"Will you stay with me until I go to sleep?" Emma asked, as Regina tucked her into bed.
"Of course, Little One," Regina said, climbing in to bed beside her.
"Last night you slept here," Emma observed.
"I know, because you had a bad dream."
"If I have another bad dream, will you come back?" Emma asked.
"Yes, Sweetheart. You have nothing to worry about," Regina said, stroking her blonde curls.
"Okay," Emma agreed, putting her head on the pillow and curling up next to Regina.
Regina continued to sit with her, long after she went to sleep, processing all the new information they had gotten that day. As much as she hated to admit it, she was fairly sure she needed to speak to Blue again, and make her tell her what she knew. For everyone's sake, she knew the sooner they knew the whole truth, the better.
And yet still, there was still a tiny part of her that hoped she was somehow wrong, and this truly was a lost little girl with no family, that she could keep and love as her own.
And she still hated that part of herself for thinking that.
Shortly after midnight, Regina was again awoken by the sounds of crying and whimpering coming from Emma's room. She sighed as she threw off her covers and slipped into her robe before heading across the hall. She had forgotten just how exhausting young children could be.
She sat on the edge of the bed and gently shook Emma awake. Emma gasped as her eyes shot open. She sat up quickly and scooted away from Regina, pulling her knees up to her chest and hugging them tightly, as she stared at Regina with big, scared eyes.
"It's ok, Little One, it was just a dream," Regina said, softly.
"Where am I?" Emma's voice came out, shakily.
"You're at my house, remember?" Regina replied, reaching out to touch Emma's cheek. Emma flinched away from her touch. "What's the matter, Little One?"
"Emma," Emma corrected her.
Regina swallowed, nervously. "Emma," she repeated.
"I wasn't here yesterday," Emma said, looking around the room.
Regina felt a knot growing in her stomach. Something was very wrong. "Yes, you were, Sweetheart. Don't you remember me?"
"Yes," Emma nodded. "You're Gina, but I think I remember being someplace else yesterday."
"Where were you?" Regina asked.
"A different house with different people."
"The people in your dream from before?" Regina asked.
Emma shook her head, blonde curls bouncing wildly. "Those people gave me back. These were different people. They still called me the same name, though."
"They called you Emma?" Regina asked.
Emma nodded.
"Lit-Emma, you said earlier, that your dreams were making you forget your story. What did you mean by that?"
"My dreams here are different. They feel real, like they happened for real," Emma shrugged, as if that was something normal.
Regina studied her for a moment, and started to wonder if these really, truly were Emma Swan's memories, returning to her through dreams. She knew she was in way over her head with this. There was so much in the realm of magic that she just didn't understand. She remembered once berating Emma for not taking the time to learn her craft, but it occurred to Regina then that she had really done the same thing. She only really learned what Rumple thought she needed.
She sighed, realizing that she really didn't have much of an option, other than speaking to the Blue Fairy.
"What's wrong, Gina?" Emma asked, apparently noticing the sigh.
"Nothing, Sweetheart. I'm just trying to figure out what's going on here."
"Are you sad?"
"No, I'm not sad," Regina said, smiling in an attept to reassure her.
"Are you sure?" Emma pressed.
"Of course, Sweetheart."
"I don't want to make you sad, like I made the Yellow Fairy sad. I made the people in my dream sad, too. I don't want to go away from here," Emma said, playing with the edge of the bedsheet on her lap.
"Emma, I promise you're not making me sad. And I will not send you away. The people who did that... that wasn't your fault, okay Sweetheart? I promise," Regina said, as she gazed into Emma's sad eyes.
Emma nodded. "Okay," she said, though she couldn't have sounded less convinced if she tried. "Will you lay with me again?"
"Yes, of course," Regina said, and she layed back on the bed next to Emma, who curled up close to her.
"Emma, how old are you?" Regina asked, as she started rubbing Emma's back.
Emma thought for a moment. "The people in my dream said I was four. They gave me a cake and said 'blow out the candles, Emma. Make a wish.' And I did. I wished for my Mommy and Daddy to come and get me, but the people just sent me to a home with lots of kids. I guess they didn't want me anymore."
"Well, they were very silly, then, because I don't see how anyone could ever not want you, Emma."
"Do you want me?"
The question stung Regina's heart. She knew she wanted her more than anything, but at the same time, if she really was the real Emma, Regina knew she wouldn't be able to keep her.
"Yes, Emma, I do," Regina said, "but I still need to look for your family. Remember what I told you though, we'll still be friends, even when I do find them."
"Okay," Emma said, with a yawn.
"It's very late, Emma. It's time to go back to sleep."
"I'm scared," Emma said, quietly.
"What are you afraid of, Sweetheart?"
"I'm afraid... that I'll go to another family in my dream and I won't be here anymore."
Regina was quite sure that if she was correct about Emma's memories returning in her sleep, she would absolutely go to another family in her dream. She didn't know much about Emma's upbringing, but the one thing she did know was she moved from home to home quite frequently.
She sighed again. "Emma, even if that happens, I promise you will still wake up here. You don't need to be afraid."
Truthfully, Regina had no idea if Emma should be afraid or not. God only knew what went on in all those homes. She had no way of knowing what nightmare Emma could be heading into anytime she closed her eyes.
"Will you still stay here, even after I fall asleep?" Emma asked. The desperation in her little voice hurt Regina's heart.
"If that will make you feel better," Regina smiled at her.
"It will," Emma yawned again. "Because when I wake up and see you, then I'll know I'm really here."
Regina watched as Emma closed her eyes. It didn't take her long to slip off to sleep. Regina continued to watch her, afraid of what demons were lurking, as if she could somehow ward them off by her sheer will.
It was hours before Regina herself finally fell asleep. It felt like only moments later she was awoken again, by soft breathing against her cheek. Her eyes fluttered open to meet Emma's. Emma hovered over her, their faces just inches apart.
"Mmm, what are you doing?" Regina mumbled, still half-asleep.
"I was seeing if you're awake," Emma said, giggling.
"Well, I am now," Regina replied, but she couldn't help but smile.
"Is it time to get up?" Emma asked.
"I hope not," Regina groaned, as she turned to look at the clock. "It's not even 6:30. It's not time to get up, yet."
"But the sun's up!" Emma protested.
"Good for the sun," Regina said, with a small laugh, as she rolled onto her side and closed her eyes.
Moments later, she felt little hands tickling her back.
"Emma, what?" She asked, assuming the child was trying to get her attention again.
"I'm rubbing your back so you can sleep, like you did to me," Emma explained.
Regina smiled. Such a sweet little girl, Regina thought to herself. Who could have ever sent her back? She wondered if this was how Emma was at four, or if her current personality was a result of how the fairies had raised her. She supposed it was likely a mix of both. Either way, she couldn't figure out how anyone could have this sweet, innocent babe in their care, and send her back like she was nothing more than an afterthought.
It was not something she had ever thought of before. She imagined that was the root of Emma's insecurity and ever-present self-doubt. She wondered if she would have approached Emma differently, if she had known.
Emma let Regina sleep another hour and a half, before waking her up again just before eight, asking for breakfast.
"Okay, go see if Henry's awake then," Regina said, laughing, as she ushered Emma out of the room. She quickly changed, and headed out into the hallway.
"Henny! Henny!" Regina could hear Emma's little voice. She looked into Henry's room just in time to see Emma leap onto Henry's bed and start jumping on him. She couldn't help but laugh as Henry groaned and rolled over, but Emma wasn't relenting. She had always been like a dog with a bone, and Regina was now seeing that the four-year-old version was just as determined to get what she wanted.
Regina sighed, with a smile, preparing for another long day ahead.
Once Emma finally got Henry to get out of bed – which was no easy feat, considering how accustomed he was to sleeping in on Sunday Mornings – it was time for breakfast. Emma was still in her nightgown, and she insisted there was no time for Henry to get dressed either. Henry didn't seem to mind, since he was still half asleep, and Regina wondered if he thought perhaps he could slip off back to bed once breakfast was over.
Emma bounded off down the hall and ran toward the stairs.
"Emma!" Regina called after her, "slow down before you fall."
Emma let out a much exaggerated sigh and started down the stairs – not walking, but rather hopping, two feet at a time, from one stair to the next, making sure to pause after each hop and look back at Regina, to illustrate that she was indeed going slower than she could.
"Well, she's certainly full of energy today," Henry commented, with a small smirk.
"At least that makes one of us," Regina replied, though she didn't even try to hide her grin.
"You called her Emma," Henry noted, as he and his mother made their way toward the stairs, which Emma had now hopped halfway down.
"I know," Regina nodded, "she asked me to."
"Is there something else?" Henry asked. It amazed Regina how well he could read her. She knew all too well that she wore her emotions on her face, and her eyes always betrayed her, but there was a time when her son was too young and innocent to pick up on those things.
"She… had another dream, about another family last night. She told me the dreams feel real," Regina sighed, still trying to make sense of this whole thing in her head.
"Do you think it's possible that it's her real memories, coming back to her?" Henry suggested. "Like, she thinks they are dreams, but the things she's dreaming are actually what happened to… my mom?"
Regina nodded. "Yes, actually. It makes sense," she agreed.
"Mom," Henry said, tentatively, stopping at the top of the stairs.
"What, honey?" Regina asked, stopping and turning to him. Emma was now at the bottom of the stairs, staring up at them, tapping her little foot impatiently.
"What's going to happen… if it is her?" Henry asked, in a hushed voice.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean… where will she go? If she's really Emma, won't she have to go live with my grandparents. They're her real parents."
Regina cast a quick glance down to Emma again, and turned back to Henry. "I suppose she would." Her voice came out more timidly than she would have liked. Her emotions were betraying her again.
"But… I want her with me. And I want to be here, with you," Henry said.
"I know. Henry, we'll figure something out, I promise. Remember though, we need to keep this between us, until we know the truth. If we tell your grandparents, and we're wrong, then there's going to be a lot of heartbreak going around; not just yours, but there's and hers," Regina said, looking down at Emma again.
"Gina!" Emma cried out, when she caught Regina's eyes.
Regina smiled. "Patience, Emma," she called down to her.
"Not her strong point," Henry pointed out.
"Nor mine," Regina smiled, as she turned to head down the stairs.
"What shall we have for breakfast?" Regina asked, as she lifted Emma into her booster chair once they had reached the dining room.
"Are you going to cook it?" Emma asked, with wide eyes.
"Yes, of course. Where else would it come from?" Regina answered, a little thrown off by the question.
Emma shrugged. "The last family just bought Happy Meals."
Regina looked at Henry, and then back at Emma. "What on earth is a Happy Meal?"
Emma shrugged again. "It always came with a toy," she said, as if that answered the question. It occurred to Regina that this was an Emma Swan memory, not an Enchanted Forest memory. She might not have known what a Happy Meal was, but she knew for sure there were no meals with toys in the old world. She figured Emma must be talking about fast food, the kind she didn't curse Storybooke to have.
"Well, Little One, we're having a real breakfast today. No toys, just food. I hope that's okay."
"I want pancakes," Henry piped up.
"Okay," Regina nodded, as she headed into the kitchen to make them.
Emma started playing with her silverware as they waited for Regina to make the pancakes. She would place the butter knife on the handle of the fork, and then slam her hand down on the tines, forcing the knife to flip up in the air. Every time it crashed down on the plate, she laughed.
"What are you doing in there?" Regina called from the kitchen.
"Nothing!" Emma yelled back, looking at Henry with a devilish grin. She set her little game up again.
"Don't do it, Emma," Henry cautioned, knowing Regina would be back any moment.
Emma ignored him, and slammed her hand down hard, sending the knife flying in the air. She laughed as it crash landed on the floor beneath her.
"Emma!" Henry said, exasperated, and he got up and retrieved the knife. "You had much better manners yesterday, you know."
"Gimme that," Emma said, holding her hand out for the knife.
"No," Henry replied, "you lost it now." He put the knife down beside his plate, out of her reach.
Emma pouted, and Henry couldn't help but think it was funny that he was now playing parent to his petulant preschool-aged mother.
"Gina!" Emma cried, as Regina came back into the room. "He took my knife!"
"She was being a brat!" Henry insisted, before Regina had a chance to reply.
"Was not! He's lying!" Emma whined.
"Enough, both of you," Regina said. She looked back at forth between Henry and Emma, and was suddenly reminded why she never adopted Henry a sibling.
"But I need my knife!" Emma protested. She didn't seem to understand that Regina was serious when she used that tone of voice.
"No, you don't. I'll cut your pancakes for you," Regina replied, as she handed Henry his plate and began cutting Emma's food for her.
Emma sat and glared across at Henry.
"Why is she acting like this? She was so sweet yesterday," Henry commented.
"Because she's four and she's not getting her way," Regina shrugged, as she handed Emma her plate. Whatever animosity Emma was harbouring against Henry was lost once she had her food. She grabbed her fork and started eating.
"She seems different today," Henry said, quieter.
"I think she is a little different today," Regina said, as she sipped on the coffee she had brought for her own breakfast. "The memories, coming back, she's becoming more herself and less the little girl the fairies raised."
"I don't know if I like that," Henry sighed.
"If I'm right, then this is the real her," Regina shrugged.
"I liked the old her better," Henry insisted.
"Henry… the little girl yesterday was quiet because she was terrified. Trust me, this is better. You'll see," Regina assured him. As wise as he was becoming, she knew there were still things he didn't understand, young children being one of them.
"Done!" Emma announced suddenly, dropping her fork on her plate with a clang. She was grinning, her face covered in sticky maple syrup.
"Emma, we are going to have to have a serious discussion about table manners," Regina said.
"What are table manners?" Emma asked.
"I'll teach you at lunch. I don't have the energy for this right now," Regina replied, standing to go get a wet cloth from the kitchen. When she returned, she wiped Emma's face and hands clean, before releasing her from the straps of the booster chair. She stopped and observed Emma's face for a moment, before she lifted her down. Something was definitely different. Her eyes had a playful glint, and her smile was Emma's impish grin. With the timid shyness all but vanished from her now, all Regina could see was a miniature Emma Swan. She knew no matter what she told herself, the Charmings were bound to see it too, when they looked at her. It was inevitable.
"What can we do today?" Emma asked, hopping around in front of Henry and Regina as they attempted to walk with the dishes to the kitchen.
"Well, my darling, if Henry and I survive this walk to the kitchen without a major casualty caused by tripping over you, then I suppose we could get dressed and go to the park, so you can run off some of this excess energy."
Henry groaned. "I was hoping to get a few more hours of sleep," he admitted.
"I know. I'm tired, too. If we can wear her out, maybe we can all have a nap," Regina suggested, knowing she was going to need one for sure.
"I want you to push me on the swings!" Emma practically squealed, unable to contain her excitement.
"Emma, why don't you go upstairs and pick out something to wear from the clothes I bought you yesterday?" Regina suggested. Emma nodded and took off running. "Walk, Emma!" Regina called after her, to which Emma begrudgingly complied.
"Well, if I didn't see it before, I certainly see it now," Regina commented with a grin, before she realized what she was saying.
"Mom…" Henry said, tentatively. "I know you're worried about everyone who will be hurt if we're wrong about this, but have you thought at all how you'll be hurt if we're right?"
Regina sighed. "I know. I told you not to get attached, and that's exactly what I am doing."
"You spend so much time trying to protect me. You've got to remember to protect yourself, too."
"When did you become so wise?" Regina asked, with half a smile.
"I learned from the best," Henry grinned back at her.
"Go upstairs and get dressed," Regina said, after giving Henry a quick peck on the cheek. "We're going to the park."
Regina was sure the straps on the carseat were the only thing keeping Emma from bouncing off the roof in the car.
"Emma! You act like you've never been out of the house before," Regina said, watching her in the rearview mirror.
"I never been to a park before!" Emma said, excitedly.
"Never?" Henry asked, turning back to the little blonde.
Emma shook her head, curls flying wildly. Regina regretted not tying her hair into a ponytail before they left. "There was one near the house I was in, but it always had broken glass on the ground, from the teenagers. The parents said it wasn't safe."
The parents. Regina repeated to herself. She had also heard Emma say 'the Mommy.' She realized that Emma wasn't associating herself with these people. There was no connection, they were just parents, nother parents, even when she was with them. It was no wonder to her that once the curse broke, Emma had had a difficult time forging a relationship with her biological parents. Regina had assumed it was the age thing, but she realized, this kid had never really experienced having parents before. The Swans, she supposed, had been parents to her at one point, but when they sent her back, she guessed Emma's perception of what a parent was got a little skewed.
When they arrived and parked, Emma bolted off like a rocket the moment Regina had her unstrapped from the carseat.
"Gina! I want to go on the swings!" Emma yelled from in front of the swingset. There were several kids at the park already, and Regina noticed all their parents staring at her. She knew by now news had gotten around about the lost little blonde living with the mayor, so that wasn't why they were staring. No, she realized, they were watching to see what her reaction would be to the child speaking to her like that. Henry had never been that demanding. Even at four, his manners had been impeccable, something Regina took great pride in.
But she didn't raise Emma, and manners couldn't be taught in a day. She didn't know if anyone had ever attempted to teach her.
"Emma," Regina said softly as she finally caught up to her, "I will push you on the swings if you ask nicely."
Emma seemed to think about that for a moment, and then said "Gina, I want to go on the swings," in the sweetest voice she could muster.
It was all Regina could do to keep from laughing. She could hear Henry chuckling behind her, but she ignored it.
"No, Emma, what I mean is, you have to use your manners. You say, 'Gina, I would like to go on the swings, please.'" Regina explained. She found it odd to call herself Gina, but after hearing it so much from Emma, it just slipped out.
"Gina, I want to go on the swings, PLEASE!" Emma said, laughing as she turned to face the swing set.
"Better," Regina commented, as she lifted Emma up and put her on the swing. "Now, hold on tight," she instructed, as she starting pushing her. Henry grinned and got on the swing next to her. He had long since outgrown the park, but it was nice to see him playing with Emma, smiling and looking more carefree than Regina had seen him in months.
After nearly two hours of swings and slides and monkey bars, Emma was finally starting to slow down. Regina strapped her back in to her seat, and they headed home. Emma was asleep before they even made it in the drive way.
"Nap time?" Henry asked, smiling at Regina. He could see the dark circles from her lack of sleep, even under her eye make-up.
"Oh, yes," Regina laughed. She carried the sleeping Emma upstairs, and was about to put her down in the guest bedroom, when it occurred to her she was probably just going to end up sleeping next to her if she had a nightmare. Her own bed was far more comfortable, so she put Emma down there instead, before crawling in next to her.
She knew she needed to call the Blue Fairy and get some more information on this whole situation, but as her head hit her pillow, she knew it could wait. Not that she needed to do much justification to convince herself not to talk to Blue. But she knew she needed to. Just not right now.