All for One

by StarvingLunatic

After returning from Neverland, Regina and Emma part ways with Henry going with Emma. Regina has to cope with losing both of them, along with other things, and deal with the usual madness that is Storybrooke. A friend from her past shows up to help her. Meanwhile, Emma's struggling not to drown as her parents and Henry ignore her to push her to be with Neal. For SQ Supernova.

10. Holier Than Thou

I don't own these characters; Disney/ABC does.

10: Holier Than Thou

It was time for Regina to do something. Too many days had passed and it was getting closer and closer to the town having a new mayor. She was not sure how the town would vote, but she was certain it would be stupid. She needed to help while she had a chance and was not in prison, as that was a possibility considering any of the campaign promises.

Yes, she would wait for Henry to come to her, but she needed to put the ball in motion for D'Artagnan's family, if only to save Mikey and Emma more heartache. Mikey would not be able to make it through too many more encounters around town with her adoptive mother wandering about and Emma was definitely not going to survive living with her parents. So, yes, Regina had to do something. If she could just get Nanette to do the right thing, she could then shift her focus from Mikey to Emma and help Emma.

Of course, she had no idea how she would help Emma. The idea of getting a place with her drifted with Regina's mind. Damn it, Mikey's in my head now. Why would Emma even want to live with her? Yes, it would be easy for both of them, but there was always a chance they would drive each other crazy like Emma's parents were already doing to her. Even though that had not been the case in Neverland. The only reason she made it from there in one piece was Emma by her side, literally holding her hand at points.

"I should check on Emma before I do anything, though." Regina finished packing the breakfast and lunch she made for Emma just as D'Artagnan hustled Mikey out of the door for the start of their day.

They dropped Mikey off as usual. Regina spotted Henry in the crowd and he noticed, glaring at her from by the school doors. For once, though, she could see something just underneath his fury. There were cracks in his armor. He was hurt, but there seemed to be even more than that. Maybe fear. Is he scared of me? Because of what I did to Pan? But, I did that for him and there was no other way.

She did not have a lot of time to question it. She had to get D'Artagnan to work. With a wave of her hand, she teleported them to the station. D'Artagnan went to her desk and sat down. Emma was nowhere to be seen, but the door to her office was closed along with the blinds for the windows. That usually meant she was there. Regina knocked and then opened the door to find Emma standing there, pulling her shirt over her head, leaving her creamy torso and cut physique on display. They both yelped.

"I'm sorry!" Regina turned away, one hand blocking the side of her face. Her cheeks were warm, her mind went blank, and her body suddenly tingled. It was a new sensation and she was not quite sure what to make of it.

Emma laughed. "It's okay. You've seen me in less. And you can look."

"I didn't expect you to be changing in here," Regina said by way of apology as she faced a now fully-clothed Emma. She was a bit disappointed, but ignored that and powered on. "I have your breakfast and lunch." She held up usual lunch bag. "Why are you changing in your office? Did you spill something on your shirt?"

Emma winced. "Long story that I don't really want to get into. But, please, note that I love you for bringing food." She grinned as she took the bag and marched out to the bullpen while Regina was frozen on the spot. Emma paused and turned. "Uh… you know… um… I didn't mean that how it sounded…"

"Of course not." Of course not! Why would she mean it and why would you care? Regina cleared her throat. "Anyway, I have business to tend to. I trust you two will be all right on your own."

"When are we not?" D'Artagnan replied. "Especially when…" She jabbed her thumb at David's empty desk. "The killjoy isn't here."

"All right." Regina tried not to linger and tried not to stare at Emma. She failed at both for a couple of seconds and then vanished with a groan.

-8-8-8-8-

D'Artagnan burst out laughing as soon as Regina was gone. "Dude, that was the worst declaration of love ever!"

Emma groaned and dropped into what was basically her desk until they got another deputy. "I didn't mean it like that. It was just a saying." I'm such an idiot! She hoped it did not make things awkward between her and Regina. Regina was really all she had at this point.

"It's okay to love your wife."

Emma rolled her eyes, but as she opened her breakfast, it slipped out again. "I am so in love."

"See?" D'Artagnan grinned.

"With this food! She made waffle tacos!" Emma held up one folded waffle, which was packed with scrambled eggs, shredded cheese, and sausage bits.

"Oh, come on!" D'Artagnan threw her hands up in outrage. "She made you a special breakfast again. We had plain waffles and scrambled eggs." She folded her arms across her chest. "I guess she loves you back. Definitely loves you more than me."

"Well, I am more lovable than you."

D'Artagnan scoffed. "Only by Regina standards."

Emma only chuckled as she picked up a little syrup container and poured it all over her taco waffle. In no time, that one was gone and she started on another. D'Artagnan watched her with a distant look in her eyes. Emma grabbed another waffle taco.

"You want one?" Emma asked, even though she knew that was not why D'Artagnan stared.

"Nah."

"You wanna talk about it?"

"What, that you love your wife? Yeah, let's talk about it," D'Artagnan said with a forced laugh.

Emma laughed, too. "You ass. Now, I'm not sharing any of the hash browns."

"What? She did not make you hash browns, too!" D'Artagnan rushed over to look over the entire meal. "Okay, wow. She really does love you."

Emma only chuckled. She was not sure if Regina loved her in any particular sense, but there was something there. Regina was too readily there for her, but she was not sure what that meant. Regina sat with her last night for well over an hour just holding her hand and keeping her together. The food was just more glue to keep Emma from shattering in on herself. She appreciated it more than Regina would ever know, especially since she had not eaten anything since yesterday at lunch.

-8-8-8-8-

Regina made her way to a modest-sized, ranch style house in a working class neighborhood of Storybrooke. Thinking about it, it made no sense for Nanette to end up in the supermarket by D'Artagnan's condo when she lived across town, but it could be familiarity or it could be longing taking her back to the place she used to frequent during the Curse. Regina hoped it was the latter as it would make things easier. She took a breath before she walked up the stone walkway cutting through the small lawn and rang the doorbell as she stood at the front door.

"One second," a voice called from the inside. Barely a moment later, the door opened and there was Nanette. She was dressed like a housewife from a 1950s magazine, powder blue dress and apron, and in full makeup, even though she was at home. Regina could not hold in a wince and Nanette frowned, full red lips pressed with contempt. "Oh, it's you." The disdain oozed from her voice.

Regina was unbothered. "Yes, it's me. Of course, I can't understand why I would warrant such a tone when you're the one who's decided to throw away your life."

Nanette had the nerve to glare at her, like she was insulted. "I'm reclaiming the life you took from me." She pressed a hand to her chest and Regina noticed how dull her skin seemed. In her pictures with D'Artagnan and Mikey, there was always a golden glow around her yellow ochre skin. She beamed with them, and, yes, it was the Curse, but real life had robbed her of her shine.

Regina curled her lip. "Oh, please, by playing Donna Reed? This isn't what you want and we both know that."

Her jaw tensed and she stared Regina down, as if trying to intimidate her. "This is what I want."

"To be the housewife for a beer-truck driver-slash-delivery man?" Regina was not sure who had those aspirations, but definitely not an upstanding princess from the Enchanted Forest.

"He is a prince!"

Regina scoffed. "But, is he, though? You're willing to stake your happiness on one day returning to the Enchanted Forest where his kingdom was near bankrupt anyway due to the mismanagement of his parents?" She hoped his parents heard that. Why should he or Nanette pay for their mistakes?

"I wasn't happy here. I was brainwashed and forced to live with that defect—"

Regina snarled. "You will not address D'Artagnan as such. That woman is a fucking hero."

Nanette had the nerve to look her up and down. "You mean she fucks like a hero?"

Regina did not miss a beat. "I wouldn't know, but I'm sure you're aware."

"I was brainwashed! By you, no less." Nanette put a manicured finger in her face, but the polish was chipped. Also not very becoming of a princess. "I'm shocked you didn't just take D'Artagnan for yourself in the beginning. Well, you can have her now."

Regina rolled her eyes. "And Mikey?"

Nanette flinched and then looked around. "I don't care for that child." Her voice was a low growl, for the words had to be forced through her teeth.

Regina leaned in closer, gazing into the house. Nanette tried to block her, but it was too late. There were four people in the living room. Oh, good, the parents were home. All of the parents. Regina did not have time for this. She waved her hand and they were now by the docks. Regina sat down while Nanette glared at her.

"You can't just abduct people!" Nanette said with a stomp of her foot. She was wearing high heels for gods' sake! When she was in the comfort of her own home in the middle of the morning, she was in heels. Not even Regina did things like that.

Regina arched an eyebrow. "I continue to prove you wrong. I've been waiting for you to gather the courage to do the right thing, but I suppose that's hard with your parents and his parents constantly in your ear, manipulating you into their thinking. What you need to know is that Mikey isn't doing well. Pure and simple. Whatever your feelings toward D'Artagnan don't matter. What does matter is your daughter is drowning."

Nanette's face remained tense, but her eyes glistened. "Drowning how? She has you for a mother, so it seems like everything is perfect."

Regina shook her head and folded her arms across her chest, grasping her elbows. "I'm hardly a mother. I'm the closest thing she has to a friend outside of Faruq and she can't even spend time with him outside because his parents worry, and rightfully so. Your daughter's in enemy territory and watched you, her beloved mama, side with the enemy."

Nanette stared ahead, eyes focused on the horizon. "She's not my daughter."

"Because you inherited her in a Curse or because you don't care about her?"

Nanette sniffed and turned her back to Regina. "Can't you just leave me alone? You have my family…"

"You're failing to understand, I do not have your family." Maybe that was why Nanette stayed away. She was under the false impression Regina had replaced her. Regina sighed and moved, standing in front of Nanette once more. "D'Artagnan was a friend once upon a time. I don't know if you're aware, but my home was burned to the ground and my son abandoned me. D'Artagnan opened her home to me when I had nothing left because that's the type of person she is, curse or not. Is your prince so kind?"

"That's not the point." She was not wrong.

"No, the point is your daughter is suffering and you've opted to save face. For what? Parents who practically sold you to a prince, who accepted you because his mother told him to do so? Neither of you love each other."

"You know better than anyone that marriage isn't about love."

Regina's upper lip curled. "In a realm we no longer exist in."

"And what happens when we go back?"

Regina rolled her eyes. "We're not going back. The ruling class can play those fears off the peasants, but you have to know better. This is home now. And, even if it wasn't, is social standing more important to you than your own happiness? If that's the case, let me remind you, since you wanted to point out that I know a marriage isn't about love, I was queen and still wasn't happy, still cursed this entire land. It took me years to work up the nerve to murder my husband for some peace of mind and I still wasn't satisfied with that bit of freedom. How long do you think it will take you?"

"I wouldn't ever do that!"

Regina shook her head. "I never would have thought I was capable in the beginning either. You never know what you might do when you're desperate enough. Abandon a child who needs you, perhaps. Who loves you."

Nanette growled. "I didn't abandon her!"

"Then where the hell are you?" Regina swung her hand out wildly and to Nanette's credit, she did not flinch, despite knowing what Regina was capable of. "Do you know she sits in the living room most nights and just plays her violin? She always says 'mama would want me to practice.' So, she does. She still makes sure your shows are on the DVR. She presses flowers for you. 'Mama likes doing this.' 'Mama likes these flowers.' You have a child who wants to be with you and you do this."

Nanette shook her head. "She's confused because of the Curse."

Regina ground her teeth together. "Take it from a parent who watched her child die because I made the wrong choices, you should cherish her while you have her."

Nanette gasped. "Di… died? But, he's alive."

"Yes, thanks to me, and he wants nothing to do with me." Regina's heart clenched saying it aloud. She could feel her eyes get wet. "Do you really want to live with that? When it finally hits Mikey what you've done and she decides she's better off without you?"

Nanette swallowed. "I… I…" She put a hand to her mouth. Her eyes mirrored Regina's, sorrow and regret clear as the morning sky.

"You have this beautiful child before you." Regina swallowed as she thought of her own beautiful child and splinters rippled through her soul at the thought of losing him. Nanette had to feel the same. You can't just have a child in your life for this long and not care. "You can save this relationship and you can save Mikey. She's drowning. Maybe you don't recover what you and D'Artagnan had during the Curse, but you can still be there for Mikey. Everything from the Curse doesn't have to be a curse. Some of it can be a blessing." That was the lesson for everyone to learn.

"I can't." Nanette's eyes welled up with tears. "I can't. My parents would lose face."

"Your parents sold you to someone who decided you should marry her son because you couldn't get comfortable on an expensive mattress. Do they even know why that's the case?"

Nanette shook her head. "No one knows…" She had a medical condition, pure and simple. But, a medical condition in the Enchanted Forest made passing bad blood to heirs. Not something royals really desired. Her simple medical condition could get her shunned by the very people who sought her out.

"D'Artagnan knows." Regina looked her up and down with a sneer. "Not that it matters to you, who called her a defect to her face and insulted her daughter. Take it from someone who knows all too well what you're going through, your happiness matters. You don't want to wake up one day and have no idea who you are. Or worse, not even realize you don't know who you are."

Nanette wrapped her arms around herself and focused on the ocean. A tear slid down her cheek. That was the end of this conversation. She needed to mull the information over and make a decision.

"I'll return you home," Regina said.

"Thank you."

-8-8-8-8-

Emma rubbed her eyes as she sat at the empty desk in the bullpen. She hoped David stayed home. She did not want to deal with him. She had avoided the entire family after the thing with Neal being at the loft. This was day two of not going home. She planned to take Regina's advice and talk to him and Snow, as soon as she could figure out exactly what she wanted to say without swearing every other word. She also needed to be calm enough not to punch David when he said something stupid. It might be impossible.

"I'm telling you, it would help if you campaigned for Aramis," D'Artagnan said as she and Regina stepped in.

"No. I'm not interested and I doubt it would help. He's doing well from my understanding. His religious background comforts people," Regina replied.

Regina looked in Emma's direction and they locked eyes. Regina definitely could tell she slept in her car, and maybe even tell that she showered in the station's locker room. Regina took a deep breath to school her features, but Emma knew the move, having seen it many times. Regina marched over to her and put down the usual lunch bag before running her fingers through Emma's hair. It felt nice and it took all of Emma's willpower not to lean into it.

"I thought you were going to talk to them," Regina said.

Emma shook her head. "I am. As soon as I can figure out what to say and where to say it."

Regina frowned. "You cannot live like this. You will not spend another night in your car."

"I knew you could tell." Emma's shoulders slumped.

"Only because I know you. Look, I made you a special breakfast. Eat it, get yourself together, and say something to your father when he comes in, okay?"

Emma blew out a breath. "Another special breakfast? You usually make me whatever D'Artagnan has." She was not sure why she said that, but it was out there now.

Regina shrugged. "Well, it's hard making two breakfasts when I also have to walk a child to school, but some days I manage because you don't take care of yourself. You need a pick-me-up." Regina turned. "I'm off to spread evil."

"Going to see Aramis about his damn campaign is not evil," D'Artagnan said. "He really needs help in capturing the noble vote. You know they're going to back either their regional ruler or Snow. I'm not living in a town run by Snow White. Not with my child."

Regina nodded. "Understood." She turned back to Emma. "Take it easy today and try to talk to them as soon as possible. Invite them out to anywhere other than the loft."

Emma nodded and then Regina was gone with a wave of her hand. She glanced at D'Artagnan, who went to her own desk, and then turned her attention to the lunch bag. She pulled out a wrap and opened it to find a loaded breakfast burrito. She dived right into the food and moaned.

D'Artagnan snickered. "Should I leave you and the burrito alone? I'm shocked you didn't make another declaration of love."

"Sorry. Didn't eat last night," Emma replied with her mouthful.

"Any reason why?"

Emma curled her lip. "I haven't been home since my parents had Neal over. I slept in my car last night." I should probably just give it up and get a room at the B and B. I mean, I'm not even seeing Henry if I sleep in the car.

"Yikes. Why not just tell them you're off the market?"

Emma chewed and swallowed. "Cuz I'm not." She took a huge bite of the burrito. It was so good! "I can't just lie to them."

D'Artagnan's brow wrinkled. "Uh… you wouldn't be lying."

"Yeah, I would and I'd have to introduce them to someone eventually. This whole thing would fall apart," she replied. She did not have time for something like that.

D'Artagnan opened her mouth and then closed it. "You…" She squinted and studied Emma. "You're serious? I mean, I thought it was a joke, but you're serious."

Emma ate more burrito and nodded. "Of course, they'd want to meet this person that I've decided is so much better than my 'True Love.'" She groaned. "Just saying it makes me want to throw up."

And to prove her luck was almost all bad — it could not be all bad because Hook had actually left town at some point — right after she said it, Neal had the nerve to walk into her station. No, she was done with him. He was in her home, in her job, in her life. She did not have to deal with this. She would not sleep in her car another night because he thought he was entitled to her time. She put her food down and shot to her feet.

"No, this is what we're not gonna do anymore!" Emma marched over to him. She got right in his face and he had the nerve to back up. She followed him. "You're going to listen to me right now and it'll be the last fucking time I say it, understood?"

He blinked. "Emma…"

She put her hand up. "No, shut the fuck up right now. Our whole agreement was that you could spend time with Henry because that's what he wants, what he deserves, but I'm fucking done with you. You're not gonna run me out of my life."

"I'm not trying—"

"I said shut the fuck up!" She put her finger in his face. "You're not listening and it's because somewhere in your fucked up head, you think you're better than me and you somehow think you can have me just because you want me, but that's never going to happen. I don't care if Henry loves you until the day he dies. I don't give a fuck if my parents propose to you in my stead. You and me are never fucking happening. You don't take responsibility for what you did, you act like you planned it this way for my benefit, and you think just because you're ready to move on, I should be, too. Fuck you. I have moved on, far away from you, so stop coming here, never show up to my home again, and I swear to fucking God if you approach me about anything except Henry ever again, I will beat you bloody with the nearest object, this job be damned. I don't know who the fuck you think I am, but it ends today." She would not let anyone, especially Neal, chase her away from whatever the hell this was. If Regina could not get rid of her, there was no way in Hell Neal would.

He gaped at her. "Emma…"

"No, don't say anything. Get the fuck out. I can't be any plainer or more serious than I am right now. Get the fuck out." She pointed to the door.

And, for the first time, Neal made the wise decision of not testing Emma. He turned and left. Emma realized she was panting as she watched the door close.

"Wow, what was in that burrito?" D'Artagnan asked.

Emma sighed, body relaxing. "I'm just so fed up with him and also with myself. I slept in my fucking car. Twice!"

"Maybe it's more than just him. Maybe you need your own space," D'Artagnan said.

Emma flopped down in her seat and went back to her food. She wanted to be around her family, but it was clear it would have to be on her own terms. She was not sure they would come to her place if she moved out, though. Her parents might just forget about her and Henry might stay with them. He doesn't seem to have a problem dropping one parent when the next one comes along.

"I just… I want to hang out with my parents and Henry…" Emma shrugged.

"If you got your own place, you could have Regina over, too. Maybe help her plan her next move. I don't think she's actually considered her life beyond today. She keeps going day by day. She still doesn't know we signed her up to run for mayor."

"No way." That was impossible. Regina could tell from one look at her that she slept in her car. There was no way she did not know they signed her up to run for mayor.

"I swear to you." D'Artagnan held up her hand like she was a scout. "No clue. To avoid what she needs to deal with, she's dealing with my stuff and your stuff. Everyone's stuff but her own. I honestly don't know what she does when she's on her own."

"She'll figure it out."

D'Artagnan frowned a little. "I'm starting to wonder. If Regina had her house back, you would go over there, yes?"

"Yeah. Henry would be there."

"Henry opted to go with you. He would be with you regardless. Would you still go over Regina's?"

Emma thought of the park bench and her trips back to the empty lot. "Probably."

"Then, consider, maybe if you had your own space, Regina would do the same."

Emma was not sure about that, so she shrugged. "Maybe."

"I think you think Regina has it more together than she does. She's distracting herself well, but it can't last forever. I think I'm going to take her out and talk to her."

Now, Emma frowned and her stomach twisted. "Why would you take her out to talk to her? You've got a place that's nice and quiet."

"And she'll just distract herself with Mikey or with baking or whatever else comes to mind. I think I'll take her to M-Perfect."

"The gay club?"

D'Artagnan arched an eyebrow. "You know it?"

Emma focused on her burrito and noticed it was almost gone. She had not realized she had been eating the entire conversation. "When I first got here, I used to explore the town and try to figure it out. I know a lot about it. Why take her there?"

"Since the Curse broke, it's become a little more than a gay club. She needs to see the other 'defects' at play to understand why someone other than an Enchanted Forest royal needs to be in charge," D'Artagnan replied.

"She's an Enchanted royal."

D'Artagnan held up a finger. "But, also a villain, which is different."

"She's not a villain anymore."

"Which is why she needs to either get her life together and run seriously or get her life together and help Aramis seriously."

"And you don't think she won't be distracted in a club? Why, because she's not gay?" Emma asked.

D'Artagnan's eyebrows jumped up and her eyes were wide. "Wow. What the hell did you two talk about in Neverland?"

"Lots of stuff, but she never mentioned being gay."

"Well, she's not, but in the sense that she's Regina."

Emma knew what that meant, as she and Regina did have that discussion one sweltering Neverland night. They were trying to figure out how they had developed some of their habits and Regina had keen insight on many of her poorer habits, but never had the mental self-awareness to do anything about them until now. Sex was one of those things. It was a weapon. Sexuality and sensuality were weapons to be wielded and favors to be traded. Regina did not have a sexuality in the traditional sense. She slept with people for power, for punishment, for something in return. Her marriage taught her that and it was a lesson she said she took to very well, just like hurt people before they hurt her.

"How do you even know that?" Emma asked, frown still on her face. Regina had not told anyone except Emma those thoughts.

D'Artagnan shrugged. "Just from observing her from afar and hearing talk about who she carries off to her chambers. I've also sat through many discussion of 'I would totally fuck the Evil Queen' since the Curse broke. She has a surprisingly large and diverse fanbase, who all think they have a shot."

"Gross." And while that seemed like the right response, Emma felt more anger than anything else. Who were these people objectifying Regina? "Are these friends of yours? Regina shouldn't have to put up with that."

D'Artagnan shook her head. "Of course not. I just, unfortunately, happen to hear things in the spaces I'm allowed into. One of the reasons I can't stand the idea of your mother being mayor. Shit will go down if that happens and she'll let it because the people planning things are her allies."

"Not that you're a fan anyway."

"I have my reasons."

"Which are?"

D'Artagnan took a breath. "Are you sure you want to hear this? She's your mother. I know you're having a hard go of it right now, but she's your mother."

"I already know she's the reason Regina ended up trapped in her marriage, so there's not much else you can tell me to make me look at her sideways. I'm not with the fact that she deceived Regina into killing her own mother, dangling the promise of finally being loved in front of her. She has no idea how easily that could've been me in Regina's place. This shit with Neal in general, the sheer disregard for my wants and feelings, like I'm not a person. I know she's not pure as driven snow like the stories or, hell, some people think. She's a person. She's done fucked up things like any other person."

D'Artagnan nodded. "Still, there are some things children might not want to know about their parents. I know there's a lot of shit I don't Mikey want to know about me. I doubt it's been beneficial for Henry to know who Regina was."

"It's actually helped heal them, I think. Until Neverland. I don't know what happened there. I thought for sure they'd be closer than ever."

D'Artagnan took a breath and rubbed her palms together. "Okay. If that's what you want. Might be something for you to think about as far as decisions affecting other people. I think this is one of the things your mother still doesn't understand, her actions ripple out and touch others. Sometimes it's positive and sometimes it's very negative."

Emma snickered, but it was dark and heavy. "Don't I know it. She shoved a newborn in a magic tree to who-the-fuck-knows, after all, and just hoped for the best. All she cares about is that I broke the Curse, but not what growing up alone did to me."

"Yeah, she's a real peach." D'Artagnan shook her head. "This happened when Snow was fifteen or sixteen, something like that. She wanted to go to some grand ball in another kingdom and it was dangerous to get there. There were suspicions I was having an affair with Regina, which might have influenced the King to send me and the other 'musketeers' with Snow. But, he might have just sent us for her safety because the quickest way to the kingdom was through harsh, cold mountains that were infested with goblins. There were other ways to go, of course, but she needed to be there as soon as possible, so we were ordered to go through the mountains."

"For a party?" There was no party that could be so important that a king risked lives over it just to please his daughter.

"Oh, it was a very prestigious party and everybody who was anybody would be there. She just had to go. Please, Father, I have to be there as soon as possible. Oh, please." D'Artagnan batted her lashes, but sneered. "Even though it was winter and the snowstorms in those mountains were notorious. It was almost too easy for the goblins."

Emma could already guess what happened. "You were attacked by goblins?"

"A whole horde of the little bastards. Some nights I can hear them laughing in the dark, hear their teeth and claws ripping through our forces, our horses, everything. I hear a drum beat and it'll remind me of them banging bones against their shields right before they overwhelmed us in a blizzard. We were almost blind on that mountain. We didn't stand a chance." D'Artagnan was quiet for a long moment, eyes staring off in the balance. "Porthos died getting the princess' carriage moving while we tried to hold off the goblins, but there were too many. To this day, we don't know exactly how Athos died, but he was probably torn limb from limb. I know they ate his body, along with so many others. I was taken when they realized I was…" She looked down at herself. "A woman."

Emma gasped. "Mikey's half-goblin?" That was why Regina was babysitting her. Mikey was a "defect" and the townies could tell it on sight without magic. What would they do to that poor kid if Regina was not standing right next to her every moment of the day?

"And if anyone finds out the truth, they'll execute her for being a halfling, the worst type of defect. They won't care that she's just a kid or she's sweet. They won't care that I was raped. They'll consider it my punishment and Mikey just a living testament of my sin. They'll kill her. When I escaped the goblins, six months heavy with her, I vowed no one would ever harm her. None of this was her fault."

Emma nodded. "Damn right."

"Word got around I was living in a cave in the woods and hunters would come, tempt fate. Their skulls littered my front yard as a warning." That would explain why people did not mess with D'Artagnan, even though they were very resentful of her existence.

"And you blame Snow for putting you in that position?"

"Did she or did she not need to go to this party?" D'Artagnan sneered. "Did she or did she not need to go that way? She knew her father would never deny her. Of course, it's partially my fault, as well. I did nothing to stop the rumors that I was having an affair with the man's wife, after all. Of course he'd want me dead. I never imagined he'd sacrifice so many lives over it, though. And, she was old enough to understand the danger she put us all in. She has my friends' blood on her hands."

Emma could not argue that. Her mother was that person still. Someone who thought of her wants before everyone else's. That was why in the cave in Neverland she lamented her loss and not Emma's hardship. It was why she could contemplate staying with David without a word to Emma. That was how she could justify how she killed Cora, but not really. Her mother was a good person in the sense that she did not consciously go around hurting people on purpose, but she hurt people.

"And why do you think Regina would be a better choice?" Emma asked, even though she sort of knew.

"Regina hates everyone and thing equally, which makes her objective to any and every problem we face. And, though she's petty, she's not spiteful anymore. So, I'll take her as a leader now. Of course, during her reign as Evil Queen, I wouldn't say that," D'Artagnan replied.

"She's different now."

"You think I don't know that? But, she's been different since the Curse broke. I wonder what changed." D'Artagnan smirked at her.

"You're giving me too much credit. She wants to be better for Henry."

D'Artagnan shook her head. "If you say so. Still, I'm going to try to talk to her and see where her head is. She can't trail after Mikey for the rest of her life while waiting for Henry to come back to her."

Emma's heart clenched in her chest. Regina had to be in her own version of Hell and just suffering on her own. She had to do something about it. It's not right to let her prop me up and I just weigh her down. That was what happened in Neverland and then everything fell to Regina. No, Regina would never have to do anything on her own again with Emma around.

"You talk to Regina and I'll talk to Henry," Emma said.

"And maybe look for a place to live. You know, just in case," D'Artagnan replied.

Emma took that to heart, not for the "just in case" part, but because it was clear she could not stay at the loft. She would talk to her parents, but she would also move out. It had to be done.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: trouble at the club.