Author's Note: Ok! So I didn't have this chapter beta read and I know I'm way behind! So I'm going to post it today and I'll update it with the revised version as soon as I get it! So please be kind and gentle with me! :D
Slowly turning back around, Regina's eyes narrowed.
Rumplestiltskiin's eyes were still watching little Snow as she walked away with Sarah.
"Let me make myself clear. If you come near my children," Regina began in a low voice," and I mean ANY of my children, I will ..." But Regina never finished her threat.
Snow reached out and wrapped her hand around her mother's arm, slightly pulling her back from the Dark One.
"He's not going to do anything. At least while Sarah and I are here." Snow said trying to pull her mother back from Rumple. But Regina only continued to stare down at the man who had molded her into the woman she was.
Mary Margret saw how Regina didn't seem to be backing down. Knowing her the way she did, Mary Margret reached out and wrapped her hand around Regina's other arm.
Only Rumple saw Regina flinch at Mary Margret's touch, and the smirk it caused only making Regina's suspicions solidify all the more.
"Regina. Sarah and Little Snow are waiting for us at the diner. I don't want them getting worried about you." Mary Margret's words making Regina allow the tugging on her arms away from Rumple.
Snow stepped closer to her mother, lacing her hand with her mother's. "We need to find out how she got here. And right now, you're the only person she knows and trusts."
Regina swallowed as she nodded her head just slightly, knowing that Snow was right.
Slowly with both Mary Margret and Snow's hands Regina backed away from the man.
"You run along now and take care of the little one dearie," Rumple said with an evil smirk, "I'll be seeing you both real soon."
Regina's body stiffened and her eyes turned to steel.
Mary Margret though, moved towards Regina, knowing beyond a shadow of doubt that Regina was about to use magic.
"Don't give him the satisfaction." Mary Margret said as she held Regina's arm with both hands.
None of them had noticed that David had made his way over to the group, but all of them were shocked when he placed himself between Regina and Rumple, blocking off Rumple's glare.
"Actually, I think it's time for you to go." David crossed his arms and looked at Rumple with a deadliness that most did not associate him with.
Regina was sort of shocked to say the least, but to watch the smirk on Rumple's face slide off, it made a smirk appear on her face.
"Well well, who would have thought the Prince comes to defend the Evil Queen. You do remember she's the reason why you're all here don't you?" Rumple asked with a sneer which turned into an evil smirk.
Many things raced through David's mind in that moment.
The story Cora had told him. The woman that had raised him, and her dying moments. The day the man in front of him had come and changed his life forever. And then the one truth that made him stand in front of Regina now.
Stepping even closer into Rumple's face, with his voice low, he said words that caused Rumple to understand that he knew the truth of his existence.
"I'm only going to say this once, so listen carefully," Leaning in even closer to Rumple he had to fight to keep from growling at the man, " stay away from my sister."
The smirk that had been on Rumple's face fell quickly at the words, but David didn't give Rumpelstiltskin any time to react as he continued to warn him.
"Stay away from my mother, my wife, my child. Henry may be your grandson, but if I even think that you may try to hurt him...or anyone in my family - I will make Regina's curse seem like a dream come true."
Regina, Snow, and Mary Margret were all staring at David's back with their mouths hanging slightly open and furrowed brows at the menacing threat that David was giving Rumplestiltskin.
"Do you understand what I'm saying...Mister Gold?!"
Rumple said nothing. He didn't utter a word as David pulled back slowly and turning to take Regina's arm and began dragging her quite quickly away from the man.
Regina had no time to even protest as David quickly began to talk to her with anger clearly in his voice.
"Was it my imagination, or were you really just about to get into a magical battle with the Dark One? No. Never mind. I don't even want to think of what could have happened to that little girl or Henry right now. As a matter of fact, right now were going to see if their both alright. Do you have any idea how hard it was to get Henry to go with Sarah to Granny's when he saw you standing toe to toe with his grandfather?"
David's rant and strong grip had left Regina struggling against him and completely baffled by his actions. Finally as they were both in front of Granny's Regina managed to rip her arm away from David.
"Are you out of your mind?" Regina asked with an incredulous voice.
"Apparently. It's true." David said as he looked into the Diner at Sarah, Henry, and a young version of his wife sitting in a booth talking and smiling amongst themselves.
"That you're out of your mind? Glad you can admit it." Regina asked shaking her head with a confused look on her face.
"No!I'm...I'm your brother." David said as he finally turned his head and met Regina's eyes.
When blue met brown Regina could see the look of sadness that was in David's eyes after he said the statement.
Pushing aside the instant and unexplainable hurt she felt by his demeanor she quickly tried to negate his statement.
"You don't know that..."
"I talked to Cora...to...to mom. She," pausing briefly letting out a sigh as he looked down at the ground, "She says it's true."
In that moment Regina felt the feeling of betrayal pass through her veins.
"You spoke with..." Regina couldn't say the word mother in that moment.
David couldn't even look at Regina, knowing that she most likely would be angry at the news.
But it wasn't anger that flashed across Regina's face in that instant.
It was sadness.
David didn't notice, but Mary Margret and Snow did as they finally made their way towards them. Both of them having hung back knowing that something had been going on.
Instinct had made both of them go towards Regina.
Mary Margret following the pull of her heart to make sure she was alright, despite all the despicable things the two of them had done to each other. The sight of Regina crying had always made Mary Margret feel horrible.
Even now when she wanted to comfort her for whatever her husband had said to make her upset. She could do nothing but watch Snow envelope her in a hug. One that Regina reciprocated.
David was confused as Snow pushed him away slightly and then held Regina.
"It's ok mom." Snow whispered against her mother's neck, as Regina hid her face against Snow's neck allowing tears to fall from her eyes.
After all, the Evil Queen doesn't cry.
Henry had been reluctant to leave the adults in favor of following Sarah and Little Snow, but his grandfather had insisted on it. Though he had tried to stay behind long enough to make sure his Grandpa actually went himself to see what was going on. Henry had resigned himself to go and sit with Sarah and Little Snow.
It was however the first time Sarah wasn't paying attention to him, and was solely focused on Little Snow.
And like the mother who raised him, he couldn't stop but feel jealous of this new development.
Looking between the smiling faces of Sarah and Little Snow, for the first time he felt unwanted. Which for him, was very unusual.
"See. I told you! Pizza is great! Right Snow?" Sarah asked with a huge smile and a laugh at Little Snow's full faced smile and nodding answer.
Henry grimaced.
"There's other things too. Things that we don't have back in our Kingdom that I know you'd love." Sarah said as she reached for a piece of cheesecake that Ruby had brought to the table a few seconds before.
Sarah didn't offer Little Snow the dessert, instead taking a fork and helping herself. Taking the bite in her mouth Sarah's eyes closed as they rolled back in her head at the heavenly taste. Opening her eyes she moved the cake over to Little Snow where she herself took a bite.
Henry couldn't help but laugh at the wide eyed look of shock as she tasted the dessert.
"Good?" Sarah asked after she had laughed at Little Snow's reaction.
The little girl nodded her head as her mouth was currently full of the delicious treat.
As she tried to take another forkful of the cake, Henry shocked both Sarah and Little Snow.
"Where did you come from?" Henry asked immediately seeing the warning look Sarah sent him. Knowing immediately that Sarah didn't want him asking questions.
Little Snow suddenly flushed as she looked up at Henry. Lowering her head she whispered her answer out.
"I was outside of Regina's castle. I was...I was running through the forest."
Sarah immediately knew Little Snow was holding something back. The same signs of when she was lying were visible to her in that moment. She must have been telling a partial truth since she had looked up as she had said the last six words.
"What were you running from? Was something...or someone chasing you?" Henry asked, even at the look Sarah was giving him. Despite what she looked like at the moment, Little Snow was his Grandmother. He wanted to know if she was in trouble.
Little Snow lowered her head, shutting down completely at the question.
Sarah knew immediately that Henry had pushed to much at once, Little Snow wasn't about to tell them anything now.
"It's ok Snow. You don't have to tell us anything right now. You take all the time you want. No one here is going to make you do something you don't want to." Sarah said slowly as she put a hand on Snow's shoulder and slowly moved to hug her.
Little Snow was stiff for only a few seconds before she relaxed into Sarah's embrace. Huddling closer to her as tears once again sprang to her eyes.
Regina slowly pulled away from Snow and turned her head to see Sarah staring at her through the window of the diner.
Sarah was holding Little Snow in a hug, and it seemed as though...
Regina straightened and saw that the girl was crying, and Sarah was making motions with her head making her understand that she was needed.
Simply ignoring David and Mary Margret, Regina pulled away from Snow and began to walk into Granny's.
When the bell jingled Little Snow's head turned to see Regina walk through the door.
Without so much as a warning Little Snow jumped up and ran to Regina, slamming into her and wrapping her arms around Regina's waist.
At first she had the same reaction as before, but as her eyes looked up they locked with Sarah's.
Her daughter's eyes asking her without words to try and be the mother she knew her to be.
Not knowing why, not understanding her own emotions, Regina returned the gesture, and tightly wrapped Little Snow in a hug.
"I...I was afraid he was going to hurt you." Little Snow's lips trembled as her words came out as gasping sobs.
Regina was holding her like she had held Henry so many times. Conflicted beyond any time in her life, she didn't realize the words coming out of her own mouth.
"Don't ever be afraid for me Snow. Remember what I told you about fears?"
Both pulled back from their embrace as Little Snow had begun to nod.
"You," sniffling she paused, "you have to face them."
An actual small smile began to form on Regina's face, as Little Snow looked up at her returning the smile.
Something about the moment made Regina remember that she had at one time not blamed her for Daniel's death. That one time she had touched this child's hair and braided it with care and love.
Suddenly the anger was back. Regina seemed to recoil from the young girl, the hatred and blame surging through her out of nowhere.
Little Snow watched the change in Regina, felt them too as Regina stiffened and pulled away from her.
"Why were you running away from us? You could have been hurt. Or could have hurt someone else. Did you think of that at all?" The cold tone in Regina's voice setting off alarm bells for Sarah.
Sarah and Henry watched the change and both felt immediately that something wasn't right. She had gone from warm to cold in the blink of an eye with no indication as to why.
Little Snow's hurt face didn't seem to faze Regina at all. If anything it made the young girl realize that she didn't know what she had done to deserve a cold reaction from her.
"I...I didn't mean to..." The quivering in Little Snow's voice did nothing to Regina.
"Nonetheless you did. And it was selfish and disrespectful."
Little Snow didn't know what to say. Regina was acting soo cold. Completely different to what she had known or was use to.
"Are you...are you mad at me?" Little Snow asked, the quiver in her voice still prominent.
Sarah watched the emotions play across her mother's face. Knew that she was trying to fight something inside of her. Sarah was sure of it.
Regina said nothing. There was a war going on inside her and she couldn't quite get a grip on her emotions.
And Little Snow wasn't moving away from her, making Regina more than a little angered at the girl's presence.
After all...she was the one causing them.
"I..I thought you were..." Little Snow struggled to talk as tears finally filled her eyes, "I thought you were going to be my best friend."
Nothing could have prepared Regina for those words.
The cold that had been seeping back into her being, retreated as her mind instantly remembered the last time Snow had referenced her as such.
It had been shortly after Snow had seen her and Daniel kissing. Regina had been spending time with her just before she had been about to see Daniel for a 'riding lesson.' Snow had been so happy to be spending time with her, she knew with the way Snow had smiled the entire time they had been in each others company. But when she had told Snow about going to see Daniel, her face had crumbled into sadness.
Her heart had sunk at the sadness on the once cheerful little girl's face.
She had asked Snow what was the matter.
Regina remembered the moment too well.
In The Past...
"I wish you could still be my mother." Snow's words cut Regina's heart.
Staring at Snow who had lowered her head as to not look into Regina's eyes.
Regina had knelt down and with her thumb and index finger took hold of Snow's chin and lifted her head so their eyes would lock.
"Snow...I...I wish I could be...but...you know why I can't." Regina whispered the words, afraid that her mother might be close by.
Snow closed her eyes with a small grimace.
Regina couldn't bare to see Snow so upset, so again she lifted the girls head and smiled softly at her.
"But I can be your friend. I...I've never truly had a friend Snow. You would be my first...and I would like it very much if we could be best friends."
Slowly Snow's lips had formed into a huge radiant smile.
Regina's fingers fell away with how strongly Snow nodded her head causing Regina to chuckle.
Snow launched herself into Regina's hold, making Regina truly laugh and lift Snow into her arms. Snow quickly wrapped her legs around Regina and stayed hoisted in her embrace.
Pulling back Regina and Snow smiled widely at each other.
"I have an idea. After I come back why don't we go pick apples in the gardens. Then make ourselves a treat for after supper."
Snow's smile only widened more at the idea. Truly happy that Regina did want to spend time with her.
"I would love to."
Regina laughed and kiss Snow's cheek as Snow wrapped herself around Regina as she walked towards her room.
Back to Present
Regina couldn't get words out of her mouth. Words that could soothe the small child escaped her as the anger towards the child remained in the back of her mind.
Odd how her heart was contradicting it.
Regina shook her head, and walked past the little girl, not knowing how to react to her words.
Of course that was when Henry, who had turned in the bench seat to watch the scene, noticed that she also had a tear traveling down her face.
"Are you ok mom?"
Regina stopped instantly at the question. Not because it had been a very long time that Henry referred to her as his mother.
No.
It was because she heard the gasp Little Snow gave.
Turning she saw the tears traveling down Little Snow's face, backing up as she looked with accusation at Regina.
"Snow..." Regina knew Henry's use of such a title would cause the young girl to run.
It is what Snow had always done.
From that night Snow had walked in on Daniel and her in the stable, to the moment they had captured her. Snow had always run away from her.
Before Regina could say anything more, Little Snow looked between Henry and Regina and let more tears fall before spinning around and shoving her way through the three people that had just entered the building.
"SNOW!" Sarah yelled and quickly made a dash after the girl, Regina and the others quickly trying to follow. None of them expecting the little girl to run away again soo soon.
Even though David and James had both tried to reason with Regina to stay with the group, Regina had continued on by herself to search for her daughters. Grimacing she had found what looked to be a paved road, and had followed it east. More determined to find her daughters, she had not bothered going back to inform anyone of what she had found.
She was a stubborn worried mother after all.
She had no clue where she was going until she saw the beginning of a very sophisticated village. She was staring and looking at the town around her, marveling at the sights and strange looking things around her.
No one seemed to be in the area she was in, and she continued to walk through, more determined to find her daughters then ever at discovering this town. Hoping with everything in her that this is where her daughters had come for shelter.
As she was about to turn a corner, someone came barreling into her, causing both of them to fall in a heap on the ground.
When she looked up into the face of the person she sucked in her breath, as the other person did the same.
It was Snow...when she was a child.
Her mind quickly concluded that magic had to be the cause.
"Snow?! Sweetheart?" Regina quickly moved and held her daughter's cheeks and kissed her forehead and crushed her to her body.
She didn't know who had turned her daughter back into a child, but she would find who did this and have them revert her daughter back to her own age.
"Snow honey, are you alright? Why are you crying? What happened?" Regina asked in a panic as Little Snow realizing who it was began to sob and throw herself into Regina's hold.
Regina squeezed Little Snow tightly as she herself squeezed her eyes tight. Relief and fear coursing through her at having found her daughter, yet knowing that she needed to find Sarah.
"SNOW!"
Regina opened her eyes wide at hearing Sarah screaming for Snow.
Regina quickly lifted them off the ground and held her as if she was a toddler on her hip, though it had been ages since she had held either of her daughters in such a way, the instinct to keep her close in that moment was overwhelming.
"SNO.." Sarah stopped yelling as she rounded the corner and immediately stopped at who was in front of her.
Regina's face broke into a huge smile as a huge relived sigh burst out of her.
"MOM!" Sarah squealed and launched herself at her mother, causing the three to fall to the ground once more, but this time Regina was laughing with joy and relief at finding her girls.
"SARAH!"
The voice stopped Regina's laughs as her brow furrowed in confusion.
If she didn't know any better she could have sworn...
Lifting herself once more, and helping Sarah as well, her eyes looked up to stare...at herself.
Author's note: Yes...I'm evil. That's why I stopped there. To torture you! :P I know it's taking forever for updates, but the more reviews I get...the faster these little fingers type. So if you want to end the torture...gimme reviews! Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!