The next day was a total write off. Everyone who had stayed up for the festivities was severely hungover thanks to Regina's vintage wine and she struggled through the morning in a haze trying to remember where to send notices to. "Can you ask Snow and David to come up here please? I'm sure I'm missing a couple of places off the list."

She was bent over the table squinting as she examined the map of her realm. Emma dragged herself off the bed grunting and poofed a glass of water into her hand. Regina looked around sensing the magic in the air and smiled. "Did you just conjur yourself a glass of water?"

Emma was quite groggy and hadn't thought much about it. "Yeah, and asprin. I just thought I wanted it, and it appeared."

"You're getting good." She pushed away from the table and went back to bed and nuzzled into Emma's neck. "You're so powerful. It's a turn on."

Emma chuckled then gripped her head. "It's just water." Regina pounced on her pressing her body against the savior. She snaked a hand inside Emma's boy shorts and the blonde flopped back in the bed grinning at the sensation. "Do you still want me to call my parents up here?"

"They can wait. I can't."

The more magic Emma performed, the harder Regina found it to control her impulses. Emma's eyes rolled back in her head as the brunette worked her own brand of special magic on her body. She was on the edge when the suite doors creaked open. Regina pounced to her feet hearing Henry calling through.

"Moms, are you awake?" He hovered by the table realizing he should have knocked but was relieved to see Regina walking towards him looking decent.

"Everything okay?" She should have checked the door. Perhaps the hangover was worse than she thought.

"Yeah, it's just you said last night we were going to see your old home. When do we leave?"

Regina grinned seeing how excited he was to go on an adventure. It warmed her heart to see him so keen to spend time with her after the rocky months they'd been through back when the town woke up. "Soon. I just have a couple of things to talk to your grandparents about, then we can head out. It's only a short ride from here. "

"Cool." I just saw grandma heading downstairs. Want me to get her?"

She nodded and he bound out of the room without bothering to close the door.

"Does that mean breakfast is off the cards?" Emma husked from behind the bed curtains. She hadn't moved from her previous spot hoping Regina would be back soon enough.

Regina waltzed back to the bed with a mischievous glint in her eye. She directed a pulse of magic towards an unsuspecting Emma and made her moan as she took her over the edge. "Holy shit!" Emma screamed as a powerful orgasm rocked through her body. Her eyes flicked open seeing Regina stood a few feet away and her mouth fell open in shock. It shouldn't have surprised her that Regina was capable of making her come without so much as laying a finger on her, but it did.

The brunette pursed her lips together humming appreciatively at the results of her handiwork. There may not be time to get her hands on the woman, but she could get her off with a skillful blast of precise magic. "Better?"

Emma caught her breath and nodded. "You gotta teach me that one."

Regina shook her head with a smirk. "Oh, no. That's my super power." She heard two sets of footsteps approaching and went back towards the door leaving Emma in stunned silence. "Snow, come in."

The pixie-haired woman stepped into the room and followed Regina to the table. "How can I help?"

"Just check that list for me. Am I missing anywhere?"

Snow looked over the map and the list of towns and villages with a careful eye. She read the notice and sighed sadly. "It looks good to me. I think most of the town are already back here. Maybe one or two groups split off, but thy haven't gone farther than the summer palace."

Regina nodded and breathed out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Thank you. I'll get them posted then."

Snow paused as if wanting to say something then changed her mind. She looked around the space. "Is Emma here? Henry said you were planning a trip. I hoped to talk to her before you left."

"I'm here." The blonde stepped out now fully clothed in her usual jeans and tank top. She offered a faint smile to her mom. Regina gave her a questioning look and Emma nodded back.

"I'll go and get these posted." She picked up the maps and notices and left the room, closing the door behind her to give the women some space. Once they were alone, Emma took a seat at the table ans motioned for Snow to do the same.

"Listen, Mom, I'm sorry for the way I handled things."

Snow interrupted. "No, you have nothing to apologize for. I did a horrible thing and I can't take that back. You had every right to react the way you did."

Emma struggled with her emotions. She was still angry about so many things, but she didn't want to be. They obviously weren't the same confused people they were back then, but it still angered her. She wrestled with her conscience, trying to censor her words, but failed.

"Mom. You are the epitome of love and kindness. Everybody knows you for being pure, never hurting a soul, and singing to animals. I just don't get it. I'll never get. Why couldn't you have found another way? That's what you and Dad do."

"Emma, I wasn't in control of my emotions or mind back then. It doesn't justify it and I can tell you I've lived with that guilt and regret since the day it happened. I thought I was making the right choice. I was wrong, and Regina's curse gave me a better perspective of these things. For all the bad things Regina has done, I know I'm no better. I see that now. Good and evil aren't opposite sides of a coin. Everybody has the choice." Her lip trembled as she saw the confused and hurt look in her daughters eyes.

"When we get back, we need to find her. She deserves to know who she is, and where she's from. If I do that, you need to know I won't lie. You have to be prepared for the consequences. Trust me, none of this is easy to get your head around. Especially for people like me."

Snow nodded understanding the unspoken words between the lines. She didn't need Emma to remind her of the fact she considered herself an orphan for twenty-eight years of her life. "How did you find out?"

"Maleficent told me. We are bringing her back to Storybrooke as a free citizen. She's promised she won't come after you or dad. She just wants to find her daughter, the same as you did."

Snow looked at her palms in her lap feeling mixed emotions. "I thought she was dead."

"So did I. Turns out, killing a dragon and watching it turn to dust doesn't always stick."

Regina knocked the door gently not sure she should interrupt, but also not wanting to leave Emma alone too long. Emma called for her to come in and smiled at her. "All done. We are ready to go whenever you are."

Snow started getting up to leave and looked at Emma with watery eyes. "I'm truly very sorry, Emma." She held her arms out in a hug and the blonde sighed stepping into the embrace.

"It's not me you should apologize to. But that will have to wait until we're back in Storybrooke." She watched her mom leave and Regina side stepped offering a civil smile before closing the door behind her.

"Did you tell her she's here?"

Emma nodded and ran her sweaty palms down her jeans. "Better she gets used to the idea before she finds out her bestie is banging the woman whose life she ruined."

Regina smirked. "I think she knows we're intimate by this point, dear. Oh, wait... you mean the other woman's life she ruined? Hard to keep up."

Emma rolled her eyes shaking her head. "You're all as messed up as each other. You make me look normal, and that's saying something."

Regina snorted. "Please! There's nothing normal about you. Good job I like weirdos."

"Plural?" Emma's mouth quivered and her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Regina stepped closer and pulled her into a warm embrace. Her plan to distract her from getting too emotional was successful. "Fine. One weirdo, and her perfect son." She sealed the words with a passionate kiss which heated up quickly.

'Good answer. I don't think I could handle any competition. It took long enough to get you.'

'Shame you come with so much baggage.'

Emma chuckled into the kiss. "Me? I was all alone in the world until I walked into your small town and met my entire family. I'd say they are as much your baggage as mine."

Regina seethed silently knowing Emma was right. She couldn't argue with that logic. "Come on. There a not so little prince waiting to go see a castle, and I hate to keep him waiting."

They walked hand in hand down to the stables with Henry keeping astride beside them. "Are we taking a carriage?" He asked and Regina smiled looking skyward.

"I'd prefer to ride. It's a beautiful day for it."

Henry's eyes lit up and he raced to saddle the horse he'd become so fond of. Emma watched in awe as the two people she loved more than anything got their horses ready. She was useless with horses no matter how hard she tried, they just didn't take to her very well, or her to them. Henry saddled her borrowed horse, and Regina poofed them all into attire more suitable for riding.

Emma looked down at the soft brown leather slacks now adorning her legs and the matching jacket. She wiggled her fingers and turned it red. Causing Regina to shake her head. "Ooh, I never considered getting matching pants. Good call." As elegantly as possible, she climbed up onto Harley's back and braced herself for the enviable stomach lurching she was about to experience. She had a feeling Regina and Henry weren't going to go slow for her today. At least her seat felt a bit more padded than it had in her jeans.

Regina beamed in pride as Henry mounted in one swift move and calmed Davidson, then mounted Lady Gaga. Obviously she hadn't named this mare but apparently the horse had taken to it and now refused to be called by her previous name, Guinevere.

She clicked her heels and scowled at Henry chuckling to himself. "Let's wipe that smirk off his face, Lady Gaga." The mare wouldn't budge and she looked between the two of them knowing some magic was behind this.

Emma chuckled with the same snort as Henry. "You have to say the magic words." Her heels clicked and she guided Harley beside Regina.

"What are the magic words?"

Emma straightened her face and said them one by one in a low tone for Regina to repeat. "Roma, Roma, ma. Gaga ooh la la."

Regina narrowed her eyes with a look that could kill. "I'm not saying that."

"No, you gotta sing it." Henry chimed in with a hand suspiciously hidden behind his back.

"I don't sing." She stated defiantly refusing to let them win this one.

Emma shrugged and clicked her heels coaxing Harley to a gentle amble. "Then you don't ride."

She growled but curiosity got the better of her. There's no way they managed to enchant her horse.

She cleared her throat and sang in a less than melodic tone as Henry whipped out his smart phone she shot him a glare but he continued.

As the last syllable left her mouth, Lady Gaga spung into a flat out gallop and Emma and Henry laughed hysterically as the the 'la' trained off into an exhilated scream.

They raced to catch up to her still laughing but singing the rest of the song. Regina's cheeks were red and her breath came in short pants as she slowed the mare to keep an even pace with her family. She laughed hard. It had been too long since she rode flat out like that and it gave her a taste for it, despite the humiliation of having to sing to get her horse to go. "Okay, how did you do it?"

Emma winked and Regina knew what she was going to say before it left her mouth. "I'll tell you my methods if you tell me yours."

Regina sucked her teeth. "I'll figure it out." She was not giving that special spell to Emma. No way. The woman could already reduce her to a trembling mess in embarrassingly record breaking time. She needed that to fall back on if things ever, got too predictable, or if she needed to quickly distract her attention.

She ran her hand through the mane of her mare and whispered gently in her ear. "What did they do to you, my poor girl?" The horse snorted and chomped on the bit. Regina rolled her eyes and whipped a carrot out of thin air. "Fine, if I give you this, can we go back to Guinevere and forget the singing?"

The horse seemed to whinney in response and Emma and Henry's eyes widened. "I thought only Snow White talked to animals."

Regina grinned in satisfaction as the horse took rhe carrot and she felt the magic release. "She does, but horses like me." Her heels clicked and Guinevere dashed ahead neighing in a happy tone obviously just as pleased to not have to listen to Regina sing again. She lifted up off the saddle and for a time, forgot she had a family she needed to wait for. For that brief moment, she was a young princess speeding home along a familiar route, as free as a bird and lost in time.

Emma went as fast as she could and Henry almost caught up to Regina, but not quite. He fell back beside his other mother catching his breath. "She's too fast. What if we lose her? We don't know the way."

Emma smiled and looked him in the eyes. "Let her go ahead. I know the way like the back of my hand."

"How?" He looked puzzled.

"From her dreams. Her good dreams."

That's all the reassurance he needed to settle his mind. He didn't need to ask how she could see her dreams, he was already familiar with their special magic and the nightmare realm from his sleeping curse. He shared dreams with his grandma sometimes and another woman, Aurora, though they were yet to meet. He didn't tell them everything. Some things he took the weight of himself. Some things, only a Prince could shoulder, he thought with pride. He liked meeting those princesses in his nightmares and reaching out to tell them it was going to be okay. Somewhere in his heart, he know one day, he was destined to meet his true love in some distant land.

Regina only slowed when the grey cobblestone of her father's castle came into view. She paused on the top of the hill looking down with a strange yet familiar sense of trepidation. She'd stood atop this very hill countless times with a similar feeling. Flanked on one side by the Grey cobblestone castle, she stared at the past with nostalgia. As she looked down towards the King's Palace, as it was known then, she remembered staring at it with foreboding. Her gut instincts had been correct and that was a strange peace to hold in her heart.

As Henry and Emma came into view her smile broke through. That was her future. No matter how she played it, she'd always known that route was going to be a dark one, but the light right there at the end, the tiny glimmer of hope she'd somehow managed to keep buried deep down in that blackened heart, was what kept her going. Emma's hair glistened like gold catching the sunlight and seemed to illuminate Henry's face. Her heart burst with love. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she made no attempt to hide them as her family closed the distance.

Emma looked up feeling bashful knowing this was a healing moment. Regina looked between them both with a quivering lip. "I knew. I always knew someone was there shining that light." Emma's hand reached up and thumbed away a tear with gentleness.

Regina looked down to Henry now and ruffled his head before bringing him into an embrace. "I never expected two of you."

There were no words that needed to be said on Emma's part. This was Regina's wish. The one she refused to speak aloud and let a fairy balls up. It was the wish she screamed in the dead of night and echoed all throughout Emma's life from across a distant land, in a time so warped it didn't bear trying to fathom. She heard her then as clear as she could hear her now.

Regina saw something in her eyes then. Something she hadn't seen before. A fleck of a memory. Emma hadn't thought about until only a week ago when Regina mentioned the castle to Henry. She didn't have the courage to spoil the moment. They'd talk later when it was just the two of them and they could choose to voice it or simply share the memory.

"Is that it?" Henry interrupted. Regina nodded and he looked less than impressed. "I thought it would be bigger."

Emma shook her head. "Your son."

The castle itself was in fairly good stead. A little damp in patches, but unoccupied and still held a wealth of heirlooms. Everywhere their eyes looked, she pointed out something of interest to her Henry. They inspected portraits and ran their fingers over over tapestries as Regina told tales. She led them into her father's sitting room and recounted how he would let her eat cookies sat in a bundle at his feet while she listened to his stories of the ogre wars in fear. They visited all the rooms, even Cora's and Regiba tried to find something good to pull from those. It taxed her but she focused on her good education and how she never wanted for anything, then pulled door closed on that chapter.

"Can we sleep here tonight?" Henry asked already picking out a room for himself.

Regina nodded looking at the sky turning gray. "Just tonight. It's getting late and I would rather not use any more magic on those poor horses again today. They don't like it." She warned Emma not wishing to scold when she was beginning to have fun with her magic, but needing to make sure she understood it was something she herself tried to avoid doing given past events.

After a quick snack, Henry yawned and she took him to her father's old room. The initials H.M. were carved into the head board and she tucked him up somehow sensing her father's presence nearby. "Thanks for letting me see this, Mom. I know it's hard for you to remember, but I'm really glad you showed me. I love you."

"I love you too, my little prince."

She left the room and showed Emma to her childhood room clicking the door behind her and raising a magical alarm over the property. Emma felt it go up and shivered with the magic. "Can't be too careful."

She traced her hands over the intricately woven bed spread and felt like a seventeen year old girl once again. The bed dipped beside her and Emma took her hands between her own sighing. She whispered, afraid saying the words might break something. "I'll take you away, if I can come too."

Regina inhaled sharply and a flush of blood crept over every part of her skin. It was like being woken from a sleeping curse, but without the haunting bad dreams. She looked at her girlfriend and shook her head. "You're messing with me. You must have seen that when you were in my head."

"No, because I already had that memory. My favorite dream."

She wanted to believe it. She needed to believe it but it was far fetched even for her. "You weren't even born."

"Since when has my being born ever been an issue? Gold knew. The Blue Fairy, they all fucking knew about me. I must have already existed somewhere."

"I was there the day you were born." That unsettled her. They weren't supposed to talk about this.

"I can prove it."

"I am not taking your heart again."

Emma laughed. "You don't need to." She could remember those dreams, or what she thought were dreams so well now. She'd heard that timid and desperate voice in the dead of night as a young girl when she felt the loneliest. She closed her eyes and let the words come. "It whispered, 'take me away' and I always asked who it was but was never told. Instead, I saw images of a young girl, maybe four or five years older than me, riding a brown horse. A single braid down the back of her head, and that Greystone castle behind her. I'd focus on wherever I was at the time, willing whatever voice was whispering to me to see me. Then I'd say, I'll take you away, if I can come too."

Regina felt some distant jumbled images pop up that seemed familiar. The darkness and a little girl about half her age crying alone. Always alone. Tears pricked her eyes as she remembered something else. "What was the response?"

"Promise?" Emma voiced the little voice she'd heard in her head so long ago.

Regina laughed as if still not believing it but somehow in all this madness, they were connected long before Snow, or the King, or anyone. Somehow. Regina scowled. "I always wondered why my dreams were ruined by a grumpy little girl telling me to be quiet."

Emma laughed. "Correction. I always said, I promise, now be quiet and let's get some sleep so we're ready when it's time." She groaned and prodded Regina playfully in the ribs. "Do you know how much trouble I got in for talking in my sleep?"

She'd meant it as a joke, but Regina knew it masked the truth. "I'm sorry. I never meant to get you in trouble."

Emma pulled her in for a hug and they flopped down on the covers in a warm embrace. "Why did you stop?" It hurt to remember now and she was afraid of knowing the answer. She'd felt so lost, so desperate to hear that little voice begging her to rescue her. It made her feel like she had to survive because someone somewhere needed her.

Regina pulled their lips together not wanting it spoken aloud and getting the tail end of Emma's train of thought.

'I always needed you. I was afraid you were a fairy and I might wish it. I was terrified of magic and wanted no part of it.'

Emma deepened the kiss and showed her the rest of the thought she hadn't allowed her to see. There was such a deep understanding between them, they really didn't need words, but now and then, they were a huge comfort. Like a big, pinch me, check.

Regina chuckled darkly reading Emma's thought about if it would be wrong to bang in her childhood bed, and showed her something vulnerable without meaning to. 'Give me one last good memory of this place.'

And so she got to work without hesitation making her dream come true. Each touch was gentle, delicate and precise. She gave her the care a virgin should have been afforded. Regina never thought it, never brought that vile memory to the surface, but Emma knew she'd longed for the gentleness for longer than she dared admit, even to herself.

She took her sweet time removing her clothes, without magic. No tricks, no rushing. Only love and forgiveness, Emma found herself repeating in her head. Her lips skimmed the sweet entrance delicately and a tongue teased to be let in. She forgave her for abandoning her childhood dreams.

A soft whimper caught in Regina's throat as she laced her fingers in blonde curls and caressed her head. She forgave her for pushing her away when they were neither ready nor prepared for the consequences.

Another moan and a soft buck as her tongue flattened and two fingers edged slowly inside. She forgave her for making her never break her impossible promise.