A Promise Kept

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters contained within nor the shows from which they appear in. Any coincidence to real life is unintentional. This story is not used for profit and is for entertainment purposes only. Quote used is from Batman Begins, another thing I do not own any part of.

Summary: Snow and Emma return to Storybrooke but something is amiss. Henry and Regina strive to find the true Emma and to that extent they contact a Dream-Walker: Morganna. (Swan Queen, Regal Red Belle teamwork, Regal Cricket, Evil Regal Mafia Coven, Mills family reparation, Merlin/Morganna)

Author's Note: A Promise Kept is second in a series of three connected stories, centering on Regina Mills, Henry Mills and Emma Swan. The prequel to this story is called Regina's Most Dreadful Nightmare. It is not necessary to read that story to understand A Promise Kept, however, many elements will slowly crop up over the course of the story, and it will be an important aspect of several points made in the story and ensuing sequel, so I would highly suggest reading it in conjunction with A Promise Kept. It may not seem that way, but the names used to identify characters are used deliberately. I'm including a quote from Batman Begins as I feel it resonates strongly with the series.

Please read this link to my tumblr for an idea for how I will be handling the Regina/Henry dynamic.

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Chapter Notes: Thank you all very much for taking the time to read this series and your continued support! I cherish all of your comments, alerts and favourites. I love to read your thoughts! Whereas last chapter is what I viewed as "missing scenes" from canon, this chapter takes us up to scenes from and including "Into the Deep." Towards the end of the chapter is where I will officially be deviating permanently from canon.

"…But I know the rage that drives you. That impossible anger, strangling the grief until the memory of your loved one is just…poison in your veins. And one day you catch yourself wishing the person you loved never existed, so you'd be spared your pain. Your anger gives you great power. But if you let it, it will destroy you."—R'as al Ghul, Batman Begins

Regina Mills fidgeted with her sleeves as she stood before the entrance to Mary Margaret's apartment. She had been in a daze since Henry and David had dropped her off at her mausoleum of a house after the incident with Daniel, a few days ago. Regina had gone through the movements that she had done for years, a precise adherence to a strict schedule that she had never before wavered from.

She was prepping breakfast when it first happened. A vision, or perhaps a memory, itched at the corner of her mind, spilling into the edges of her eyes: an older Henry, laughing as he was sandwiched between her and Em—Swan. Regina felt her apprehension rise as she moved her way towards the couch, inching closer to the vision that resided there. She could feel the heat and weight of Henry's body pressed into her and Swan, and she was aghast to notice that Emma's fingers had found their way into her hair. It was a picture of everything she had ever imagined life could have been with Daniel— a deep, melancholy ache in her chest that she had long since denied giving credence to.

This morning she had dreamt of a time in the diner with Emma, Henry, David and Snow, all five of them chatting merrily away. Just like when she experienced the vision in her home, in the dream Regina could also feel her environment, as if she were merely reliving it again. There was a strange sort of magic that clouded everything over, one that was achingly familiar and all-together foreign. It irritated Regina—she had never felt magic quite like that before, not during all the training she had with Rumplestiltskin and definitely not when she used Cora's book as a shortcut to magic. She felt guilty—she didn't know if she was using this magic unconsciously or if it was some sort of permanent fixture, lurking deep in her blood, waiting…for what, Regina couldn't fathom. All she could tell was that it somehow wasn't of an insidious sort, and that frightened her more than anything else.

Regina was startled out of her thoughts as David opened the door. They stared at each other for several moments before he stepped aside with an inclination of his head and she walked in with less of a strut than she normally would have used.

"Thanks for coming," David's tenor spoke softly from behind Regina as he shut the door.

Regina twirled around in surprise. "It's no problem. Especially where Henry is concerned," she recovered quickly.

"Yeah, about that," David scratched his neck. "He's been having nightmares lately, and I don't want to leave him alone."

Furrowing her eyebrows, Regina asked "Did he mention what they were about?"

At this, David folded his arms and glared at her. "It sounds a lot like the nightmares Snow had, after I woke her up from your curse," he spat and Regina sneered straight back.

"I didn't intend for Henry to be afflicted by the curse. That was for your daughter," she snarled and David stepped closer and they stood there in silence for several moments, sizing the other up.

"I don't trust you," David finally says and Regina feels a bit of the Evil Queen crawling into her stance.

"As you shouldn't."

"But…you are Henry's mother, too," David's face relaxes and Regina feels her jaw drop of its own accord. "I trust in your love for Henry."

Regina clambered for a reply before remembering her session with Jiminy after using magic on Daniel. "Do you truly believe that I'm capable of love," and she didn't know who she was asking it to.

David stepped back slightly from Regina's personal space and looked to the side thoughtfully for a few moments. "You know, Snow sometimes would talk about when she first met you." Regina felt her heart fill with regret and bitterness all at once. "So if you were capable of love once before, I think you could be once again," and he turns to smile at Regina. "I haven't been a very good 'good guy' lately," he sardonically laughs at himself and Regina resists the instinct to roll her eyes. "Or a very good parent to Henry."

Regina is surprised by this admission. "That's not entirely true," she ventures and it's clearly a shock to them both.

"Yeah, I kind of have, but thanks." Shuffling their feet awkwardly, David and Regina look away before things became too much. "And I'm sorry."

Perplexed, Regina inclines her head.

"For what happened with Daniel. And if I hurt you," he stammered. It was apparent this was difficult for him and Regina could relate. Her session with Jiminy was pretty much a jumble of tears, rage and dreadful admissions, and she wondered if he had a word with David on how to handle his feelings as well. She was reluctantly grateful for the foresight.

"Thank you," she says quietly. Desperate for an escape, Regina looks for Henry. "Is he upstairs?"

David gratefully nods. "Yeah, he's in Emma's room. I'll have my cell with me, so let me know if anything happens, alright?" He moves to the door.

"I will," Regina promises as he looks back to her. "I won't let anything happen to him, and I will find out more about the nightmares," and they exchange a brief smile as he walks out the door, locking it behind him.

It had only been about twenty minutes since she had pulled up a chair next to Henry when he jolted awake. He looked quizzically at her before asking why she was there.

Regina was initially hurt but reminded herself that he didn't live with her anymore and that she wasn't expected. "David had an emergency and called me to come and watch over you while he was gone. Now," she injected a light firmness in her voice that she hoped wasn't overpowering, "what's this about having nightmares?"

Henry gulped slightly as if he didn't want to tell her but made to move out of the bed when he yelped in pain and clutched at his forearm.

Regina immediately became concerned and gently grasped at his arm and yanked his sleeve up to reveal a dreadful–and fresh– burn. They locked gazes and Regina steeled herself for what she had to do.

"Henry, was this burn here before you went asleep?"

"No," Henry shook his head, valiantly keeping a handle on his pain. Regina was simultaneously proud and heartbroken. "The nightmares…they have fire in them. Did this happen because of that?"

With his eyes shining up to her, open and honest, Regina felt years of betrayals and anger slip away and let go of Henry's arm and hesitantly offered her arms. The awe that she felt when he immediately dove into them was unrivaled. They held each other for a long time as Regina cherished this sign of affection. She had always laid possessive forms of affection upon Henry and he had always sensed that. Now, after she had to endure the agony of seeing Henry– the one she would have spared from her vengeance– suffer from it, did she feel as if she truly understood what was missing. It was so long ago that she had given or received affection without a price and here it was being freely given, despite the wrongs still stewing between them.

Regina believed she could never express her love for Henry.

"Let's go take care of this burn," she murmured and Henry nodded against her before extricating himself from her. She sent him a fleeting smile before they made their way down to the kitchen. Regina led him to the sink where he put his arm under warm water for a few minutes. "Would you care for some cocoa?" Regina offered and bit back a tremulous smile as Henry nodded fervently, one of those hidden smiles trying to make its way to his face.

It was easier said than done and Regina had a sneaking suspicion that Henry was stifling laughter at her expense as she fumbled around the kitchen, opening cupboard after cupboard in her search for the proper ingredients. Surprisingly enough, she didn't feel threatened or insulted by his laughter, sensing that it wasn't mocking. Another strange thing for her.

Eventually she was victorious and set a mug in front of Henry before heading over and digging through her purse for her phone.

"How did you know?"

"How did I know what, Henry?" She answered, feeling her irritation rise before squelching it.

"That I liked cinnamon in my cocoa?" His tone was curious.

"Snow liked it that way, too," she responded absently. Fishing deeper into her purse, Regina finally found purchase and turned to see Henry gazing at her with a smile playing on his lips. Only then did Regina realize that her honesty had tumbled its way out of her naturally. She smiled back. "I'm going to call Gold and see if there's anything he can do about your nightmares."

Henry's smile disappeared. "But you said there's always a price."

"I know, but I will pay for it," Regina said and tried to miss the frown on his face.

"Once you control something, you need no longer fear it," Gold intoned and Regina shivered at his words.

She wanted desperately to switch back to that mindset, for ever since she had returned Henry to David, she had been plagued by her own nightmares, visions of her past and now these strange magical ones. Regina feared her lack of fear at those the most. Jiminy had offered weekly sessions and Regina had been making good on her promise to Henry but now that he was in danger, her desire to use magic increased heavily.

"What's your price?" She asked warily.

Gold merely shook his head. "For a house call? That would be too much for you to pay," he taunted softly, anger at their history rumbling below his soft words. "But for Henry? Consider it a gift."

Henry leaned back into Regina more, apparently equally wary as his mother.

After Gold had gathered his supplies and Regina had locked the door behind him, she turned to see Henry fidgeting with his hands. "What is it, Henry," she gently inquired.

"Do you think we could go to the stables?" He asked at length.

Regina felt her chest constrict painfully and was aware of it showing on her face. She had promised Jiminy and Henry that she would be more honest and was surprised to see how rapidly her body had readjusted to the behaviour. As she looked at Henry, she realized that he knew exactly why they had to go there.

"Okay," she softly said.

After shooting off a text updating David of the situation and their whereabouts, Regina drove Henry to the stables, a silence in the car muffling her thoughts. They exited the car and went into the stables, Henry's boyish enthusiasm getting the best of him, and he bounded towards the stall his foal was in. He looked expectantly up at her as she joined him.

"Beautiful, dear," she murmured and stifled her sob as the foal nudged her hand.

"David told me that Daniel was your True Love." Regina turned to face Henry, an inquisitive look on his face. "Why wasn't that in the Book?"

Regina sighed. "I don't know who wrote the Book, dear. Very few people knew of Daniel." She was surprised that she could say his name without pain.

Henry looked cross. "It would have helped."

"Helped?" Regina echoed and Henry sat down outside the stall and she joined him.

"To understand you," he finished and Regina felt her heart tear into pieces.

"You really want to understand me?" She asked uncertainly.

Henry looked away from her for a moment. "Jiminy said it would help."

And all at once Regina got at what Henry was alluding to. The urge to reach for him was overwhelming. "Sometimes it does, "she said. "I've been…working on being more honest with myself, and everyone." She waited until Henry faced her again. "What, what would you care to ask, dear?"

This admission took Henry a few moments to process. "Tell me about Daniel."

Regina gulped and looked to the ground. "I loved him. He was sweet and kind and all I ever wanted. He loved me and that's when I learned of a magic stronger than any other."

"True Love," Henry supplied.

Regina nodded. "He was only a stable boy but I didn't care about anything else. My mother wanted me to marry someone of a higher status."

At Henry's quizzical frown, Regina elaborated. "Society was quite different than it is now, here in this world," she explained. "My mother believed that one should marry for power, wealth, status, much like many others, I suppose," she added. "People didn't oft marry for love, and even rarer was True Love. Many people never even met their True Loves."

"Loves?" Henry echoed. "A person could have more than one?"

Regina nodded. "Your parents had each other and Emma, and she has you." This admission was so painful that Regina had to wrap her arms around her middle to hold in the feelings.

"So True Love isn't always romantic?" Regina shook her head. "But they could have multiple True Loves?"

Regina had no idea where his insistence came from but she nodded anyway. "I would suppose so. I actually don't know for a fact, but I would presume it to be true."

Henry thought about that for a few moments. "What happened to Daniel?"

Regina couldn't control the quiver in her lower lip. "He was murdered, by my mother."

"What!" Henry exclaimed, outraged. "Why would she do that?"

"Because I was going to run away with him, and because Snow told her, when I explicitly told her not to," Regina snarled, hurt overwhelming her.

"So that's why you hate her," Henry finally said.

"Yes."

They sat in silence for awhile, listening to the sounds of the horses munching away and nickering.

"It must have been hard to kill Daniel," Henry said and Regina looked at him. He rolled his eyes. "I'm not stupid, Mom, I know that's what happened."

"I did use magic, Henry, I'm sorry, I hadn't used it since you left and not since Daniel," Regina quickly reassured.

Henry just gazed at her. "I know," he said simply, as if he believed her words.

"You truly believe me?"

Henry shrugged. "Jiminy told me it was hard for you to let people and things go, and to be honest. If I don't believe in you, who else will? Everyone deserves to have someone believe in them," he said and Regina didn't stop her tears.

"Henry, I'm sorry."

He nods.

Regina took a moment to calm herself. "Henry, I need to apologize about what happened to you. About the curse," she added.

At this Henry finally snaps back into an angry mode, arms crossing and a solemn look that was far too reminiscent of Regina's. Jiminy was right in that regard.

"You killed me."

"It was only meant to send Emma to sleep," Regina insisted hastily.

"Why did you do it?"

"She was taking you from me, you just said you knew how hard it was for me to let go," she pleaded but Henry remained stony-faced. "I'm trying now, okay? I know now that I can't control you. When I forced you back home with magic, you said something that reminded me of how alike Cora I was truly becoming…" she trailed off, awash with her most hideous memories. "It was just like what my mother did to me," she trembled.

Henry's frown lessened slightly at that. "You treated me like how your mother treated you?"

Regina nodded tremulously. "And I had to stop it before it became too late. I can't become her; I'm scared to use magic now."

"But you can use it to help people now, like when the Wraith attacked you."

Regina started. "I–I don't know how that happened, Henry. When I tried to take you back, I had used a shortcut to magic, my mother's book of magic," she said. "Gold told me that I should try to relax but it didn't work, not like when the Wraith attacked me. The magic I used then was…unfamiliar," she led off.

"How could you use it, then?"

Regina gulped and debated whether or not she should tell Henry. She had sworn to be honest with him but this was rather far–fetched, even for the reality in which they lived. Regina surmised that nothing short of outright hostility could worsen things with her and Henry now. "I keep having these dreams and visions that seem very…realistic…" she began and was heartened to see Henry adopt a less antagonistic pose. "It's like they're visions of the future…the magic I feel when those happen is extremely similar to the feeling when I used magic with the Wraith. I don't know what it means."

"Future?" Henry pressed.

"Yes," she nodded. "I could see you, grown up a bit, with me, and," she faltered. "Miss Swan, Snow and Charming."

"We were all together?" Henry exclaimed.

"Yes," Regina murmured.

"So if that's a good kind of magic, you can just figure out what's happened, and then you can use it and get Emma and Mary Margaret back!" Henry rushed out, an excited grin breaking his face.

"Henry," Regina sternly said. "I have no idea what these visions mean and it is presumptuous to think that the magic is 'good'," she said, even though she was skeptical of her own words. "But I did promise to help bring them back, and I will help obliterate the curse from you completely," she adds.

Henry, chastened, thinks for several moments about her words. "Can you really do it?"

Regina hesitated but when Henry reached for her hand, a tiny spark tingled in her fingers, a flash of a smile playing across her eyes. "I think so."

David wasn't quite sure what he was expecting when he went upstairs to check on Henry. He thought that maybe Regina would have been relegated to the couch downstairs or maybe was crying in the bathroom or something. Instead he was greeted with a warm welcome from Henry, sitting in bed, nursing a cup of hot chocolate, a very mirror of Regina who had pulled a chair close to his bed. They looked…cozy, he guessed, a lot like a family.

He thought briefly of Snow and Emma. The anger and sadness he expected were replaced by a quiet tenderness.

"Mom said you had a rough day," Henry began, sharing a quick glance with Regina.

"Yes," Regina nodded and they simultaneously turned toward David. He was struck by how similar they truly were, side by side like this. "Is…Ruby alright?"

He nodded. "Yeah, she is now," he smiled and a sigh of relief escaped Regina as Henry grinned wildly. "But…" he made a fist, "my 'Father'," he bit out, "destroyed Jefferson's hat. So now we have fairy dust but no way to bring Snow and Emma back." Frustrated he sat on the edge of Henry's bed.

Henry shot him a dejected look and stared into his cocoa for awhile. David put his hand on Henry's leg but before he could speak, Regina did.

"Henry," she said and he glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "If there's one thing I know about your parents…" and here it appeared that Regina restrained herself from rolling her eyes and was ostensibly swallowing back the bile in her throat–a mighty accomplishment, David thought wryly to himself. "It's that they always find each other," she finished with a wistful sort of smile on her face and Henry perked up.

"It's true," David added and Regina closed her eyes to hide her disdain.

"Besides," she said and added her hand next to David's, an act that took him by surprise, "that hat would have been…a less than ideal solution."

"What do you mean?" David turned to her. "It transported them to our world, so it would have been the perfect way to get them back. The fairy dust would have had enough magic to restore its power."

Regina shook her head in a condescending manner. She took a few moments to gather her thoughts before she began her explanation. "First of all, we can only hope that the hat transported them to our world."

"Oh," Henry said. "His hat can go to lots of different worlds."

"Yes," Regina nodded. "We would have had to have enlisted Jefferson to help, something I think he would be reluctant to do, even if I was in no way involved."

"His daughter," Henry said.

Regina smiled tightly. "Yes. Plus, the hat has rules."

"What kind of rules?" David demanded.

"The same number of people that go in go out," Regina stated.

David was curtailed instantly. "You're right," he admitted, "that definitely wouldn't have been the best plan."

The three sat in contemplative silence. "Hey, Gramps," Henry spoke up. "Look what Mr. Gold gave me," and he showed David the necklace hanging on his neck. "It's supposed to help me control the nightmares."

David gingerly touched the necklace and wondered what price was involved for Rumplestiltskin's "help." He turned to Regina.

"Nothing," she answered. "Hopefully it is only a temporary solution." At David's questioning look she elaborated. "I'm going to try to find a way to obliterate the curse."

"It was broken but the effects still linger," David said thoughtfully. "But it's your curse; shouldn't you know how to get rid of it?"

Regina ruefully shook her head. "I simply followed the instructions on how to make the curse. It was already partially done when I…obtained the apple," she hesitated. "I think I may know who created it. This person also happens to be someone we may be able to communicate with in our world."

David and Henry both shared excited grins. "So this person could find Snow and Emma for us?"

"She could," Regina couldn't resist smiling back. "I would have to research a method on how to contact her, if that's alright," she looked to Henry for approval.

"If you need to use magic, you're going to be using it to help people," he gave his assent.

"You did promise to help bring back Snow and Emma," David added, a pleased expression on his face.

"I did," Regina echoed faintly, eyes glazing over at the memory. "Anyway, the way I'm thinking of communicating with her would require you, Henry," she said hesitatingly.

"Really?" Henry enthused.

"Only when we can determine its safety," Regina sternly added and shared a nod with David. "Henry, there are many things David and I don't agree upon. But the one thing we can agree on is that we won't put you in danger."

Henry pouted but David reached over and ruffled his hair. "That's right, Henry. Regina and I have always agreed on that and we always will. Together we will find Emma and Snow."

Reluctantly settling back into his pillows, Henry handed Regina his cup. "Okay," he agreed.

David looked to Regina, who was in the process of balancing the cups and reaching for her coat. "Regina," he started and she turned to him, bewildered. "Maybe you should stay here." Her astonishment and unfettered happiness at the proposal eased the wounds inflicted by her in his heart. "You know, since we're starting plans and all. We need to make sure Henry stays safe."

The smile she gave David was unlike one he had never seen from her.

It made him believe.

Emma Swan trudged dejectedly through the lush forest, angrily kicking whatever she could in her path. She hated this world, with its stupid ogres and magic, stupid pirates and evil mothers, and her stupid self for not believing in Henry and stupid Regina for starting the whole mess and…

"Emma," Snow called from behind her, breaking up Emma's grumblings. "Are you upset?" She asked, merely for spoken confirmation. She was used to Emma's tantrums back in Storybrooke. Whenever Emma felt her emotions, she either broke things or cried.

Something Snow thought was eerily similar to Regina.

"It's my fault," Emma petulantly cried, turning to face Snow. "Henry's curse, it's all because I didn't believe him. He only ate that turnover to prove to me that magic was real. If I had only listened to him…"

"Emma!" Snow exclaimed and closed the distance between them. "Don't go blaming yourself. Henry chose to do that; you can't blame yourself for his choices. We can go further back and say that Regina was at fault for making the turnover and having the feud with me, that it was my fault that Daniel got killed which made her hate me, that it's Cora's fault for killing him." Snow sighed and shook her head. "We can spend all day playing the blame game but it won't get us anywhere. What we need to concentrate on now is how to get back to Storybrooke. Aurora will be talking to Henry soon to find out what they are doing to help."

Emma's face was scrunched in consternation before a distant look settled over her features. She stared unblinking ahead. "It's all Regina's fault…" she murmured.

Snow truly loved Emma. She was aware of the situation they were in. She remembered how her daughter had made the right choices in Storybrooke, despite likely wanting to do the opposite. Snow recalled when they were in the Sheriff's office after the Wraith attacked and the strange look in Regina's eyes as she gazed at Emma, a new-found respect and something else in there. How proud she was of Emma.

It was hard to believe, but Snow found she understood Regina a lot better than she'd have liked to admit. Something in her told her that Regina wouldn't hurt Emma, and she believed, perhaps not as unerringly as Emma, that Regina wouldn't hurt Henry. She surmised that Emma may possibly understand Regina better than anyone. The abandonment and betrayal they had both experienced, added to their love for Henry, would bind them together closer than anyone else could comprehend.

Snow knew that things would have to be settled between her and Regina, and that they would hopefully be in a place where they could discuss things and start to overcome their grief and anger when she and Emma returned to Storybrooke. To be a family again. She had learned a lot since regaining her memories when Emma broke the curse and Snow would be damned if she didn't learn from her mistakes.

She had to shut this down now, before Emma became the ultimate sacrifice of her and Regina's mistakes—a vessel that harbored only the resentment, bitterness and anger caused by grief and everlasting agony as consequences from poor choices.

Snow would have to do it for Emma.

For Henry.

For Regina.

For Snow.

"I was selfish," Snow admitted quietly, causing Emma to glance sharply at her. "I wanted a mother again. Regina has blamed me for ruining her life, but mostly for the death of Daniel. In a way I was," she admitted softly, voicing her feelings that she had kept hidden for so long, even after being trapped by them in the curse of regrets Regina placed her under. "For so long I was…ignorant…of how my actions had consequences, hurtful consequences, even though I hadn't intended anything of the sort. And Regina…she…" Snow bit off, looking to the side bitterly. "She hurt me. She wanted to make me suffer the way she had, but she…she still let me have her for years. To have a mother again, almost as if she still cared…" she trailed off, eyes becoming misty at the possibility, at the realization that she herself still harbored love for the woman who once saved her and taught her about True Love. The fact that she loved– and likely still did– Regina was probably why she felt such betrayal, hurt and anger at what had transpired between the two of them.

"Regina ordered Graham to kill me because she could never do it herself," Snow was talking mostly to herself at this point but she was aware that she had Emma's full attention. "When she captured your father and I went to negotiate with her…I would have died for him."

Emma's face, which had whitened upon hearing Graham's name, paled further.

"…but…I think…that some small part of her still loved me and that stopped her from killing me. Your father and I have killed many people in the pursuit of our Happy Ending, much like Regina. We are all responsible for the lives we've taken," and Snow is hit by the gravity of her actions. She wondered if Regina hardening her heart was merely a defense mechanism to keep the reality of her decisions at bay. Snow did it herself. "So, please, let's not play the blame game anymore, Emma. I understand that this is a lot to take in and there's a lot of stress, but like I said, let's save this for when we return to Storybrooke and everyone is safe. It won't do to go placing all of the blame on a single person, no matter how easy it may make things."

Emma stared sullenly off into the distance, obviously still skeptical. Snow reached for Emma's hand and she gripped back with only a moment's hesitation. "Regina won't hurt Henry," she said quietly and Emma turned to face her.

"Yeah, I know she won't." Emma replied softly with a despondent look in her eyes, which was all she was willing to give.

Standing off to the side gave David a clear view of Regina, Henry and Gold. He hadn't missed the way Regina's whole demeanor had shifted when Henry told her that Cora was behind the woes Snow and Emma faced in their home world. David knew of her terrible reputation and it was only solidified when Regina brought Gold back to see Henry, both sporting an unnatural pallor.

Something to have brought Regina and Gold together was something that everyone had to take seriously.

David found himself comforted by the way Regina stood protectively by Henry, her hand on his forehead in a fond caress. David could see the way they instinctively sought each other out for comfort, security and support. The small, intimate gesture eased his mind, and the way Henry was gazing up at her was one of the most beautiful things David had ever seen. Despite their confrontational pasts and the awkward civility resulting as they put aside their differences for teamwork in this single regard, David felt that things were changing for the better with Regina. He fleetingly hoped that things could stay that way until everyone had their happy endings— even Regina.

Jiminy and his words, David smiled to himself before jumping at the buzzing in his pocket. Everyone looked expectantly at him and he sheepishly rubbed his neck and answered the phone.

Red's voice, exhilarated in its intensity, rang out to him. "They're back! Snow and Emma are back!"

David dropped his phone.