Heya guys, here's another chapter. Hope you all are still enjoying this story as much as I am. I loved writing this chapter so hopefully you love reading it! Sorry for any silly mistakes, still using my phone to write these chapters and set it up.

Chapter 12: Familiar Strangers

Evil Queen's Castle

At the very highest tower of the castle, the Evil Queen was busy with her typical ways of interrogating people when she wanted information from them. So, your typical torture noises can be heard; whip slashing, groans of pain and chain shackling. All the Queen's men and all the Queen's servants were warned to not disrupt her and just to carry on with their daily duties, they could only interrupt her if the kingdom was being invaded, other than that she didn't want to hear it from anybody but the blonde woman shackled in front of her. "We have been doing this for awhile now, peasant. Don't you think it's time for you to tell me the truth?" She asked as she slid her finger across the handle of her whip.

The brunette was right, they had been here for awhile because she could see under her the blood drops from the strong smack she received across her mouth from the Queen, have dried up. "Listen, lady, I'm telling you the truth," she groaned as she grabbed the chains that were linked from her wrists to the ceiling and tried to raise herself a bit because her arms were starting to cramp up. However, this moment made her groan in pain because the fabric of her dress touched her back flesh wounds from the whip.

"Do you really expect me to believe someone with a power like yours is just simply looking for her orphan son?" The Evil Queen chuckled after her words as she hit the whip against the ground, as a warning.

"It's true!" Emma groaned again as she tried to look over her shoulder to glance at the brunette. "All I wanted was just keep going my way, I have no plans to stay here, and he's not an orphan!"

"So the little one is a run away? Or should I believe that perhaps you lost a child and, on his own, he wandered so far off from wherever you came from?" The brunette was getting irritated, because she didn't believe a word of what the other woman said. There was no way she was buying this story and she was starting to feel very paranoid now that she is aware that Snow White and her goodie two shoes, Prince Charming, are planning to take over her throne. "None of what you say makes sense! Tell me the truth! Where are you from and what are you doing in my kingdom?!" She snapped and hit the blonde woman's back with the whip again.

This time Emma screamed in pain, it was starting to become unbearable but there was nothing she could say to make the queen believe her, even if she dropped the whole Storybrooke and future thing, but Gold had specifically told her to not mess with the past, so she had to make the Queen believe that she is just a random stranger with powers that's looking for her son and then will vanish to a far far kingdom. "Listen…I swear I am not your enemy, I just want to find my son and get out of here," Emma managed to say ass tears started to roll down over her cheeks.

The Evil Queen frowned at those words and decided to walk around the blonde woman so she could face her and now dark brown eyes and green ones were locked into each other. There was something incredibly familiar about those eyes but at the same time so unknown. "Am I supposed to just believe you and set a prisoner free?"

Emma tried her hardest to maintain eye contact and also not cry as much. The tears came from the physical pain, but she was also getting emotional about the fact the person she loved so dearly and the person who gave her a child was treating her like a stranger and an enemy. "Yes, because I'd never hurt you, Regina," she coughed after saying those words, tasting the metallic sensation of her own blood at the back of her throat. Her intentions were pure, she'd never hurt the brunette.

However, this only infuriated the Evil Queen even more. For two reasons, why was she calling her by her first name, as if they'd known each other their whole life? And the most annoying thing for her was why was she looking at her like that? Why was she crying? Why did her eyes look so sincere and full of love? – This annoyed her because she had mixed feelings about it, part of her wanted to cradle that woman's face and make her pain go away while another part of her just said to burn her alive, really. So she did what was the most Evil Queen thing to do and formed a fireball in her hand. "It's your majesty," she warned the other woman while approaching her.

Emma's eyes widened at the sight of the fireball as she tried to get away from this situation, fighting against the chains, fighting against the pain, hoping that maybe, just maybe, she'd be lucky enough to get out of this situation. "Y-yes your majesty, I'm so sorry," Emma was almost begging really, because the Queen only kept coming closer and closer.

"Since you refuse to be truthful to me, I'll just have to get rid of you," the Evil Queen said while getting down on one knee so she could be face to face with Emma and slowly started to move her fire-y hand towards her chest so she could basically burn her heart, but she didn't know why was she doing this so slowly. Usually she'd just snap her fingers and bomb, gone, but this time it's like she is still searching for something that might stop her from doing this.

Emma was starting to feel the heat and, soon enough, the burning in her chest which led her to scream in pain as she thrashed against the chains that kept her tightly in place. "Please, 'Gina, stop! You promised you'd never hurt me ever again!" Emma was basically shouting those words at the queen's face with her eyes shut tightly while tears streamed down her face.

And that…that's what made her stop. Those exact words stopped everything like a light switch. The fireball was gone, only a well manicured tan hand was touching the saviour's chest.

"What did you just call me?" She asks, in a rather soft tone as her dark eyes search for any answers.

Emma breathed heavily as she opened her eyes slowly, still full of tears to look into wild brown eyes that were clearly trying to find an answer to all this. "I'm s-sorry, your ma-majesty," she struggled to talk but she knew she couldn't exactly tell her the truth and even if she did, it wouldn't matter because she would never remember her, remember them.

The Evil Queen frowned, pressing her hand harder against her chest, with no fire but still enough to make it hurt. "No, you called me something else. You called me…Gina..."

Emma winced in pain as she felt the pressure against her chest. She tilted her head down slightly, refusing to look into such a familiar face that, unfortunately, after so many years, she still loved. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it," her voice sounded so weak and clearly in a lot of pain.

"No, you clearly aren't understanding me, nobody has ever called me 'Gina! Apart from-" And that's when she cut herself short, mostly because her mind went blank. It seemed like her memory was going somewhere, fast like a highway, but then it came to a sudden halt and to a complete blank. – There was something there, she knew it deep down, she just had to keep searching, "Look at me," she pressed her palm once more against the other woman's chest bone, "look at me," but Emma simply refused to meet eyes, "look at me, when I'm talking to you! I'm your Queen!" She was getting desperate but Emma was only groaning in pain and keeping her head down. "Why are you here? You are hiding something from me, something way bigger than your invented lost son story. Tell me what it is."

"I can't," Emma managed to whisper.

"You have to tell me, it is an order from your Evil Queen!" She kept using her title, but she wasn't putting any more pressure on Emma's chest, simply resting her hand there.

Emma let out a hearty chuckle at those words, "I always tried to make people stop calling you evil, never knew you called yourself that as well," she struggled to speak but she was finally starting to raise her head up but her eyes kept down.

"What are you talking about?" The brunette was actually losing grip of her emotions and hold of her typical wall around her, because she was getting desperate for answers. Part of her was screaming for answers, begging even, like she needed to know who Emma was, the same way she needed to breathe. "Just tell me who you are and where you come from," she was starting to sound less demanding, more pleading.

Emma could notice the slight change in the other woman's voice and it broke her heart, hearing Regina get vulnerable, especially as her former self, because that's the version of Regina that Emma created such a strong bond with. Sometimes it felt like they were two different people, but they really weren't. The only difference is that the mayor Regina, has the same walls up like the Evil Queen did when Emma encountered her in Storybrooke all those years ago. "I can't…" She whispered, finally looking into brown eyes, "I'm so sorry, 'Gina, but I can't," she tried to show her a sad smile but her busted lip split up again once it stretched.

The Evil Queen was now searching through green eyes for answers. She knew these eyes, deep down she knew this person, she just couldn't recall it and she couldn't understand why she was getting so desperate to find out who this person was. "I know you," now it was her turn to whisper as she tried to scan Emma's face with her eyes, she just thought if she kept staring hard enough that she'd eventually remember, but her mind kept on blank and her heart kept breaking. "Who are you? Please, I know you, tell me," now her whole Queen's posture was gone, something stronger than her attitude was taking over her. She noticed that Emma's lip started to bleed again, so she gently wiped it off with her thumb from her other hand, because one of her hands still hadn't moved an inch from Emma's chest bone. She wasn't putting any pressure whatsoever, simply leaving her hand there, her finger tips slightly rested around the blonde's neck and she could feel her heartbeat. "Please tell me."

Emma's eyes were getting watery again, she didn't think she spent more than one minute without crying. Regina's touch was just as lovely as she remembers. It was such a shame that they had to meet like this. Emma wanted to apologize once again to the past Regina because she knew how much it hurt her to go, and now she knows more about Gold's fucked up scheme of taking their daughter away from Regina and taking those memories as well. She knew Regina had always dreamed of having her own child, of pregnancy, to know what it feels like, so she had to apologize for that. She wanted to apologize for all the misery she brought to the Queen. The brunette had enough pain to carry, especially in these times. "I'm so sorry, but I really can't," Emma almost sobbed, "I wish so much I could, you don't even know how much I could say to you, how much I have to say…" now she couldn't control her sobbing because all the memories off these past years without Regina and raising Daniel by herself were invading her mind in a big rush.

The Evil Queen kept quiet while watching Emma cry. She honestly didn't know what else to do. The other woman wasn't going to tell her anything, she could tell by how sincere she was that there was no malignancy about her. Usually she'd just carry on with the torturing till she got her way because she knew a lot more ways, way more painful that would get her all the information she wanted, but she didn't want to hurt Emma anymore. She actually wanted to let her go, just let her go if she couldn't have her… and that felt oddly familiar. "You know I can get whatever I please, I'm the Queen after all," This moment the Queen completely changed and went back to her old self. She cleared her throat and had to basically tear herself away from Emma because something inside kept pulling her towards the blonde. She stood up and took a couple steps back before folding her arms across her chest and letting out a deep sigh.

Emma's head dropped once again after hearing the Queen. "Please…you have to let me go…"

"I don't have to do such things," the Evil Queen frowned as she looked down at the saviour. There was no way she was going to let her go. Perhaps she couldn't get the information now, but maybe after a few days Emma would change her mind. "You will remain my prisoner until you tell me who you are," she said, already turning on her heel to head out. She wasn't going to let her go, not this time, never again.

Emma's busted lower lip trembled as she tried once again to hold in her sobs, hearing the other woman's heels click on the stone ground and leave her behind. She just hoped the other Regina was able to save Daniel. At that moment, that was the only thing she cared about.

Neverland

Back in the wooden parts of Neverland, the poor sailor that wouldn't stop talking was pretty much speechless as he was taking care of her shoulder wound. Luckily for them, the wound didn't attack anything too major, but the pain and the blood loss was enough to make Regina pass out. – He had found a cave where he managed to make a fire for them and luckily he still had enough water in his flask, now he was just waiting for her to wake up, which she did after almost a hour.

"Where am I…" Regina mumbled and tried to get up but the pain forbade her to do so.

"Hey easy, lady," the sailor quickly got to her side and pressed his palms against her arms to hold her down. "Don't try to get up now, that was a nasty wound, but I think you will be fine, I still have some medicine in my pockets, you know always gotta be prepared," he chuckled.

Regina winced in pain while holding her shoulder. Now the memory of how she almost had Daniel safe and then being attacked by another girl flashed across her mind. That girl was probably Fiona, the one Gold mentioned… her daughter. She was basically attacked by her own child after being recognized as the EVIL Queen, talk about déjà vu. "What happened to Daniel?"

"Huh, the blonde little boy? Ah well you see, he got taken away by the savage girl," he casually said as he watched the brunette.

"We need to go get them," now Regina finally managed to sit up after slapping the man's hands away from her and going through the pain.

"There's no way! You are hurt! And I'm not a fighter! That savage girl looks like she can fight! She will kill me," he was almost pleading her to not even entertain the idea of going after them.

Regina rolled her eyes, not surprised by the sailor's attitude, "you are already giving me a headache, Alphonse," she pressed her hand against her shoulder and took a deep breath before starting to use her magic on herself to get her wound healed.

Alphonse, now named, gasped in terror at the sight of the green light flashing underneath her palm and against her shoulder. "You got magic!"

Regina just stared at him with a not-so amused expression. "Yes, of course." At first she thought he was just obeying her by taking her to the never land since she was the Evil Queen, but as time went on she started to doubt it and now she definitely knows this man is completely clueless about who she is. "Now I am healed and we can go get my children back," she said after rolling her shoulders and standing up.

"Oh yea, yes, totally. Of course, having magic is normal, I have seen it plenty of times," this is the actually the first time he has ever seen it, "no, hold on, no, no, miss Regina," he quickly got up and in front of her as he held his hands up. "We can't go now, it's pitch dark out there and we'll we need to eat to be honest, I'm very hungry."

Regina folded her arms with a big frown across her face, but then she looked over her shoulder past the cave entrance and could tell he was right. She could use her magic to give them light, but it was still risky and she was also starving, she hadn't eaten anything since she and Emma got dropped in this timeline. "And what do you suggest we eat?"

Alphonse grinned, happy that she was settling into his idea. "Ah, well, I got the famous…" he started searching his pockets and took out pieces of…. "dried beef from my village!"

Regina sighed but took the food anyway. It was better than nothing, even though she was never a fan of dried beef. She tried to eat as much as she could but the anxiety and worry about Daniel didn't leave her, and also her curiosity about Fiona. Could she also bring her with them?

Deeper into the forest of Neverland

"Why did you do that?!" Daniel screamed in anger with teary eyes.

"Because she is the evil queen, Daniel!" Fiona screamed back at him.

The two have been having a go at each other for the past few minutes since Daniel woke up in tree house that was very well hidden from everybody. "She isn't the Evil Queen! She is my mom!" Daniel's tears fell down as he clenched his small fists, trying to control his emotions.

"There's no way the Evil Queen is your mother. Everyone says she is way too evil to be able to bare children, or else she'd have an heir by now," Fiona shrugged him off, getting herself busy with putting stuff away in her tiny tree house.

"Yes maybe that lady but not my mom! And she didn't have me! My other mom did!"

Fiona rolled her eyes at the little one's tantrum fit, she wasn't going to deal with his crazy ideas. "What kind of kid even has two mom's anyway? "

"I do and it's awesome!" Daniel kept with his voice raised, high pitch screaming and Fiona was now just ignoring him, so that got him even angrier and he ran towards her to try to hit her but she basically pushed him away from her so easily that made him fall on his bottom.

"You need to stop with this, Daniel. Nobody is coming for us, get over it," she told him while pointing at him and giving him a look as he sat on the ground.

Daniel at first was a bit shocked by the sudden move but his anger was still getting hold of him so he was ready to stand up and have a go at her again but then he noticed something on the wall behind her that made him snap out of it. "What's that?"

Fiona was glaring at him, basically telling him with her look that he better just drop it but once his expression changed and she noticed he was looking behind her, she averted her eyes over her shoulder. "Oh…that is my mother," she said as she looked up at a crumbled photograph of a blonde woman.

"What?" Daniel quickly got up on his feet and rushed to the wall, pushing Fiona out of his way, or trying to. "No way!" He gasped once he took a better close at the photograph.

"Hey watch it, kid!" Fiona groaned after being pushed by the little child. "Yea, I know it's very weird, I've never seen a painting so realistic in my life before and the material looks so different as well, but that's the only thing I have from her. Not even memories or anything, just a painting," Fiona explained to him, hoping that maybe this would now take his mind off his mother being the evil queen.

"That's not a painting! It's a photograph," he said as he snatched it from the wall.

"A pho- what?" She asked him confused and then snatched it from his hands, she didn't want him to ruin it.

"Fiona, that's my other mom!"

"Eh-what are you talking about?"

TBC