Extended Summary: This story takes place not long after the Heart of Etheria is destroyed. Adora and the gang were able to rescue Angella and bring her home. Glimmer happily let her be Queen again, so Angella rules once more. This is an AU where it was not Micah they saw when the portal went off and another reality was created. Instead, they saw Angella's youngest daughter, Rose.

Rose was six years old when she was kidnapped during an attack on Bright Moon, Glimmer being eleven at the time. For two years people searched for her, but when everyone came up empty-handed, Glimmer and Angella assumed she was dead. In the present day, Glimmer believes Rose is alive because she was seen in the alternate reality, so she and the gang decide to go look for her. Angella wants to believe, too, but she is also scared. Losing Rose deeply hurt her.

Will Rose return? If she does, will she accept that she does indeed have a family who loves her? Will she accept that she has a place to belong? Will she accept that she's actually a princess? Or will she turn all of it away?

Some Catradora. Some Bow/Glimmer. Lots of family fluff.

Chapter One: Mission

"I know she's alive."

Queen Angella sat on her throne, her head resting in the palm of her hand. In front of her stood Glimmer, Catra, Adora, and Bow. It was her daughter that was speaking. She wasn't so much angry at the argument that they were having as Glimmer hadn't done anything wrong, but it was what the girl was suggesting that struck a nerve.

"I'm serious, mom. Think about it. When our reality got shifted, you saw her. We both did."

"That reality wasn't real," Angella told her calmly, her heart clenching just a bit. "None of it was."

"Maybe the actual reality wasn't real, but the people inside of it were!"

"Glimmer's right," Bow added. "Everyone who was stuck in that alternate reality saw only those who were already alive."

"Can you be sure about that?" Angella's question came out a little sharper than she had intended, but she couldn't help it. That whole previous event had done a number on her. "Can you all honestly stand there and tell me that everyone on Etheria could only see people who were currently living?"

"Yes, we believe so."

It was Adora who answered.

"Your majesty, we've traveled to the other kingdoms and have spoken to the princesses. They can recall the memories from that event, and each confirmed that the only people they met were those who were alive. No, they're not all of Etheria, but you have to remember that each princess has suffered a great loss. A perfect reality for them would have included those who weren't around anymore, but it didn't. None of them saw anyone who had died."

Angella was quiet at this. Logically, it all made sense, and if they were right, then it would mean that her second child was still living. Yet there was a part of her that feared to believe. It had been five years since her youngest had been kidnapped, and after two years of empty handed searches, Angella had come to terms with the fact that her child had passed. It was incredibly hard on her, and while this current news sparked a slight hope, she didn't want to put her whole heart into believing only for it to break again.

"I don't know."

"Ugh! Mom! Come on!"

"You should believe Sparkles over here." Catra stood beside Adora, her arms crossed over her chest. "She may be a little crazy but she's not wrong. If both of you saw her in that reality, then she's still alive somewhere."

"Mom."

Glimmer walked up the stairs to face her. She then felt her daughter slip her hands into her own, a comforting smile on her face.

"I know this is hard for you. It's hard for me, too, but you have to believe me. She's still out there, which means we need to start looking again."

Angella rubbed her thumb gently over Glimmer's hand.

"Where would you even start this search?"

"At the last known sighting of the ship she was on," Glimmer answered.

"The Frightening Wilds?" Angella's gaze hardened a bit. "Those woods are dangerous. Not to mention they have been searched already. There was no sign of her."

"We want to look again," Adora told her. "Maybe something was missed."

"Danger isn't an issue either," Catra added. "I mean, our world was almost destroyed and we all survived that. This mission will be child's play."

"It will not," Angella said a little angrily. "Those woods harbor dangerous creatures. They should not be taken lightly.

"And we won't!" Bow hopped in front of Catra with a meek little laugh. "We'll be super careful, and we won't purposely do anything that will get us hurt either."

"Remember this, too mom. Even with you back, I don't need to charge my powers anymore, and I'm better at magic! Plus, we have She Ra. We'll be more than okay."

Angella still felt a little bit hesitant with worry, not only for the daughter she had lost, but for Glimmer and her friends as well. However, she had told herself once before that she wasn't going to let fear get the better of her. She didn't want to be a coward anymore. Since she herself had to remain in Bright Moon to take care of a few things, then her best bet would be to let the four in front of her go. If it meant the possibility of bringing her youngest home, then she had to at least try, even at the risk of more heartache.

With a sigh, she stood up.

"Very well. I will allow this. Prepare tonight and leave tomorrow."

"Yes!" Glimmer jumped and threw her fist in the air. "We're gonna do it guys! We're going on another mission!"

"Best friend's squad is going out again!" Bow said as he wrapped each arm around Adora's and Catra's neck for a hug.

"This is not a game, Bow," Angella said with a serious tone. "The Frightening Wilds are home to many dangerous things. Don't be reckless on this trip."

"We won't, your majesty." Adora smiled. "We're just going to scout the area, and if we can't find anything, we will regroup back here and come up with another plan."

Angella nodded in approval.

"Come on guys!" Glimmer ran down the stairs excitedly. "Let's go get ready."

As the group left, Angella turned to look at the Moon Stone from where she stood, worry on her face. She remembered the day she lost her younger daughter well. Bright Moon had taken a small hit from that invasion, but her daughter being taken was the worst hit of them all. Every day she blamed herself for not being there to protect her.

"Mom?"

Angella turned to see Glimmer back beside her.

"I thought you were going to get ready?"

Glimmer smiled and wrapped her up in a hug. It was a little unexpected, but Angella warmly hugged her back. After having to leave her once and thinking she'd never see her Glimmer again, she'd both take and give all the affection she could.

"It's going to be okay, mom. I know that day hurt both of us, but I have a good feeling about this. Believe me, I think we're gonna find something."

Angella nuzzled her face into Glimmer's hair.

"It's not that I don't believe you. We both saw your sister that day, and if your theory is correct, then she's still out there. I'd be ecstatic if that were true. I'd love nothing more than to have both of my daughters at my side. However, I can't help but feel guilty. If she's alive, then it means I gave up on her too soon."

"No way, mom!" Glimmer pulled back a little. "We spent two whole years looking for her, and when we found nothing, it was understandable to believe she was dead. There's hope again. We're going to get her back mom, I promise."

Angella smiled and kissed her daughter on the cheek.

"I'm so very lucky to have you. If you'd like, I can join you and your friends on your journey."

Glimmer shook her head.

"Someone needs to stay here in Bright Moon. Don't worry, me and my friends will take care of it."

Angella nodded and cupped her cheek lovingly.

"Very well. Go get prepared then."

Glimmer snuck in one more hug before taking off. Angella only allowed her smile to falter slightly once her daughter was out of sight. She did believe in Glimmer, but she couldn't help but be scared. If her youngest was alive, where had she been all these years? Why was she so hard to find? Was she hurt? Did she think that she had been abandoned?

Angella turned to the Moon Stone once more, her heart heavy. She loved that little girl so much, and the pain of losing her was just as strong now as it was the day she was taken. All of her wishes of reuniting had been smashed when no one could find her, but Glimmer was right. There was hope again. It was small, but it was there, and even though the prospect of another dead end scared her, Angella knew she had to be strong and do her best to keep believing.

"Please let her be out there," she whispered pleadingly. "Please let her come home."