"This is hopeless!" Regina yelled knocking over a small table sending the vase resting on it shattering to the floor. It made a loud crack as it hit the solid stone sending bits of glass flying. She was huffing with anger as she stared at Lilia across the mess.

"It's not hopeless. We know they're here. You've said it yourself." Lilia explained patiently being quite familiar with Regina's temper.

"It's not hopeless? Really? You can easily say that because you have an expecting wife and daughter at home waiting on you while I'm left here alone and desolate." Regina raved on angrily ignoring her senses that told her she shouldn't speak so harshly to her former lover.

"That's true I do have a family at home waiting on me. It's also true that it's been almost a year since you came back and your family went missing. We'll find them Regina. I promise. I just need more time."

"Time? You need more time?" Regina's anger was flaring full force.

"Unless you want to do this alone? I can leave go back to the amazons and stay." Lilia threatened but she knew she wouldn't leave Regina here even in her anger she was still heartbroken without her family and there was no telling what she would do.

"Why don't you do that?" Regina snapped but as soon as the words left her mouth she regretted them. Her shoulders sagged as she moved away from the broken bits of glass and towards the sofa that rested in the parlor they were talking in.

"I wouldn't leave you here. Not in the state you're in. Regina you're upset, you're angry, and frankly I don't trust you not to do something stupid and rash in an attempt to get your family back. It's not safe for anyone especially you because I do believe you would sacrifice everything to be with your family."

"My family is everything. I would give my soul if it meant having them back here with me where they belong." Regina's voice was no longer angry, just hollow sounding.

Lilia sighed, "I know you would and that worries me. Just let me search a few more days that's all I'm asking and if I have no hint or any idea of their location then we'll take more drastic measures okay?"

Regina shook her head, "I'm going with you then and if in four days time we haven't found them or as you say any hint of them then we'll do things my way."

"Deal." Lilia agreed holding out her hand to help Regina stand. "Let's get going then if we only have four days we'd best make the most of them."

Four days came and went without so much as a hint that Emma and Henry were in this world. Regina settled onto the back of the large black horse shifting and using her hands to smooth out her skirts. She rode side saddle as any lady would. She slid her gloved hands down taking up the reins as she watched Lilia swing onto the back of her chestnut brown horse. They were about the same height, both large stallions that Regina had kept at the palace for a long time. Normally only her heartless guards rode the large animals but she'd figured they would be the fastest horses to use given the time limit she'd given Lilia.

"Where are we going?"

"To the mines; There is someone I want to see."

"The mines? Who's in the mines?" Lilia cocked her head her green eyes bright with shock as she stared at Regina.

"Someone who likely has a better idea of where my family is," Regina didn't respond further instead she dug her heels into the horse's flanks spurring it on.

Lilia waited a moment before kicking her own horse using her legs to control it as she didn't usually ride with reigns. Like most Amazons they were able to control a horse by legs alone. She eventually picked up the reigns when Regina spurred the horse on faster obviously intent to get to their destination by nightfall. Lilia watched her thin back. She'd noticed Regina eating less and less every time she saw her. She was getting so thin she looked like a good wind would blow her over. She was also not sleeping much. The combination looked like it was killing her.

"Regina? Why don't we stop for the night? I could hunt for us." Lilia offered when darkness began to really fall.

"No. We need to get there before the sun rises."

Lilia frowned, since she knew Regina was a sorceress she knew they were capable of getting them there without the long ride but she figured with Regina's body being taxed as it was her magic must've been taxed as well. She didn't ask about it. It was none of her concern but she did want to make sure Regina was strong enough for anything that life may have thrown at her on the road to recovering her family.

"Then at least let's stop long enough to eat something. You can ride with me lean against me and sleep for a bit. As long as you point me in the right direction of these mines you seek we'll get there in the time you've scheduled us for."

"We don't have any time Lilia. I will be fine."

"You look like you're going to fall over at any moment and not be able to get back up." Lilia pointed out softly. "It's not safe. Even an hour isn't going to slow us down that much Regina. Please. Let's stop and eat. Even if you refuse to rest at least humor me that much." Her green eyes were earnest staring at Regina's form as she rode beside her. She saw Regina clench her jaw before she twisted slightly glaring at her.

"I'm fine. Now let's just get to the mines."

"Then humor me and at least eat something even if we continue to ride. I have bread, cheese, and some jerky that I made a few days ago. It's not much but it'll be better than starving to death before we get your family back." Lilia knew she was the only one who would dare stand up to Regina especially knowing what she knew about her now. Yet she still did it anyways worried as always about Regina and her health. "You're still so beautiful but do you really want your family to see what their absence has done to you? It will scare them to think you've let yourself go so much." She knew that was a low blow likely to get her what she wanted but at the price of Regina's anger but she would take it if it meant not having to deal with the unconscious sorceress.

Regina's head whipped towards her, her dark eyes flashing angrily before she finally spoke. "Do you worry so much for my health even after all this time? One would think you were still in love with me."

"I am. I always will be. Just like I know you'll always be in love with me Regina. A love like ours I once told you leaves a mark on the soul. It never goes away; it's imprinted so deeply in us that it's a part of us. That's why I worry for you as I do. Just like I know if I were hurting or starving myself you would do the same thing for me. That's just what we are to one another."

"I'm not in love with you." Regina snapped.

"Oh really?" Lilia laughed at her, "You're many things Regina but delusional isn't one of them. You still care for me as deeply as I still care for you. That's just a fact. But you're not mine and I'm not yours. And that's how it should be. We will always care for one another and I will always be here for you even if you shove me away with both hands but we belong whole heartedly to our better halves. I love my wife every bit as dearly as I know you love Emma. Not to mention our respective children." Lilia pointed out still smiling at Regina.

Regina turned her head facing away from Lilia though she would deny it to her she was incapable of denying it to herself. Lilia was right as usual but she would damned if she admitted that to her. During most of their love affair Lilia had been content to let Regina have her way, smiling at her happiness at being able to do as she pleased. She'd never been allowed to do that before and Lilia was only too happy to oblige her every little request. If however Lilia did decide to stand up to her about something which admittedly was rare she was usually the one in the right. Though Regina would never admit that to her. It was just her way.

Regina finally gave holding out her though she didn't face her. As soon as she began to eat she realized just how hungry she truly was. She tore into it even as the horse continued his brisk walk onwards to the mines. Lilia didn't say a word though she didn't like the fact that it was getting so dark. She could hardly see anything. The woods were getting significantly thicker, larger trees shooting up from the ground with thick foliage making the moon's shimmery light practically invisible. She didn't try to stop Regina though. She knew it was useless even if she thought it was suicide for them to continue onward. She listened closely hearing owls hooting, the wind catching the branches blowing them slightly, nearby a herd of deer were grazing startled into flight likely by the noises their horses were making as they made their way over the slightly rocky uneven soil and roots that littered the forest. She let out a breath and reached behind her drawing her sword from its sheath. She held it low at her side using mostly her legs to control the horse.

Regina looked over seeing Lilia draw her sword from its scabbard and shot her a questioning look. She knew better than to speak and give away their position if Lilia had indeed heard something that didn't sound right in the darkened forest. Lilia shook her head with a soft smile. "Just in case," She murmured softly.

Regina nodded and they continued on through the thickness ignoring the briars that sometimes caught at their clothing pulling at them but not truly hindering them. They went up a decent sized hill the trees beginning to thin before Regina stopped the horse and slid down. "We cannot continue on horseback from here."

"Why not?" Lilia asked sliding down as well.

"They'll know we're here."

"Who?"

"Snow White and Prince Charming; not to mention their little friends," Regina's upper lip drew back a bit in a snarl at the mention of Snow White.

Lilia sighed staring at her for a moment before nodding. "Alright so we continue on foot. Is it safe for you to walk down this steep hill in that dress?"

"I'll be fine."

"If you're certain," Lilia gave knowing she'd already pushed her luck tonight. "Will you allow me to lead? I can defend us if the need arises, draw attention away from you so you can slip inside the mine and get what you need."

"Yes that would be best if it comes to it." Regina agreed readily thinking it would be easier for her to get what she needed from him without Lilia's presence. Hopefully she would be distracted by guards and wouldn't come inside.

"Alright let's go then."

Crouching, moving and generally walking low on uneven terrain in the midnight blue dress Regina had worn was proving difficult. But she drew her black cloak up around her tighter knowing she would have to make do. She had to do this for Emma and Henry. Lilia was much more capable of sneaking around, moving stealthy. They crossed three steep hills before coming to the entrance of the mines. They were guarded closely by four guards; two standing on the outside, two marching back and forth deep into the mine and back before coming back out.

They were crouching low behind some boulders that had likely been moved during the mine's opening studying the guards. They were each wearing different colors of armor, Snow's forest green, Cinderella's dark blue, and Aurora's deep gold not to mention what appeared to be Belle's father's bright crimson. Lilia studied their movements seemingly trying to figure out the perfect timing for her attack.

"What do I need to do?" Regina asked softly looking at her.

"When the two in the mine enter is when we should strike. I can take out the first two guards and then have the element of surprise on the second two. It should buy us some time. It would be best if you stayed here and let me do this before you came down. And then I'll go with you into the mines in case there are more guards. I'll knock them out so that we can do as needed and get out before they know we've even come and gone."

"They'll suspect something when they come to." Regina pointed out.

"Not likely. Whoever is in the mines is dangerous, long as they suspect whoever it is behind the bars they'll think it was an escape attempt that failed. We're in the clear until the changing of the guards which looks like it won't happen till morning."

Regina nodded, "When do you want to strike?"

"I need to give the guards entering the mines enough time to actually get into the mines good so they won't hear in case one of the guards gets a bit loud. I can take one by surprise but the other may get a shot or two in which will cause a ruckus and could alert them and being that I don't know how many are in the mines beyond these four we could be looking at some trouble."

"I can try and knock them out from here."

"And if it fails you've alerted them of our presence. You're still weak and I bet your powers aren't up to where they should be were you eating and sleeping properly. It'll be best to save your strength in the event of an emergency. Then we may need to make a quick exit."

Regina frowned but nodded, "All right if you think so."

"I do. I'm going to sneak around, lend me your cloak since its black. My red one will stand out too much. Your dress is dark enough that you should be all right."

Regina nodded unlatching the silver buckle that held her cloak together and handed it quietly to Lilia. Taking the black material, she quickly untied her own handing it to Regina before she clipped the buckle at her throat and drew the hood up. She lifted her sword from the rocky soil and shifted ever so carefully out from behind the boulders. The flat area before the mine was well lit with torches but the area surrounding it remained dark. Lilia used that to her advantage as she moved behind large boulder after large boulder darting carefully so that the rocky soil wasn't disturbed by her footing which would alert the guards of her presence. She made her way close before she climbed up the walls of the mine. It easily put her above the guards giving her the advantage of them not knowing she was there. She peered down at them listening closely before she slid back hearing the guards patrolling moving back out and then walking back into the mine. She waited patiently giving them plenty of time to get deep inside before she grabbed a decently sized rock. Not feeling bad since the guards were wearing helmets she leaned over and dropped the rock at the same time she swung down from her foot using her booted heel to crack against the temple of the guard whose helmet was a bit different from his cohort. They both dropped to the ground unconscious and she dropped down looking down into the torch lit mine for any sign of the guards from earlier. When they didn't appear she drug the first two guards out of the way not wanting them to be a sign of something wrong to the other two patrolling.

She slid back up to her previous position and waited knowing it wouldn't take long. When the two guards finally stepped out they didn't immediately see their comrades and began to look around. She used their confusion to her advantage slipping down the same way as before using her feet on one and her sword hilt on the other. She waited a few moments before motioning to Regina to join her and together they made their decent into the mines and whatever await them below.

Author's Notes: Heh. Guess who they're going to see? Yeah yeah I know. I'm going to get screamed at for the scene between Regina and Lilia. So let me explain a bit on that. Though they love each other very much and a love like theirs doesn't ever die it imprints itself and makes them more aware of the other neither will ever act on those feelings. Lilia loves her wife just as stated and Regina is so head over heels in love with Emma nothing will ever come of the feelings that made her tear the enchanted forest apart originally. They're both deeply in love with their respective spouse/lover and wouldn't betray them no matter what. It's like I explained it in Stained Glass Heart, a heart has room for many people within it and those that leave an impression will always be there no matter what we do.

Also since I've been hearing this once or twice I'm the exact same way about OC characters. I hate them I have no desire to have them in stories I read. However in order to make this thing work I needed someone that would honestly be willing to help Regina for nothing more than just the fact that she/he cared. Maleficent probably would've helped but as I imagine she's a bit more devious than she appears in the show and I have a feeling she'll be worked into a storyline that will show that, I knew she was out. So I had to run with someone else and since I doubt anyone else would've helped I had to make up a character to run with it. I hope that's not too terrible a thing for me to do but I did have a reason for it. I hope that explanation of things helped and as always I love reviews/comments/constructive criticism in all forms. Just don't be rude that's all I ask.

As for the next chapter well like I said in the last author's notes the scene that inspired the whole damn thing including Stained Glass Heart was based on this upcoming scene which may get posted as early as today if I get enough comments. Heh. And we're beginning to really get into the meat of this story. But don't worry our Swan hasn't made her appearance yet for a specific reason you'll see what I mean soon enough. Or will you? *shifty eyes* Comments will get it up sooner. *hint, hint* Also sorry for the long rambling author's notes. Just felt I'd best explain some things before I get my head whacked off.