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We couldn't leave the house for days. People were bombarding the street with weapons and half-assed accusations, including the people I swore I thought were my friends, my allies. Soon enough, though, the harassers left after the seventh shield around the house was replaced by an eighth. To Regina's surprise, David wasn't one of them, but I knew he would never do that, even if I broke his world into pieces.

There wasn't a sign of Emma or Henry yet, but to Regina, she was changing that 'yet' to a statement about how she was going to lose her son. I tried convincing her otherwise, but she brushed my 'nonsensical optimism' aside for torturing herself with speculations.

In being stuck in the house for a few days, it was hard to distract Regina from drowning in her own paranoia, but it was manageable. By the time the spotlight was taken from Regina's house, fresh-baked pastries littered every surface in the kitchen and torn yarn from trying to teach Regina how to knit was covering the living room floor. At the moment, Regina was scrolling through television channels, while I bit into an apple turnover.

"I'm going to start going back to work tomorrow," Regina said casually.

"Really?" She glared at me with faux seriousness as I sat up and felt concern coat my voice. "After everything, you're sure? I don't want you to get hurt because someone's too-"

"I'll be fine, Snow. Stop worrying. I can take care of myself perfectly fine, can't I?"

"I know you can, but just…be extra careful for me, okay?"

"Okay," Regina caved. "Fine. I'll be extra safe," she taunted. I huffed as she laughed and placed her hand on top of mine.

"Please don't drive to work," I sighed to Regina as she was bent over the toaster waiting for her bagel.

"Why not?" I raised an eyebrow expectantly.

"Fine, I'll poof myself to work if that's what you were wanting."

"Yes please. And make sure to lock your doors and visit me during your lunch break so I know you're okay," I instructed.

"I'm not a prisoner, Dear. I don't need to lock myself inside. Didn't you see how everyone left? We aren't their number one priority now, okay? I'll be okay." I worried my bottom lip between my teeth. "I will be fine," she said with conviction. "I always will be. I'll see you at lunch." She pecked me on the forehead and snatched her bagel from the toaster to lightly butter it and run out the door with it between her teeth.

"Regina," I called out.

"Oh! Sorry," she said sheepishly, before disappearing in a huff of smoke. I chuckled and hopped off my stool to get my own breakfast. I snagged a carton of yogurt from the top shelf and opened it, before looking for a spoon. I sat down on the couch and started eating my yogurt when someone knocked on the door. I jumped and spilled the blueberry yogurt all over the front of my t-shirt. I rolled my eyes and snickered while I ran to fetch a paper towel before opening the door.

I was wiping my shirt when the door opened of it's own accord.

"Hi. I'm-"

"-Emma!" I pulled my daughter into my arms and hugged her fiercely. "You're here! Where's Henry? You remember? How are you-"

"I can explain later, but what's important is that I remember and Henry doesn't. He's in the car but as far as he knows, I'm here for work." My mouth fell into an 'o' shape as I thought of what that would mean for Regina. She would pose as the town mayor as her own son flashed her an uneasy smile when passing by at the diner. I could imagine the audible sound of Regina's heart cracking straight down the middle. I nodded solemnly and hugged Emma once again.

"I have a question for you," Emma stated. I pulled back from the embrace and nodded for her to go ahead.

"Have you had a…monkey problem? A flying monkey problem?" I frowned, slightly concerned.

"…Not that I know of, why are you asking?"

"Well, it's a long story, but my fiancé turned into a flying monkey thing."

"A flying monkey? A fiancé?"

"I told you, it's a long story."

"Oh, okay. Were you two going to stay in the inn? If not, I think your father is in the loft now."

"So, it seems like you've got a long story to tell too," Emma guessed, raising her eyebrows questioningly. I nodded and twisted my lips awkwardly.

"Nobody remembers anything from the past year," I told her. She nodded and frowned sadly.

"I think Henry and I will stay in the inn. Would it be okay if Henry and I could invite you and Regina to dinner at Granny's?"

"I'll as Regina, but if she's okay with it, then yes, I'd love that." Emma nodded awkwardly before turning and walking through the open door. I shut it behind her and rubbed my temples. If I was worried for Regina now, I think I may be having a heart attack.

I waited anxiously for Regina to come back, but once it was an acceptable time, I ordered us a pizza. Regina didn't trust me in the kitchen yet, with very good reason, so whenever I had a say in the matter, we got takeout, which wasn't often.

Regina appeared in front of me as I set the pizza box onto the counter. She had a small bleeding cut on her cheek and a tired look in her eyes, but she was smiling at me.

"I should've locked the door," she muttered.

"Who's funeral are we planning," I growled.

"Calm down, Snow. It was only Leroy."

"Leroy?! I'm going to shove that axe-"

"Snow!" I stopped my revenge fantasy to rush over to Regina and cup her unharmed cheek. I scrunched my nose as I brushed a thumb over her cut. I stood on the tips of my toes to deeply kiss her. I pulled back and inhaled before telling her about Emma's visit and Henry's 'condition.'

"We don't have to go to dinner if you don't want to. We can stay home and eat pizza all night and wallow for a few hours."

"Really? You never let me wallow."

"Yes, well you have enough reasons to."

"But I want to go. Even if he doesn't know who I am, I'd like to see Henry."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Wallowing can wait," Regina remarked. I giggled and kissed her again and again, until Regina had to remind me about the pizza.

"Can you tell me about your…encounter with Leroy?" She nodded and held a palm to her cheek, until purple beams waved over her skin until the cut was gone.

"The dwarves-"

"All of them?"

"All of them," she confirmed. I ground my teeth and fought the urge to slap each and every one across the face. "They were waiting for me outside my office when I arrived this morning with their axes slung over their shoulders. I told them to leave, they said that I cast the curse and bewitched you like the evil hag I was. I told them I didn't want a fight and that they should look for one somewhere else. Grumpy cut my face with his axe before I threw him across the room and said that he should leave before he hurt himself. Then I went into my office and locked the doors."

"I'm so sorry," I whispered. "I will personally kill every one of them with my-"

"Snow, stop this. You're supposed to be the one who talks me out of killing masses of people." I shook my head and finally took a half-hearted bite of my pizza. "Then Ruby found her way behind the lock when I got a cup of coffee," Regina added shyly.

"Are you kidding me? Ruby?!"

"Snow, she didn't do anything to me."

"I don't care what she did, she doesn't get to-"

"Snow White, calm the hell down." I paused then screwed my lips shut. Regina laughed to herself, then proceeded to tell herself how she passed on the darkness like a virus.

"Regina, you didn't pass anything on. Okay? Evil isn't contagious. Look at the town, they haven't seen you for a week, and they're even worse than you."

"That's not proof of-"

"Stop," I groaned. "Just trust me. You didn't spread darkness to everyone. That's a horrible assumption. They're the ones who brought this upon themselves when they can't accept that you don't remember anything, you didn't curse us, and you didn't curse me. They made evil themselves. You didn't pass anything on."

"But-"

"No. Stop it and eat your pizza with a fork and knife."

"Why wouldn't you eat it without a fork and knife?"

"Nerd," I muttered.

"Excuse me," Regina asked, appalled.

"I said you're a nerd," I told her defiantly. She snickered and growled.

"I'll show you," she muttered darkly.

Regina and I weren't very enthusiastic to see Henry without him remembering who we were, but Regina said that seeing him was enough. I could see Henry and Emma in a booth near the window. Regina clearly could too, because she stopped at the base of the steps and inhaled shakily. She closed her eyes, then opened them and walked up the steps. I didn't ask her if she was sure about this, because if I asked her once more, she'll probably tell me to leave.

I opened the door for Regina and walked in behind her. Emma waved us over to the table and nudged Henry with her elbow to put down his phone. Regina painted on her best smile and extended her hand out to Henry.

"Hello, you must be Henry. I'm Regina Mills, mayor of Storybrooke." Henry shook her hand and beamed back up at her.

"And I'm Mary Margaret. It's very nice to meet you," I said earnestly. I shook Henry's hand and sat down beside Regina. Under the table, she was fidgeting and tensing. I laid a steadying hand on her thigh and prayed to God that Regina was okay. It was a hopeless thing to hope for but I did.

"So how do you know my mom?" Henry asked. I glanced at Emma and nearly glared at her for not coming up with something on her own, before wracking my brain for something to say.

"In prison," I blurted out. Emma was the one to glare at me, while Regina nearly snickered behind a well-placed hand.

"Really? What were you in for?" He asked excitedly.

"Banditry," I said rather loudly. Regina regained her composure when he asked how she knew Emma, but she just said that she was my girlfriend. People stared at us, but Henry was oblivious to their pointed glares. Emma, however, was not. She furrowed her eyebrows for a moment, then shook herself out of thought to order.

The conversation flowed, we talked about how Emma's life in New York went, Regina struck up conversation with Henry about the video game he pulled out, and all looked like it was okay. Except it wasn't. Emma seemed slightly uncomfortable, and I understood. She felt weird that Regina took the place of her father. Regina was sad and distant, which was completely understandable, but I wanted this to end. I want to find whoever cast this curse and wring their neck until they give us our memories back. Maybe that wasn't a bad solution.