Special thanks to JKTO who prompted me about some of the physical changes we see with Blue, also to AHTAMCLOVIN who made a suggestion regarding the dragons and Snow that was just too good not to include.

Thanks to you all for reading this, I love that so many are following this story! Thank you all for the comments and kind words, I really appreciate them more than I can say!

Enjoy x

Snow paced the study back and forth, like a caged animal. How could Emma have escaped? How could the guards have let her? They were stationed at the entrance to each tunnel leading down into the cavernous dungeons, but none of them had even ben hurt, or even realised that Emma was missing. The alarm had only been raised when the guards had gone to the cell to give Emma her meal, and empty her chamber pot.

She must have been rescued, because she couldn't have escaped by herself, so who had helped her? Snow had witnessed first hand the hatred and vitriol that Emma had directed towards Regina and Mal, so surely she wouldn't have gone with them willingly?

So who helped her then?

Blue flounced into the study without invitation, "my spy at the dark castle has informed me that Emma is back with Regina. It was Regina and Mal who rescued her and she went with them willingly!"

"You have a spy?" Snow asked, disbelieving.

"They don't know they're a spy," Blue explained, "since I took the magic from Storybrooke I found myself with a rather unique ability. It didn't take much to apprehend my unwilling apprentice. They were out walking, in the forest yesterday, without protection or a care in the world and they never saw me coming."

"You took their heart?" Snow guessed.

"Yes!" Blue confirmed, "now I know everything that Emma is up to."

"You said she was broken! I saw her reject them. How could this have happened?" Snow demanded.

"Apparently your flesh and blood was more clever than either of us gave her credit for. Quite simply, she played us," Blue told her disgustedly, sick at the idea that the Saviour had managed to one-up her.

Snow slumped back resignedly into her high-backed chair, "what do we do now?"

"We have choices," Blue offered, "we can get her back, if that's what you really wish. There must be ways, and we have people on the inside. What you need to decide upon is whether it is more important to get Emma back, or whether revenge is at the top of your list. I will advise though, that if Emma resisted us once, then maybe she can do it again, so I am unsure how effective getting her back would be."

Snow pondered for a moment. She didn't really want Emma, the woman was her biggest disappointment, and nothing but a means to an end. Taking her back though would be the perfect revenge, but only on Regina and those closest to her. That wasn't enough. Snow wanted them all to suffer.

"I want to take revenge on them all," Snow decided, speaking her thoughts out loud as she came to a decision, "each and every single person who was at that trial, I want them all dead. They may have escaped their fate in Storybrooke but I won't allow them to escape me again."

"Then revenge it is," Blue agreed, "now we must decide on what form that will take."

"I'm going out," Snow muttered, "I need to think and I can't do that locked up in here."

"As you wish," Blue turned to leave the study, preferring to be out of the woman's company anyway. She wasn't sure how long she could keep up the pretence of being Snow's friend, and lover. She despised the woman, and when the day came, she would make sure she suffered as much as the rest of them.

No. She would make sure Snow suffered the most, out of them all.

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Emma woke up feeling like she had been sleeping in a furnace. At some point during the night, Willow had crept into bed with them and was snuggled up next to Emma, gripping her pyjamas tightly. The separation had been hard on both of the children, and since returning home, Willow had been noticeably more clingy.

It suited Emma, because she found it hard to let her kids out of her sight either. Since her talk with Mal, she had been feeling more settled, but was still finding the adjustment to life in the Enchanted Forest difficult. She wondered constantly if it would ever feel like home, and found herself jealous of how easily everybody else had adjusted. Even Henry, who had never been there before and had only known the land without magic, had slotted into life there with ease.

Content to just lay there and enjoy the closeness with her Wife and daughter, her thoughts strayed to the new baby. It wouldn't be long now, before Belle gave birth, a thought that was equal in parts both exciting and terrifying. Emma thought she would have time to read the cliched books every pregnant mother seemed to read, 'What to expect, when you're expecting' and any number of others that would give her guidance.

She thought she would have time to browse the internet for help on how to put a nappy on, or use bottle sterilisers. All these things were now irrelevant though, because modern nappies, with their velcro tabs and bottle sterilisers that run off of electricity, just didn't exist here.

Life really was going to be an adjustment, she realised, feeling more lost than ever.

Regina stirred next to her, smiling with her eyes still closed when she felt the warmth of her wife's body next to her, before frowning when she felt Emma's emotions through the bond.

"Are you ok, my love?" she asked, searching Emma's face for clues.

Emma had come back from flying with Mal, and had opened up to her fully, for the first time since she had come home. However, she sensed there was more bothering her wife than had already been discussed.

Emma looked at Willow to make sure she was still asleep, "I'm fine, honestly, just the usual pre-baby jitters. I'm nervous," Emma grinned wryly.

"You're an amazing mother, Emma. You have nothing to worry about, I promise. You may not have the experience of a newborn, but you have the instincts," Regina assured her.

"What if I mess it up? What if I mess her up?"

Willow sat up in bed, and turned to Emma, with a stern look on her face, which made both Emma and Regina want to laugh.

"Will you love my sister as much as you love the rest of our family?" she demanded.

"Of course," Emma replied, "I will love you all the same, with all of my heart."

"Will you always protect her and keep her safe?" Willow asked.

"I will protect you all until I take my last breath, and even then I will never stop looking out for you all," Emma told the girl.

"Then you're gonna be fine, Mom," Willow told her, rolling her eyes.

"Simple as that, huh, kid?" Emma tickled the girl gently.

"Yes. Now, can we please go back to sleep," Willow scolded her, scooting back down in the bed, and pulling the covers up.

"Yes, sweetie, I think we can," Emma grinned at Regina.

Willow was going to be a handful when she grew up, but suddenly Emma felt confident that between them, they would manage. Maybe being a parent wasn't so scary after all.

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Mal walked into the dining hall, which had become the main living area for people to congregate when not in their own rooms and suites. Looking across the great hall she spotted Regina, perched on Emma's lap, and she smiled to witness the love in her eyes. Her friend had lost her sparkle without Emma around, and it was truly joyful to watch her come back to life now that she had her wife back.

For once, the family weren't surrounded by a crowd of people, all wanting Emma's attention. Emma and Regina were just sitting with Henry and Willow, enjoying each other's company. She knew that Emma was as gracious as possible, but she could also see that sometimes, she just wanted to spend time with Regina, without being the centre of attention. Feeling sorry for the Saviour, she strolled over and sat in the middle of Henry and Willow.

"Sooooo," she started, "who wants to come flying with me?" Mal asked, already knowing that Regina and Emma would never object. They trusted her completely, and knew she would rather die than let anything happen to the children.

"Are you sure, Mal?" Emma asked.

"I need to get out and stretch my wings, and Belle is sleeping upstairs. The infusion we gave her earlier really seemed to wipe her out. Now is the perfect time to take the little ones for a joyride," Mal smiled.

"Can we, Moms?" Henry asked excitedly.

Regina looked to Emma for agreement, and seeing it there, nodded, "of course you can. Be good for Aunty Mal, ok?"

Henry and Willow jumped to their feet excitedly, both taking one of Mal's hands, and leading her out of the room, "back soon," she called over her shoulder, laughing as she allowed herself to be dragged away.

Emma casually let her eyes rove hungrily, as she pulled Regina into a kiss, tightening her arms around her, where she was still contently settled on her lap.

Fake yawning, Emma winked at Regina, "care to join me in bed? I'm very, very, tired."

"Liar," Regina replied, amused, "I don't need a nap, but I will more than happily tire you out. If you want me, you need only say, darling, I will never refuse you."

Emma grinned, "ok, Ms Swan-Mills, here's my proposal. I would like to take you to bed, and make love to you until you forget your own name."

"There is a reason I chose a suite of rooms away from everyone else, Emma, I'm going to make you scream," Regina smirked, before whooshing them away in her signature swirls of purple magic.

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Snow had been walking and thinking all afternoon. Blue had promised her revenge, but she found herself not quite trusting the fairy anymore. Blue had confessed that she had absorbed the magic that she had removed from Storybrooke. She had no choice, because Snow had found her writhing around on the floor in agony, until the process had been completed.

Why hadn't Blue told her that this was her plan? It hadn't been the success that she had hoped for and Blue had confessed that she was struggling to control her own fairy magic now, let alone the additional magic she had absorbed.

Her moods were constantly undulating, and Snow often found her pacing the halls, muttering to herself, seemingly unaware of Snow's presence. Blue just kept reassuring her that she was ok, and that it would settle, but Snow wasn't so sure.

The fairy's appearance had started to change. Not much at first, just subtle differences, that only someone who was close to her would notice. Her eyes had started to change, gradually becoming darker, until now, they were swirling with dark magic. Her skin, once so fair and clear, had taken on a 'glimmer' that was visible in certain lights. Blue reminded Snow of the Dark One when he had been in the Enchanted Forest. Not quite human anymore, and not quite fairy, but something different.

The magic from Storybrooke was from the darkest of curses, and Snow wondered what that would do to the fairy, once her body finally embraced it. Had Blue known what would happen?

Until Blue had gained control of her magic, they were stuck in a kind of limbo. Like two sides of a war, both sides ensconced in separate castles and grounds, just waiting for the other to make the first move.

Snow knew Regina. She knew that Regina would never just let it slide, what they had done, and attempted to do to her wife. Even if the woman claimed to be different and no longer the Evil Queen, Snow knew without doubt that she would do anything necessary to protect her family, and to Regina, Snow was a threat.

So, Snow had no choice, she would have to strike first if she had any chance of winning, but how?

Duel roars shattered the silence and pulled Snow out of her reverie. Looking around her, and then upwards into the sky, she saw two dragons circling overhead, and a rider sat on the back of the larger one. They were too far away to identify, but Snow knew who it was likely to be. She mentally berated herself, had she really been walking for so long that she was in their territory now? Feeling afraid, she turned, and started walking as quickly as possible, back in the direction that she came. Why hadn't she brought her bow and arrow?

Looking up, sheer panic took over as the larger dragon swooped down towards her, with the smaller one following close behind.

This was it. She would never get her revenge now, once she became the dragon's next meal. She started to run, but a tree root caught her boot and she tripped, landing clumsily on her outstretched hands. Turning her head to face the dragons, she closed her eyes, unable to watch what she assumed was her imminent death.

To her surprise, there was no pain, and no tearing of flesh, as the dragons circled back into the air above. Angry that they had made her fall, she screamed up at the sky, "cowards!"

A roar came from the smaller dragon, and even from this distance she could see the younger dragon's eyes flashing neon green. Feeling stupid for angering the dragon, she braced herself for it's wrath, but what hit her was not snarling dragon teeth, but a huge, warm pile of dragon poop.

Hot and smelly, it dripped down her face, and into her mouth and eyes, leaving her momentarily blinded. Using her hands to clean off her face, the last thing she could hear before the dragons flew out of sight, was the recognisable rumbles of dragon laughter, and the unmistakable tone of Henry joining in.

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Emma and Regina lay contentedly in each other's arms, finally sated. They had spent a very enjoyable afternoon reconnecting, and both of them were feeling strangely exhausted but absolutely energised at the same time.

"We should get up," Emma said resignedly, not wanting to let her wife out of her arms.

"I know," Regina agreed, "but the others will be back soon and we have a council meeting soon."

"I wish I could stay like this forever though," Emma sighed, "I missed this."

"I know, me too," Regina replied, "but we could never stay here forever, even if we wanted to."

"Why not," Emma pouted, before her tummy gave out an almighty rumble.

"That's why," laughed Regina, "your stomach would never let us have that much peace!"

Emma laughed, it was true. She had always had a big appetite, but since she had been rescued she had been making up for lost time. The one meal a day that Blue and Snow had allowed her wasn't nearly enough, and she had returned to her family underweight and slightly gaunt.

"Can we go and see Belle?" Emma asked hopefully.

"You can't stay away, can you?" Regina laughed. Emma had taken to seeking Belle out, on the grounds that she needed to infuse her with magic, to help both her and the baby. Once she had done that though, Emma was always reluctant to leave, like there was some kind of magnetic force holding her there. Luckily Belle understood, because Emma could not keep her hands off the bump, and would spend ages talking to the baby. It was very cute, and Regina cherished those moments.

Regina knew how hard it had been for Emma to give birth to Henry in prison, and then have to give him up. Willow had then literally stumbled into their world, latched on and never let go. The baby that was now nestled safely within Belle was far from a normal pregnancy. Maybe after this was all over they should consider having another one, Regina mused. It would be amazing to go through the whole pregnancy together, as a couple, and experience each up and down with each other. Maybe they would end up with a whole castle full of children, they certainly had enough love for them all.

"Let's go find Belle, she's normally in the dining hall by now, and Mal and the kids should be returning soon" Regina suggested.

Reluctantly getting out of bed, they both got dressed with a flick of their hands, and made their way into the main body of the castle.

As soon as Emma's eyes found Belle, she couldn't stop herself from jogging over, "hey!"

Belle exchanged a look with Regina, both inwardly laughing, "would you like to feel her, Emma?" Belle asked, already knowing the answer.

Emma lit up like a christmas tree, "yes please! She has to know who her daddy is!"

"Oh god, Emma, do not be telling people you are the 'daddy'," laughed Regina, "I draw the line at that!"

"Then what am I?" Emma asked, endearingly confused.

"Perfect. You are perfect," Regina told her, "go. Say hello to our little girl," Regina laughed, watching as Emma dropped to her knees and started fawning over Belle's bump.

Looking over the top of Emma's head, she mouthed, 'thank you,' to Belle, who just smiled and looked down at Emma with fondness.

Looking back up to Regina, she mouthed back, 'you're welcome!'

They were interrupted then by excitable squeals and laughter as Mal, Henry and Willow walked into the hall, all of them vibrating with mischief!

Regina looked between the three of them, before settling on Willow, one eyebrow raised as she questioned, "what did you do? Hmmmm?!"

Willow burst into a fit of giggles, unable to talk, prompting Henry to step in, "it wasn't her!" he told them valiantly, pointing to Mal.

"Mal?!" Regina asked, "what have you and our children been getting up to?"

"Imayhavepoopedonsnowwhite," Mal mumbled, as they all tried to interpret what she had said.

"What, darling?" Belle asked, amused at her girlfriend's sudden reticence.

Willow squealed loudly, piercing their ear drums, "she pooped on Snow White!"

Silence was followed quickly by uncontained laughter, as the young dragon's words sunk in.

"I can show you, if you like," Mal asked with a smirk, "mirror magic can be most handy at times!"