In the back room of the pawn shop, Amelia stood over David's sleeping form with arms folded over her stomach as she willed the man to wake up with the good news they were all waiting for. The last few days in Storybrooke had been interesting to say the least. Ruby was accused of killing the town mechanics during her wolfs time and Henry had been having nightmares of a burning room a side effect of the sleeping curse he got from an apple turnover Regina had intended on giving to Emma to consume.

A chill went up her spine as she remembered again why David was under a sleeping curse. Henry had found out through his trips to the burning room that Regina's mother Cora was alive and well in the Enchanted Forest causing Emma and Snow trouble coming home. A sense of unease settled in the pit of her stomach as she thought of her first and last encounter with Queen of Heart's. She could still feel the cold steel on the back of her neck to this day. In the meantime as the Prince slept, she had been tasked to look after Henry.

He had spent most the evening with her at the loft, asking more questions about the Brotherhood, until he finally gave into the tiredness of the day, falling asleep on her shoulder like it was something he did all the time. He trusted her more than she thought he should.

But as she woke up that morning from a restless night on the sofa, her mind became focused on the man sleeping in front of her. Completely unaware of the mess he left behind in her head. The Sheriff's badge threw her off the most. If it came to it, would she be able to gain the support of the other residents to keep this town safe.

He needed True Love's kiss. And his true love was in another realm.

The bell above the front door rang out followed by quick determined heeled footsteps that hit the wooden floor towards the back room

Regina was surprised to see Amelia stood over the Prince with crossed arms looking down in deep thought at the sleeping man.

"Amelia" she greeted the red head "I didn't think you'd be here"

"Came to check on him for Henry" she informed the Mayor

"And where is Henry now?" she inquired with her former Widow.

"Under the close watch of the she-wolf and her grandmother at the diner with a hot coco. Extra whip-cream" Amelia told the woman. This was the first time they had been alone since Amelia had been keeping her distance from the former Queen

"And where has he been when he's not under their watchful eye" Regina drawled. She had assumed that Henry would be coming back to the mansion since David was currently under her sleeping curse.

"At the loft where I've taken temporary residence of their couch"

"He's perfectly safe with me" she sniped at the redhead which made the woman take her eyes off the unconscious man, he wouldn't be going anywhere soon.

"Not with your mother on the horizon. If what you told me about her is true, you're the first person she'll visit" Regina knew she was right as her eye's flittered back to David "Besides I gave David my word to keep an eye on him if anything went wrong"

A scoff left the woman's mouth at the redheads answer "Since when do you take orders from the shepherd?"

"Since he saved my life" Regina realised what she was talking about. Daniel. It was David that dragged her out of the stable. While she stood their gawking at her first love.

Instead of waiting for the former Queen's retorts she a walked past her 'lover' back into the main shop with Regina following closely behind her to be met with Mr. Gold in the main shop

"Any change?" he asked the women

"None" Amelia answered, giving Regina another sideways glance.

Gold looked between the pair sensing the tension between them "Did I interrupt something?"

"No" Amelia and Regina responded in union

"He needs true love's kiss. He won't wake up until Mary Margaret comes back" Regina says outload

"Until?" Gold asked, raising his eyebrows at the former Queen "Well, that's rather optimistic, isn't it?"

"As appose to what exactly?" Amelia asked the man

"They're up against your mother" he reminded the Queen "The only chance Snow and Emma have of defeating her, is with the squid ink"

"Which is why you sent the message through David" Amelia added

"Which would be beneficial, if we knew that message was delivered. But alas, given the Prince's condition, we don't know. As such, it's important we take precautions. We have to consider the possibility that, when that portal opens, it won't be his family that come through. It'll be Cora." A shiver once again went up the red head's spine

"And neither one of us wants that" Regina pointed out

"Alas all three of us won't want that, isn't; that right Miss Montague" he looked to Amelia with a small grin

"What are you talking about?" Regina asked the older sorcerer looking between him and the red head

"Shall I tell her or will you" Gold asked the assassin, who just continued to glare him out

"Amelia?" Regina asked the red head who couldn't look at her then it suddenly dawned on the former Queen "You went back, didn't you?" it wasn't a question

"Of course, she went back" Gold interrupted "You really think she'd let you get in the way of her own vengeance" He came to the redhead's defence which came as a surprise for the woman herself "But I'd hold onto that argument for the time being as we have to find where they're coming through, and destroy that portal"

Regina blinked back the angry tears "But whoever came through would die"

"Exactly. But, I'm confident between the two of us, we can summon up enough magic to complete the task and Miss Montague will be able to deal with any surprises along the way"

"What if you're wrong?" Amelia spoke up "Snow and Charming have a habit of reuniting with the odds stacked against them, why would this be any different"

"Well, I believe in this world, they call that a win-win" Gold said with a grin "If we stop Cora, you are protected from Cora's wrath. If, on the other hand, we stop Snow and Emma, well… Regina becomes the only mother in her son's life" he glances over to the redhead "And you Miss Montague would take the Sheriff's badge and be seen the hero to the entire town for taking on a position in such dire circumstance with the man's own blessing" Amelia glanced over at Regina, who was staring silently at the ground, pondering Rumple's words

Rumple continued still grinning at his old student "Look, magic is unpredictable in this world. If something unfortunate were to happen while you two were attempting to help… Henry could hardly blame you for that, could he?" the question was answered by the silence in the room.

"You're a sick old man aren't you" Amelia seethed at the man

"No" Regina protested "I can't lie to him. I am trying to be a better mother"

"You won't be able to be a better anything if Cora comes through. And if she does, she will be a threat to everyone – including your son. So, if you truly want to be a good mother to Henry – to protect him – if you want to be better, prove it. Help me destroy the portal and end her for good"


Amelia waited for Gold and Regina outside the mines with the familiar weight of her gauntlets on her forearms. She had made sure the mines were clear before they entered for the thing, they apparently needed to stop Cora from stepping a foot in Storybrooke. Whatever it took.

"We're clear for now, but we've only got twenty minutes until the dwarves come back from lunch at Granny's" Amelia announced to the pair as they finally found her with torches in hand to enter the dark mines. Leading them in, she used her sixth sense to see her way into the dark mines while Regina used her torch to light the way for her and Gold.

"We won't take long" Rumple tells her

"I hope you're right. You've never been on the receiving end of an angry dwarf and his axe" the gravel crunched under their feet as they made their way through the barely lit mines where the dwarves had found the fairy dust. After a bout of silence between the trio Gold broke it.

"I'm really glad you, uh, came to your senses" he told the women

"Let's just get this over with" Regina replied after a few more steps Amelia stopped, and her vision went back to normal when they came across the fairy dust clung onto the ceiling of the mine like a starry night

"Ah, yes. Should suit our purposes, no?"

"How much do you need?" the red head asked him

"All of it" he answered in between the women

Regina looked at him with a curious brow as he reached into his jacket "How are we going to do that?"

"With a little help from a fairy" Amelia glances at the older man as he held up a fairy wand "Dead one. Believe me, no one mourns her" He waves the wand and magically absorbs the power from the diamonds. The diamonds disappear, and the wand glows with magic


Gold lead them through the forest until they came into a clearing in the forest. "You're certain the portal's going to open up all the way out here?" Regina asked her old teacher

"There" he pointed to the well "This is where things once lost are returned to us. This is where Cora's going to come through" The three of them look inside. The water below is bubbling.

"Unless, it's Snow and Emma" Amelia pointed out

"I highly doubt it"


The former Evil Queen wrung her hand together as her Gold and Amelia looked down the wishing well that would be the place either Snow and Emma or Cora would come back to Storybrooke. They Watched as the water started to bubble inside the well

"It's time" Gold announce to the women

"So, what the hell are we waiting for?" Amelia replied as all three stepped away from the well Gold takes out the fairy wand. He holds it up towards the sky and summons a thunderstorm. A clash of green lightning strikes the well, making the women flinch creating an electric barrier on the well

"Doesn't matter who come through now. No one can survive this"


The three watched the storm brew inside the well waiting for Cora's attempt to get through. Regina and Gold suddenly heard the familiar sound of the blades jumping out of Amelia's bracers

"We've got company" the red head told them as she turned around to meet Henry and Ruby making Gold and the former Evil Queen do the same

"Mom? You're not helping Emma and Mary Margaret, are you?" the young boy asked her

"I'm helping you, Henry"

"What are you talking about?"

"You're going to kill them" Ruby told them the she wolf went to attack them Amelia bent her knees ready for the she-wolf only for the woman to be magically thrown with a flick of the wrist by Gold, she landed heavily away from them knocking her out cold.

"Sorry, dearie" Gold brushed the werewolf off

"Mom, what are you doing?" Henry asked his mother

"We can't let Cora come through the portal. You have no idea what she would do to us"

"Emma and Mary Margaret are going to defeat her. They're the ones that are going to come through" Henry told them

"Henry, your mother's right. It's going to be Cora" Amelia told the young boy

"No. It won't. Good always defeats evil. You should know that more than anyone. You told me you would help me. You promised me!" he shouted at the redhead

Her heart sunk. She did promise to help bring Emma and Mary Margaret back. "I'm sorry Henry, but I can't take that risk of her coming through" Regina saw something she had never seen in all her time with Amelia. It was fear.

"What I know, is my mother will destroy everything I love" Regina spoke up from behind the redhead "– and that means you and Amelia. I can't let that happen"

Henry ran for the well only for Amelia to sheath her blade and grab the boy around his waist stopping him from going toward the portal. Henry tried to wiggle out of the Black Widow's grasp but failed

"You can't!" he yelled at his mother as Amelia held the boy "Stop it! You can't! You're going to kill them! Please! No!"

"They're going to make it through! We have to turn it off! You're going to kill them!" Henry manages to break free from Amelia's grasp, running to the well, he made it but only for Amelia to grab him again from behind and drag him further away from the well and turned him to face her

"Henry! What are you doing?" Amelia yelled at him in horror holding him firmly in her hands like he was her own son

"Emma and Mary Margaret are going to come through" he pleaded with the former Assassin "I know it. You said it yourself we always have faith in the impossible. Well this is it" he turned to his mother who was stood behind the redhead "You said you wanted to change – to be better. This is how. You want me to have faith in you? Have faith in me" after a pause Amelia's face softened letting his word sink in. She let go of the boy and stood up straight to face Regina

Gold saw what the boys speech had done to both women as they held the same expression. Amelia and Regina's silent conversation, spoke volumes as the brunette approached the well and the red head approached the Dark One putting herself between him and Regina. The former Evil Queen placed her hands over the swirling green vortex starting to absorb the magic.

"You don't want this fight dearie" he snarled at the assassin

"I don't but I have more faith in Henry than you" Amelia snapped her arms out as she extended her hidden blades "Trust me I've wanted to do this for years"

Gold sneered at her showing his teeth "Just like your father. Don't know when to step back from a fight he couldn't win" he summoned a fireball in his hand and sent it towards Amelia's face. Crossing the blades in an 'X' blocking it from hitting her face. As the fire ball dispersed Amelia ran towards the Dark One, he send out a wave of magic towards the assassin only for her jumped over the wave of magic and landing back onto her feet, he didn't realise how close she had gotten until she leapt into the air and sent her leg onto his bad knee and closed fist to his face sending him down onto the ground. She places a boot on his chest to keep him down as she looked back at Regina's convulsing form

"Regina!" she yelled out in worry. Gold used this distraction and flicked his wrist at the assassin making her fly away from him. Amelia landed heavily on her back as a pulse wave of energy shot form the well, sending Regina onto the ground.

The well ceased cracking with magic and sent the clearing into silence. The vortex was gone, but nobody was coming through. Not even Cora. Amelia slowly stood up from her place on the ground as Gold was doing the same

"No!" Henry exclaimed in distress. Amelia let her head drop down in failure. She tried

"I'm sorry, Henry. I'm sorry" Regina whispered to her son from the ground

Suddenly, a hand comes out of the well and grabs the edge. Henry gasped as Regina and Amelia stared in silent shock as Emma pulls herself out, followed by Mary Margaret close behind her daughter

"Mom?" Henry cried

"Henry!" Shouted Emma Henry runs into Emma arms. Emma hugged him tight, smiling as Snow joined in the hug throwing her arms around her daughter and grandson. Amelia watched the reunion with ache in her heart, not only from her own trauma but from the look of heartbreak from Regina

"Oh, I missed you" the blonde whispered into her sons shoulder.

"I missed you, too" Henry replied

"I missed you so much" Amelia watched as Gold silently slinked away as she caught her breath. She forgotten how much that used to hurt.

Snow drew back from the group hug, and saw Amelia with hands on her knees out of breath, Regina on the ground, and Ruby finally coming around "What's going on? What happened?" Amelia straight up to meet Snow's questioning gaze. The red head ignored it and staggered over to Ruby with a small limp and held her hand out towards the she-wolf as Henry spoke to his family.

"They saved you. They saved both of you" Referring to Regina and Amelia joyfully smiling up at his mother. Ruby hesitantly took the Assassins hand and stood up with Amelia's help.

Emma looked at Regina "Thank you" the blonde told the woman hugging Henry again

"You're welcome" Regina nodded stiffly

Ruby forgot about Amelia and ran towards Mary Margaret, and the two of them also share a hug.

"Where's my husband? I need to find him" Snow told her friend

"Sleeping soundly in the pawn shop" Amelia told the Princess. Snow gave the assassin a grateful smile before approaching her and engulfing the red head in a hug. Amelia stiffened under Snows touch unsure how to react. She opted to staying still until it was over. Snow stepped back and looked at her old friend

"Thank you Lia" the red head stiffly nodded at the princess before the dark brunette left her with Ruby into the woods to find her husband.

"Um, your mom… She's, uh… She's… A piece of work, you know?" Amelia overheard Emma say to Regina

"Indeed, I do. Welcome back"

"Thanks" Emma went to leave with Henry arm in arm. Leaving Amelia with her Queen alone in the middle of the forest watching the semi-reunited family walk back into town


Amelia went straight to her apartment and showered after seeing Snow and Emma safely to the pawn shop, easily slipping away from the reunion to begin her recovery from her fight with Rumple. It wastaking longer than she thought. Her back ached as she sat on the window ledge of her apartment watching over the town of Storybrooke. She saw David awake from the sleeping curse holding his wife tightly to his side as they celebrated their victory over Cora and their reunion at Granny's.

Her short red hair was still damp as she watched over the town in a tank top and leggings when a gentle knock was heard from her front door "It's open!" she called out without looking back, she heard the door open and close and heels walk across her wooden floor.

"I see you've found another perch" Regina greeted the former Assassin referring to her sat at the window

"Can't exactly perch on the clock tower anymore, sheriff's back in town" Amelia replied "You weren't invited to dinner"

"No"

"I take this isn't a social call" the red head stated turning her head to face "You want to know why I went back?"

"I think that's the least you owe me"

"I needed to kill Ophelia and I did. End of"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Your father asked me not to, we were so close to casting the curse he didn't want anything to get in the way. We needed to get you as far away from her as we could. I agreed"

"What did she do?"

"What she does best" Amelia stated as the lifted her wet hair away her neck stood from her 'perch' and turned her back to Regina. The former Evil Queen stepped forward and traced the thin white scar that trailed from one side of the back of her neck to the other .Amelia contained a hiss as she felt Regina trace the scar with the tip of her finger

"The axe just made that cut, fortunately my head stayed on my shoulders. But the message got through" Amelia turned back to face the former Queen

"She knew" the red head told Regina "About us" she clarified rubbing her arms "Rumple was right about something for once" she mused out loud making her socff "Love is weakness. Cora knew that and almost used my it against me" she paused gulping

"For the first time in year's I feared what I would've lost if I failed. It was the moment I knew I was in love with you" the admission of love sent the pair into an uncomfortable silence until Regina close the distance between them capturing Amelia's lips in a bruising kiss taking the former Assassin by surprise before reciprocating the gesture. As their hand groped for anything that kept them on the planet, she was never so grateful for her cursed shorty hair as she felt Regina's nails scraped her head.

After their lung burnt for air the pair separated lustful eyes boring into each-others, Amelia gently brushed a lock of dark brunette behind the Queen's ear as Regina lovingly stroked Amelia's cheek

"I love you Regina, I always have" the red head told the brunette feeling the weight on her chest lift off since she returned from Wonderand (the second time). Amelia closed distance like she had many time before in the Enchanted Forest, but this time the kiss was gentle, loving, slow as Amelia gently pushed the Queen's coat off her shoulder's onto the ground as a moan came from the Queen's throat sending them both over the edge as the grabbed each other's clothes in desperation as Amelia did her best to guide her and her Queen to her bedroom were they reacquainted themselves for the first time in years


Meanwhile at the docks Puck stood overlooking the moonlit water with a small piece of paper in his hand, in the middle of the paper sat a red heart on its own with the crease of the paper that had been perfectly folded in the middle, he had found it on his welcome mat in his apartment when he returned from the closing shift at the Hidden One's.

He was the one Amelia trusted the most to run the bar and her businesses in the Enchanted Forest. Her work stretched far and wide while she worked for the Evil Queen. It was a chance encounter she had met him. He was had recently left the comfort in Wonderland when he found himself falling through a portal that took him to the Enchanted Forest, to Amelia. He was a day away from being executed by the Evil Queen when the assassin stopped the Axe halfway down to his neck. She managed persuade the Queen to spare him and to work for her instead, the pair quickly becoming close with their shared trauma's, he became like a son to her. But her compassion became her greatest weakness, and as soon as he found out what she, Gold and the former Queen were planning to stop his Queen from getting to Storybrooke. Well that was just rude.

He may love Amelia like a mother, but his loyalty to the Queen of Heart was unwavering.

The young brown haired man let out a puff of smoke from his cigarette as he heard a couple of footsteps approaching behind him, dropping the cigarette on the floor of the wooden dock and stubbed it out with the ball of his foot he turned to see the person who had sent him the piece of paper.

He quickly dropped to his knee and bent his head down in respect of the monarch "Your Majesty"

Cora let a tight almost fond smirk grew on her face as she saw the young man that had served his so well in Wonderland "Puck" she greeted him with a sweet smile "tell me is she here?"

Still on his knee he looked up to the older woman in wonder and awe "She's here your majesty" he confirmed

"Who are we looking for exactly?" Hook asked the witch in annoyance, he had no idea someone was waiting for their arrival "I thought we were here for your daughter"

"We are Captain, but we're also here to deal with a pesky spider" she tells the pirate "Come Puck. We have work to do" at that the young man stood to his feet and followed his Queen and Captain Hook into Storybrooke.


Introducing Andrew Garfield as Puck

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