When Lily left with Daryl the next day, Emma decided she wasn't going to wait around in the hotel room all day for her to return. Instead, she returned to the club, even though it wasn't open, so she could at least scope it out some more. She couldn't get inside due to Regina's magic, but she kept an eye on the comings and goings of people from the seat of her rental car.

It wasn't just employees coming in either. There was one shipment of alcohol brought in, which seemed normal enough, but shortly after that, two cars pulled up to the front and several men in designer clothes got out and were admitted through the front door. The group of eight guys were in there for over an hour before coming out once more and getting in their cars and leaving.

She made note of the cars' makes and models and license plates. It wasn't long after they left that another car pulled up – again a nicely dressed man and two others, who she could tell had guns under their suit jackets went in through the front.

Another hour passed before they came back out. Emma had to wonder if these men were involved in some of the illegal activities that Regina was overseeing. It still didn't make any sense to her. What would be the point of Regina being involved in any of this?

She wasn't evil. She wasn't a criminal. Had the loss of the good part of her heart changed her that much?

She thought back to Storybrooke and one of the fights she had gotten into with Killian over Regina.

"It's time you stop this," he said to her.

"I can't stop," Emma said. "I have to find her."

"It's not your responsibility," he said.

"How can you say that? You of all people?"

"She chose to leave," Killian said. "She chose to rip out her own heart, leave a couple of notes, and then she left. She did all of that, not you. Just because she left you some letter designed to place blame on you doesn't mean you have to accept the blame. She's the evil queen, she probably wrote that letter without her whole heart in, knowing it would have this effect on you. She's calculating and this is her way of punishing you."

"Maybe I deserve it," she shot back. "Robin is dead. Do you even care about that?"

"Of course I do love, but tell me what his death has to with us."

"Are you kidding me right now? It has everything to do with us," Emma said. "He is dead because of the choices we made. You know what I'm not even going to say we, he is dead because of the choices I made. I'm responsible for her being gone because I promised her a happy ending and then flaunted my own supposed happy ending in her face when Robin was barely even buried in the ground."

"What do you mean supposed happy ending?" Killian said.

"You know what, I can't do this right now with you," she said. "I have a lead on where she might be so I have to go check it out. We can talk again when I return."

She moved to leave and he grabbed her by the arm to stop her. "You came to the Underworld for me," he said. "You aren't leaving Storybrooke for her."

She pulled away from him. "I said we will talk when I get back."

She had only been gone for four days on what ended up being a waste of time but when she returned was when it all began to go south.

Emma was so wrapped up in the memory she almost missed a car pulling up to the front of the club. A guy got out but all he did was stand there holding the door open. A moment later Regina came out of the club, got into the driver's seat, and pulled away and she was alone.

Pulling out, she began to tail the sedan that Regina was driving, hoping that she was far enough back as not to cause Regina to notice she was being followed. They went halfway across the city before Regina parked her car in front of a building that looked like a school. Emma pulled past her and parked down the street before walking back to get a better look at this place.

"Miss Swan, no wonder it took you so long to find me. I can't believe this kind of thing is something you were actually paid to do," Regina said.

Emma had turned as soon Regina had started talking. "If you knew I was following you, then why lead me here?"

"Oh, I come here every week around this time, and not even your interference will keep me from it," she said.

"Then you won't mind if I accompany you to …" Emma turned to look at the building, seeing the sign for the first time. "this orphanage. Why are you at an orphanage?"

Regina ignored her and started to walk toward the door and Emma quickly caught up with her. Even if she didn't have a million questions before now, she had just added a few hundred more.

There was some sort of security button/intercom beside the door. Regina pressed it and a moment later the door was opened by a boy, who was maybe 10.

"Gina!" the boy said, rushing into her arms as she bent down to hug him.

"HI, Myles," she said, getting back up.

"Who's this?" he asked, pointing at Emma.

"This is Miss Swan," Regina said.

"Is she like a teacher?" he asked. "My teacher at school is Miss Chandler."

Regina laughed, "No. Miss Swan is merely what I call her."

"Hey kid," Emma said. "You can call me Emma. I'm a friend of Gina's." She looked at Regina, challenging her to correct her in front of the kid.

Regina again ignored her and walked inside, with Myles holding her hand. Emma hesitated before following her in. She couldn't help but look around and compare everything to the orphanage she had been put in.

They got to what appeared to be the office and Myles said goodbye, waving to Emma and then running off. Regina entered the office and was greeted warmly once again by the receptionist there.

"Is she in?" Regina asked.

"In the back. Had some vandalism the last night."

"One of the kids?"

"Not one of ours, but probably one of the neighborhood kids," she said. "Anyway, she's back there painting over it."

"Thanks," Regina said, before leaving the room with Emma on her heels.

"Is this an old school?" Emma asked.

"Yes. It was converted to an orphanage about 20 years ago. It was an outdated building back then," Regina said. "The neighborhood around here has become more gentrified in the last decade and many would prefer if this place wasn't here."

"Hence the vandalism?"

Regina nodded.

As they passed by rooms that had once been classes and were now bedrooms with bunk beds, many kids would come out and say hi to Gina. There were several hugs and they were delayed several times as kids wanted to show Gina their latest artwork, or their grade cards or whatever. And to her surprise, Regina knew everyone's name.

They finally made it outside where Emma was again surprised. She assumed that they were going to see whoever was the orphanage director – imagining an older, grey-haired woman. Instead, it was a woman probably around her age. She was a Latino woman with dark black hair, cropped short, and was wearing a tank top and jeans with some paint already splotched on them.

"Gina," the woman said, putting her paintbrush down and she paused before Regina motioned that she didn't mind being hugged even with the paint splatters. The hug lasted a little longer than Emma expected and it didn't end until the woman realized Regina wasn't alone.

"Hi," she said and put her hand out.

"Emma," she responded, shaking the offered hand.

"Hannah," the woman said.

Regina had stepped away from them and was looking at the vandalism Hannah had been painting over. "I could have a security system complete with cameras set up in less than 24 hours," she said.

"Thank you, but you are already doing so much," Hannah said. "Besides, we won't be here much longer."

"Why not?" Emma asked.

Hannah glanced over at Regina as if asking her permission and she didn't speak until Regina gave her a small nod.

"We're in the process of building a new orphanage. Instead of an old school, we are getting a brand new building that is less than two weeks from us moving in. The kids for the most part will have rooms either to themselves or with just one other kid with them. A real nursery. Security," she said smiling at Regina. "The only thing we will be bringing with us is our belongings. It will be fully furnished with new furniture, two computer labs, study rooms, a library, staffs rooms, fully handicap accessible, a full playground. It's everything I could have dreamed of."

"Wow," Emma said. "A place like that has to cost a lot. Is this state-funded?"

"No," Hannah said. "We have a rather generous benefactor."

Emma didn't miss the look of total gratitude that Hannah gave Regina.

"None of it would be possible without Hannah. She worked with the architects for them to know what the place should have," Regina said. "I've never seen someone with as much dedication as she has."

If Emma wasn't mistaken she could have sworn Hannah was blushing at the compliment.

"Miss Swan, could you maybe give me and Hannah a moment," Regina asked.

"Yeah, sure, I'll just check out the rest of the place."

She closed the door behind her as she entered the building, but not before she heard Hannah say, "So that is Emma. Are you ok?"

She thought about sticking around to listen in, but Myles was at the end of the hall beckoning for her to come over. She went over to him and he immediately grabbed her hand and she followed him to what appeared to be a community playroom. Once there she somehow ended up playing a game of Clue with them.

Clue was followed by several games of Uno. As they played she asked some questions about Gina.

"She's nice," said one of the girls, Susie. "She brings us gifts like new books. She reads to some of the younger kids and she's just nice."

"Yes, nice," Myles chimed in. "She is nice like Hannah is nice."

"Hannah. She and Gina are friends?" Emma asked.

"They are girlfriends," said one of the other kids, Josiah. He was younger than Susie or Myles so Emma wondered if maybe he didn't understand what girlfriends meant.

After the third game of Uno. Emma excused herself to go find Regina. She ended up back in the office area.

"I was looking for Gina," she told the receptionist.

"She is in with the director," was the answer.

Emma took a seat and waited for another 10-15 minutes before Regina exited with Hannah. "I will call you later," Regina said to her and then said goodbye to the receptionist before walking by Emma as if she wasn't there. Emma was about to follow her out but Hannah put a hand on her arm.

"Don't hurt her any more than you already have," Hannah said. "She doesn't deserve it."

Emma was so shocked by it that she didn't know what to say and then Hannah was walking away and not giving her the chance to even defend herself. And she didn't know how to defend herself either, so she merely left and caught up to Regina who was already walking outside.

"Do you want to clue me into what that was all about?" Emma asked.

"No, not particularly."

"No, really, I would like to know what the hell is going on," Emma said grabbing her and forcing her to face her. "I mean what are you doing down here? Are you some criminal mastermind or are you playing Santa Claus? Why are you here?"

"I'm here because you aren't here," she said. "Now I've indulged your presence long enough for one day."

"No," Emma said. "You and I need to talk, really talk. Regina, I came here to bring you back home but there is more to it than that."

"I don't care."

"Bullshit," Emma said. "You care. You are building an entire orphanage for these kids, so don't stand there and tell me you don't care."

"Fine, let me rephrase it. I don't care about anything going on back in your town."

Regina started to walk away once again. "Storybrooke is in danger."

This caused Regina to turn back toward her, but with a laugh. "Storybrooke is always in danger. And I am done saving it. You may have the title of Savior Miss Swan, but who was there helping out whenever things went south? And what did it ever get me? Whatever the danger is, solve it yourself, Savior."

"I can't," Emma said. "We need you. Just give me 15 minutes to explain what is happening back home."

"No."

"Regina," Emma said more forcibly this time. "I'm sorry, ok? I didn't mean to hurt you, but if you would just let me explain …"

"Explain what? Explain how we all risked our lives to go to the underworld to bring back your true love while Robin dies and you don't even shed a tear over it. No, you are too busy kissing that pirate over Robin's grave," Regina yelled. "What do you possibly think you could say that will make any of that better?"

"Gina?" Both women turned to see Hannah standing there. "You ok?"

"Yes," Regina said to her. "I'm ok."

Hannah still walked over to them, well rather to Emma. "You don't listen very well do you?" Hannah said. "I believe Regina said she was leaving."

Hannah nodded to Regina and Regina walked toward her car and Hannah made sure she was blocking Emma's path. Once Regina was in her car and driving away, Hannah moved out of the way.

"Gina is a good person," Hannah said. "She may not see herself that way, but she is. Whatever you are doing here, I suggest you wrap it up and get moving."

"I'm sorry, who do you think you are?" Emma asked. "You don't know me and you don't know Gina. You think just because she is building you a nice, new orphanage that you know her. Did you even question where that money is coming from?"

"I didn't have to question it," Hannah said. "She told me. She's told me everything Emma, everything. I know who she is. I know she is the former Evil Queen of the Snow White tale. I know about the Enchanted Forest, I know about Storybrooke. I know about you, about Henry, about all of it."

Emma backed up a step. Who was this woman to who Regina had chosen to tell the truth to and why would this woman even believe it?

Next reader question: How should Emma get Regina back to Storybrooke – convince her? Kidnap her? Or enlist Hannah's help? You can leave a comment with your choice, or send me a message through my Tumblr or Twitter ( pcworth2012)