A/N - Hope you all enjoy the update! There's so much happening! I haven't forgotten about other characters, I promise! I hear you loud and clear, and I haven't used any of the show's dialogue. I'm sorry if that seemed too robotic, I just wanted to emphasize certain points, but now I know for the future. I'm posting this before the episode airs, mainly because I want tonight to be a surprise for myself as well, and I don't want it to affect the chapter. I saw the promos only used the base of one scene, for obvious reasons you'll see; I've put my own spin on it. Thanks for the helpful feedback/follows/reviews! Happy watching, dearies!

For the second night in a row, Emma Swan had a sleepless night. Between Hook's persistent advances, Henry's steady obliviousness, and Regina's heart-stopping admission, the sheriff of Storybrooke was a ball of emotions— all battling one another, fighting for control over her system. She wasn't sure if she was angry, frustrated, irritated, sad, or everything. Walking around the apartment was like walking through water: she forced her legs to carry her, but it was as if there was some sort of resistance. If it was some kind of message from the universe, trying to give her a hint of what to do next, Emma was all but receptive.

When she'd gotten home the previous afternoon, Henry asked her a few questions, but she managed to deflect them. "Did you know there were a group of guys with the names Grumpy and Happy? Did you know there's a couple named Ariel and Eric? Who was the dude with the beard talking to the mayor?" He wasn't particularly demanding in his inquiries, but they were enough of a red flag for Emma to realize they needed to be more careful. When the time was right, Henry would get his memories back. But right now, it was the wrong time.

As Snow slept the morning away, Emma moved about the small space with the agility of a mouse. Seeing as there were no doors or other forms of privacy partitions to block out noise, it was a bit tedious being unable to wear shoes or run the water in the kitchen. So, when Henry woke up from his journey to dreamland and got dressed, Emma ushered him out quickly. They were going to meet Regina at Granny's, and soon, Emma would find out if she'd made the perfect decision or a terrible mistake.

Citizens of the frazzled town gave the mother and son looks of pity as they strolled down the street. Albeit, it was mostly Henry they were pitying and he was aware of their earnest head shakes and whispers to one another. Emma had one hand on the boy's shoulders, guiding him straight for the only diner in Storybrooke and overlooked the incessant gossip.

"Mom?" Henry asked before they reached the front steps.

"Yeah?"

Henry stopped just meters away from Granny's fine establishment and Emma almost tripped over the curb. The ends of his gray and red scarf swayed at his hips and his black peacoat was unbuttoned just a tad. Henry didn't remember that Regina had bought him that scarf for his ninth birthday and it stung Emma to know how much of his life he was missing out on. "Is everything ok?" he questioned. "I mean, you've been acting weird lately. Is something wrong?"

Archie was just passing Emma and Henry with Pongo and in a strange way, he was hurt at what he heard. He knew he didn't really have a right to be insulted, after all, it wasn't Henry's fault and he was sure Regina was experiencing the worst of it. Everyone in town remembered the son of the Savior and the Evil Queen, the good that was in him and the kindness he emitted. In some way, all of their lives had been changed by Henry's presence or something he did. Having one their bravest heroes back with them and being prevented from striking up conversation like they used to was hard on the majority of the residents.

Emma waited for Archie to exit from earshot and plastered a smile on her face. "Everything's good, Kid. I'm sorry if I seem… off, it's just… this case is, uh, a tough one to crack."

"Like that guy two months ago? The one with all the addresses?"

"Yeah, like that," the mother fibbed. "Don't worry about me, ok? Try and have some fun while we're here." Henry nodded attentively, though his dazed expression said otherwise. Emma, already tired before the rest of her day began, gave Henry a brief noogie and resumed walking. "Come on, someone's waiting for you."

The very second the door opened, Regina was on her feet and facing the newest guests. In her usual plum-colored suit and black heels, the brunette sucked in a breath as she watched Henry stride towards her. She felt silly in a way; she'd just seen him the day before, but every minute that she didn't find him in his room, know exactly where he was, or what he was doing, she felt like a horrible mother. And above all, she missed him so badly, she thought of burying her heart again— until everything was settled, that is.

The closer Henry got to her, the faster her life source pumped in her chest. Her entire body was shaking by the time the brown-haired teenager had reached the table with Emma closely behind. "Well, it certainly is great to see you again, Henry," Regina beamed in the softest, maternal tone she could muster without bursting into tears.

"You too, uh, Madame Mayor," Henry said, hastily adding her title to show his respect. Regina was convinced his voice had dropped even lower since the previous day.

When Regina looked up and saw Emma, her heart stopped its sprinting, but only for a moment. It was as though a gavel had been slammed down and the extra chatter had ceased around her and the sheriff; what she'd said before came rushing back to Regina, chasing after her like a train. "Ms. Swan," she greeted formally; keeping appearances for Henry's sake, off course.

"Madame Mayor," Emma replied stiffly. Her gray, knit hat sat comfortably on top of her head and allowed for her golden mane to move with the wind. That red, crinkling, leather jacket hugged her torso perfectly; even through the thick material, Regina could see Emma's toned arms. "Henry," Emma's voice brought the mayor back to life, "there's a lead I gotta follow up on and Madame Mayor has offered to keep you company while I'm gone. Is that ok with you?"

Henry shrugged carelessly, "Sure."

His unintentional apathy towards spending the morning with Regina sent a stabbing pain in her chest and she almost fell backwards; if Emma hadn't been glaring at her, Regina probably would have. "I'm sure we can find some things to do in the meantime," she said hoarsely. "There's still much to Storybrooke you haven't seen."

"Right, so, you've both got my number," Emma said. She hoped Henry didn't find anything strange about the fact that the mayor had his mother's phone number. "If you need anything, shoot me a text or call me, ok?" She said this more to Henry than Regina.

"Gotcha," her son gave her a thumbs up.

Emma kissed the top of his head, ruffled his hair once again, and started to make her way for the door. She heard shoes slapping against the floor behind her, but she only increased her speed. "Emma," Regina tempted quietly. "Please, wait."

Mentally kicking herself, Emma shut her eyes and turned to face the woman who made her want to punch a wall and sweep her off her feet at the same time. "What?" she asked with a fresh surge of impatience.

She noticed the flicker of agitation in Regina's chestnut irises, but chose to ignore it. Spinning the ring on her right ring finger, Regina was acting out of character. She never fidgeted when she was nervous, much less showed it in any form. "I… I…"

"Spit it out," Emma groaned, putting all of her energy into acting as annoying as possible. Regina hated when Emma acted smart. "What?" she asked again.

All traces of anxiety vanished from Regina when Emma's lips parted— God, her lips. She had been about to apologize for yesterday, in her own way, but now? Now Emma was going to have to wait; she was going to have use her manners. "Don't get yourself turned into a flying monkey," Regina said heatedly. "The last thing your parents need is for their daughter to be the one they're fighting."

"Why do you care?" Emma snorted. "It's not like it would affect you."

"It would affect Henry," the Queen countered. "In turn, it would, indeed, 'affect' me.'" With that, Regina spun around and sashayed back to her booth with Henry, who'd been nonchalantly reading the menu. If anyone else had caught Emma and Regina's brief conversation, or if they thought their interaction odd, no one said anything. The Queen and the Savior were still in the clear.

David and Hook had been lingering in the forest for Emma without any sort of conversation. Now that he had the last year back safely in his mind, David was slowly starting to recall how he and Hook had left things. And while he understood the pirate's inclinations to find Emma, David couldn't move past the fact that Hook had left the group. Right when life was starting to get worked out in the Forest, the captain had mounted his own horse and just disappeared without another word. So, they stood in silence, Prince Charming and Captain Hook. They let the bullfrogs and the cicadas hiding in bushes and trees serve as their music.

When Emma drove up, David's entire demeanor changed; he went from an awkward 17 year-old with a grudge, to a valiant warrior ready to fight. The same went for Hook. He'd drawn his blade when he saw the yellow Bug sputtering up the hill. He was hoping he'd have a moment alone with Emma, a chance to atone for his earlier actions.

"There aren't a lot of places she could hide here; this place is smaller than a factory," Emma thought out loud as trekked through the damp dirt. "She obviously wouldn't stay anywhere in town. Hook you take everything from the well westward," she instructed. "David and I will go east."

Somewhat disappointed, Killian Jones masked it with a simple question. "And how should I contact you if I find something— a messenger dove?"

"Take this," David offered his phone apprehensively. "Hold down number two and we'll get you."

"Don't you need that?" Emma asked her father.

"If Mary Margaret can't reach me on mine, she'll call you," David reasoned. While he wasn't fond of giving Hook his cellphone, it was a nice break from being rung up every five minutes.

"Ok, then let's do this. Let's find this wicked bitch." Emma and David broke away from Hook and the trio began their search.

It wasn't exactly the warmest weather Storybrooke had seen, as winters go. A frigid fog encompassed the entire forest, making even the tallest of trees undetectable. The breaking of twigs and rubbing of rocks were Emma and David's only guides through the blinding smoke. At one point, they were walking with their hands out in front of them in hopes they'd feel something before they rammed into it.

A half hour into their trail, David decided he'd had enough with waiting. "What was Hook talking about when he said you were going to marry someone?"

For the first time since she'd gotten to the woods, Emma was glad they were hidden in the fog. That way, David couldn't see the scrunched up look on her face. "It's no big deal; it didn't work out."

"But it almost did," David pushed. "Who was he?"

"That's a good question," Emma quipped. "I knew him as Walsh, but apparently, he had wings and claws, so… I'm still not sure."

"Were you in love with him?" the father barreled on. All of the times he'd wondered how Emma was doing, where she was, what she was doing… he was finally learning about her year away, though it wasn't going quite how he'd imagined. A couple seconds of silence passed and David felt as though he'd ruined the entire thing. "I'm sorry. That was brash. It's just—"

"I get it," his daughter said. With the heaviest sigh she'd ever taken, Emma figured there was no harm in participating. "I guess was in love with who I thought he was. He was nice to me and Henry. It's not easy finding someone who's willing to date you and your kid. But, you know, I'm not really disappointed that it got messed up… I'm disappointed that I didn't see it."

"That's not on you, Emma. You couldn't see it," David comforted. If he knew where she was, he would have given her a hug. Correction: he would have tried to give her a hug.

"Yeah, well, I should've anyway," the princess muttered. "Can I ask you something? What was your fear? What was so bad that you couldn't tell anyone?"

Now it was David's turn to scrunch up his face. He followed the sound of Emma's cloak rubbing together and he let that be his calming focal point. "Something I should have confronted a long time ago."

Emma glanced back in the direction of David's voice. "That doesn't answer my question."

"Trust me, I've got under control now."

Deciding not to push him too far, even if he did it to her, Emma let it go. She figured that she knew David well enough by now that he'd tell her when he was ready. Instead, Emma's interest turned into relief as the haze finally lifted. The gray sky above and the towering trees were now visible, as well as the ground beneath their feet. How far they'd gone, Emma wasn't sure. What they arrived at, however, was far more disconcerting.

"David, what—"

David yanked on Emma's arm and held a finger to his mouth. Just below the dip in the earth, in a clearing untouched by trees or fallen branches, lay nine, furry, snoring creatures. Their chests rose three feet into the air with every breath they took and a couple of them twitched involuntarily.

To her left, Emma saw Hook standing at the edge of the cliff and even from a distance, it was clear that he was as shocked as they were. With David's cell phone in his hand, the pirate had only his hook to defend himself. He inclined forward just a bit, but it was a bit too far: his half step sent rocks falling straight into the open area and landed on one of the beings.

"Emma," David whispered, staring at the flying monkey who was stirring in his spot on the ground. "Run."

Henry ordered strawberry pancakes with whip cream, all the while unaware that that's what he use to get. Because he was a VIP, his meal came out just minutes after the order was placed and set right in front of him. Red dropped off syrup and extra strawberries, just like Henry liked it. He thanked the woman with red hair cordially and proceeded to dig in.

While the growing boy devoured his breakfast, Regina simply sat across from him and watched him eat. She observed all of the ways that he'd changed in the last year, and then all of the ways that he was still her little boy. His voice may have gotten deeper, and he may have gained a few inches, but he still had the same light in his eyes. Henry cut his flapjacks into triangles and poured the syrup on after they were all sliced, as always; the thick maple gooeyness drizzled down, through the batter. He was too hungry to be bothered by the mayor's constant gaze.

Henry finished in just a few bites and a content sigh escaped his nose; he politely wiped his mouth with his napkin and set his silverware on his empty plate, using the etiquette Emma (Regina) had instilled in him. Granny's Diner almost measured up to his mother's cooking— almost. "Um," he said after biting back a yawn, "thank you for breakfast. It's really nice of you."

Regina pushed her coffee cup to the side and gave Henry a tightlipped grin, one that compressed all of agony and joy into one simple gesture. "It's my pleasure. I know how much you love pancakes."

"What?"

"I… I mean," Regina fumbled desperately, "your mother told me it was your favorite meal." She was already berating herself for letting such an important detail slip. Regina could only imagine what Emma would say if she'd been there to witness the blunder.

"She did?" Henry asked, perplexed. It's kind of a weird piece of trivia to tell a stranger about your child… unless Emma and Regina weren't strangers. It would explain why they'd been acting so odd towards each other. "Do you know my mom? Like, do you know her from the last time she was here?"

"Yes," Regina answered without missing a beat. To cover her hasty answer, she added, "We worked together on a previous case once. I had some information she thought was valuable."

"Oh," Henry said, as if that was all the explanation he needed. "And was it?"

"Was what?"

"Was the information valuable?"

Regina's mind suddenly rewound to the day the first curse had been broken and the events that lead up to it: Emma finding out magic was real, Henry laying unconscious in the hospital bed, Emma throwing her against the cart in the linen closet, Emma fighting a dragon, Henry waking up by Emma's kiss… Emma. "It was," Regina confirmed. "I like to believe it did some good."

"That's cool," the maturing man nodded.

As Henry and Regina's conversation lagged, the door to the restaurant swung open and Regina recoiled instinctively. A man and his young son came waltzing in, and soon, he found on the woman he was looking for. But, then, he also saw the boy sitting across from her. Unfortunately, it was too late to turn back now.

"Regina!" his son cheered as he ran up to the Queen. Roland threw his arms around the flustered woman and was deeply hurt when she didn't hug him back. The dimpled-child stared up at the intimidating figure, shrugged away, and ran back to his father.

"Is that your kid?" Henry inquired.

Regina felt as if her head was about to explode. She started to have trouble breathing and her hands became clammy, tingly. "No, he's not," she said bluntly. "Excuse me for a moment." For the second time, Regina left Henry sitting alone and marched up to the man at the bar, ready to rip out his heart. "How dare you!" she barked. Everyone turned heads, including Henry. "Are you insane?!"

Robin held onto a frightened Roland and cradled his head. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were with your son."

"That's not the point! You can not just show up whenever the spirit moves you, do you understand? This is not our world; your actions have consequences far greater than anything I could do to you!" With steam blowing from her ears, Regina leaned in closer to Robin until his body heat stetted out towards her. "Do not come near my son again. If you want to discuss something, leave a message at my office. Otherwise, well, you know what I'm capable of."

Robin, who was accustomed to Regina's rage by now, hardly flinched at her authority. "Yes, but will you do it is what I want to know."

Nearly touching noses, Regina and her fiancee engaged in a treacherous staring contest. Their last year together flashed before her eyes: the times they'd talked about things she'd never told anyone, the way she'd been open with him. It was clear he still had feelings towards the Queen, but Regina was harder to right then, even for Robin.

Of all the times to catch her in, Emma came barging into the room with a crazed look, out of breath, and sweating profusely. She was pale, almost too pale; all color had been lost from her cheeks, and her pupils were dilated. Anyone would have guessed she'd just seen a ghost.

The mayor moved away from the thief without hesitation and felt her knees go weak when she saw Emma. It was a different sensation than when she was around Robin; it was stronger, like a magnetic pull that she couldn't escape. She felt things with Robin, but it wasn't the same; it wasn't as invigorating.

"What is is?" Regina prompted, now with five feet of room between herself and the man with the beard.

"Mom, you ok?" Henry stood by the table, already putting his coat and scarf back on.

Emma shoved past her dislike for Robin Hood and acted as though she hadn't just seen Regina within kissing distance from him. After giving Robin a murderous glare, Emma looked directly at the brunette and said, "We've got a problem."

The group reconvened together in the mayor's office. Hook, Charming, and Regina all waited for Emma to get back from dropping Henry off with Mary Margaret. Regina was restless in her chair as she let the information sink in. "A nest? The flying monkeys have formed a nest?" she inquired doubtfully.

"More like an army. Just under a dozen of them. They're bloody monsters," Hook said. The pirate used his good leg to support his entire weight, as he was rather uncomfortable sitting in the Queen's quarters.

"My guess is they're the people who've been disappearing," said David, his gun showing under his coat.

Emma arrived then, just after David made his hunch known. She didn't even bother to look at Regina; she was too furious at the mayor, for reasons no one else could ever possibly understand. To be honest, she wasn't even sure she understood them. "Henry's safe," she muttered. "Mary Margaret's talking to some woman, but he doesn't seem to care."

"Zelena," David said. "She's the midwife."

Regina froze in her seat when David dropped the bomb. The muscles in her neck twitched violently as she pressed her palms onto her desk and pushed herself up. "What did you just say?"

"The woman with Snow, her name's Zelena. She's offered to help deliver the baby," the Prince relayed innocently. At Regina's clenched jaw, David brushed past Hook and positioned himself in front of her. "Regina," he started, "what's going on—"

"Go home, stay with your wife, act normal, and say nothing," Regina ordered.

"Regina—"

"David, listen to me." Regina rarely used the man's first name, so he knew this was important. Ms. Mills addressed the deputy, and only the deputy. "Do not say anything to Snow, all right? You have to trust me on this."

While the two had a past full of feuds, dark magic, trickery, and bloodshed, David had never trusted Regina more than he did in this moment. He had to follow her instructions, he knew it. Too revved to bid farewell, David ran out of the office and dashed back to his wife and grandson.

"What was that about?" Hook was about to ask the same thing. "Regina?" Emma waved a hand before the woman's eyes. "Hey!"

"Take me to the monkeys," said Regina. "Now."

"Not until you tell us what just happened," the Savior challenged.

"I have to agree with Swan," Hook said, unnecessarily so. He still had yet to realize he was not a part of this connection. Until then, he was just an unwelcome distraction in Emma's mind.

Regina waited too long to answer Emma's question, and the blonde figured it out. "She's not…"

"She's not what?" Hook tried interpret.

Emma curled her hands into tight fists, wanting very much to swing at the man with the earring. "Can you, like, give us a sec?" Hook moped his way outside into the hall and Emma closed the door behind him. "Regina, remember, I can tell when you're lying. So, tell me. Is the lady with my mother… is she the Wicked Witch?" This time, Regina's flagrant reluctance launched Emma into a rant that she'd been holding in for the past 36 hours. "This unbelievable— it's fucking unbelievable! Goddammit, I can't do this! It's too much! It's bullshit— it's all a load of bullshit! Jesus Christ, this town! I should've just stayed in New York and away form Hook! I never should have come back!"

"Then why did you?!" Regina demanded, deeply offended at Emma's words. "If this is beyond your capabilities as the all mighty Savior, why the hell didn't you stay away?"

"You know why," Emma argued. In one, graceful bound, she had Regina's face in her hands and her lips crushed against the mayor's.

But Regina fought back this time; she tore free of Emma's hold and reeled away from her. "We are not doing this, Emma! Do you hear me? We are not doing this!"

"Then what the hell are we doing?!"

Straightening her jacket and fixing her hair to look presentable, Regina put on her best Queen's appearance and put on her coat. "You are taking me to this den. And then I am going to destroy the Wicked Witch. Is that clear?"

"David, you're home early," Snow said right before her husband pecked her nose. Zelena was at the opposite side of the table, her fire-toned curls hung past her shoulders. She had a bright, green amulet around her neck, something David hadn't noticed before.

Henry sat on the couch, glued to his video game. He was far from the Henry that David had known. His grandson would have ambushed him right when he got home and bombarded David with questions. Now, he just stayed to himself, never to be parted with his device.

"I had a break, figured I'm come and see you," the Prince lied easily— too easily for his own liking. "I was thinking about what you said yesterday," he continued. "You know, about the anxiety over this new baby. I want to be present for everything, Snow, and I want to help ensure its safety— and yours. So, here I am… with you guys." His back was dripping with beads of sweat and he worked his damn-hardest to prevent his forehead from revealing his nerves.

"That is so lovely," the British woman commended; her dazzling red lipstick moved up and down as she spoke. The whole scene couldn't have made her even more nauseas if she tried. "That's what I love to see: a doting father-to-bed. Now, where were we? Oh, right, you were just telling me about your other daughter: Emma."

"What is that you're going to do, exactly? Turn them all into rabbits?" Hook mocked.

Regina replied without giving him the satisfaction of seeing her disgusted scowl. "It's more than you can do, is it not?"

Emma lead the pack through the woods, having memorized her way back to the hive. She'd only been there once, but it's not exactly something a person could ever forget— even with a curse. The Savior had decided it was best just to keep her mouth shut and not talk to either of the adults behind her. She thought she'd said enough; besides, no matter what came flying out, it never ended well.

Although Emma knew her way through the forest, it seemed to be taking longer than before. Than again, that could have been due to the vociferous lull among the three. The bickering stopped and they traveled the rest of the way keeping to themselves. It was as though they'd been rebuked by a teacher and all Emma thought about was, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

After an agonizing forty-five minutes, they finally stumbled upon the unconscious brood of demons. Emma counted several times to make sure they were all still there. Nine had been curled into balls when she left and nine were still tucked together when they got back, all drooling on each other. The humans were cautious in their steps and made sure to avoid walking over any twigs; the last thing they wanted to do was wake the beasts.

When nothing happened, when they monkey's showed no signs of recognition, Regina removed her gloves and raised her hands over the clearing. To strengthen her concentration, she closed her eyes and blocked out Emma's deliberate surveillance. Immediately, she felt a sharp tugging in the pit of her stomach, as if a rope had been tied around her and she were being yanked through the air. She choked perilously to take in the oxygen her lungs so badly needed, which only increased the spectators' alarm. This is what magic really felt like; it wasn't a warm, bubbly feeling and it didn't smell like cherry pie, it was unpleasant and distressing.

The vicious torment came to an end and Regina was released from the invisible clutches. "That's something you don't come across everyday," Hook whistled. He craned his neck over the edge just enough to get a better view. He was tempted to reach out for the purple glow, but soon thought better of it.

"That should hold them for a while," Regina hypothesized as she slid her fingers back into the leather warmers. The magical protection charm she'd conjured was the strongest of its kind, even more secure than the one she'd put on her castle. She didn't use blood this time, for obvious reasons. No, she used something else— something the Wicked Witch had no way of breaking through.

"A while?" Emma asked, shattering her internal vow of silence. "How long is 'a while.'"

"Long enough," said Regina. There was an apparent raspiness to Regina's tone, as if she'd just woken up from an endless slumber. "When we get back, do not leave Henry's side," she said to Emma. "Do not let him out of your sight and do not let him near anyone in town. If you stay with your parents, it only puts him in more danger."

"Pardon me, but have I missed something?" Hook was like a pesky fly: he left when you swatted at him, but he returned as soon as you let your guard down. Emma knew she couldn't just squash him, but there seemed to be very few options.

"What are you gonna do?" There was something off about Regina, something Emma only sensed a few times before.

"Nothing," Regina assured. "For now."

"Kid?" Emma entered the loft vigilantly, but not before double-checking to make sure she had her gun. Whether or not it would work on the Wicked Witch of the West was yet to be seen; if Emma had her vices, she wouldn't even have to try.

"Hey Mom," Henry said without taking his eyes off of his game. Avatars grunting and shots being fired rang from the tiny speakers, but the boy hardly even blinked. Emma wondered whether or not Regina would have bought him such a braincell-destroyer.

Snow, David, and Zelena were all at the table together, gleefully talking the time away. Actually, Snow and Zelena were the only light-hearted ones, David couldn't have looked more miserable. He'd been trying to decode Regina's wannabe-message, but so far, he kept coming up short. All he knew was that Zelena triggered something for the brunette and it wasn't good.

"Emma, hi," Snow waddled towards her first-born, though not too motherly in front of Henry. "How's the case going?"

Emma shook her head forcefully and waved a hand over her throat, a wordless "cut it out." Zelena, luckily enough, hadn't heard Snow. "So, here's the thing Mary Margaret," Emma said loudly. This- she wanted Zelena to listen to. "I don't think we can stay here anymore. It's too crowded. I'm gonna see if Henry and I can stay at the Inn, ok?"

By her daughter's purposeful declaration, Snow realized something wasn't right and played along. "I see," she said and matched Emma's volume. "All right, if you feel that's what's best. We'll see you around, then." Emma grabbed hers and Henry's bags, escorted her son through the doorway, and let out the breath she'd been holding in. Henry didn't even get the chance to ask what was going on before he was shooed into the street.

Before Emma and Regina came back into town, they'd devised a plan so thorough, it had to be foolproof— one Captain Hook was unaware of. Regina still hadn't admitted how she knew Zelena, but for the time being, it didn't matter. The two women agreed that Henry's safety, as well as the safety of Emma's parents were at the top of the triage list.

To create the illusion that they really were staying at the Inn, Emma and Henry entered Granny's Bed and Breakfast. Regina was at the bottom of the stairs, ready to teleport them when they were. It was beyond risky, but she and Emma had come to the conclusion that Henry had to know; keeping him in the dark made him more vulnerable than telling him the truth.

"Mom, what are we doing here?" Henry peered up at Emma. He scanned the small lobby and glanced at the empty desk. They were the only ones there.

The mother disregarded the increase in her heartbeat and the tremor in her hands as she lied to Henry for the last time. "Regina's gonna help us find a place to crash for now."

Regina approached the confused teenager and laid a hand on his shoulder, the way he had the day they'd left. "I'm sorry about this, Henry. Please, forgive me." With a nod of approval from Emma, a violet swirl of smoke engulfed the trio, lifting them off the ground, and twisting their insides as if they were on a roller coaster. Then, before they could get too motion sick, they arrived in the main room of the mayor's mansion.

Emma remembered it well; the first time she met the mayor and the many brawls she and Regina had gotten into. But Henry had no clue where he was. It was a foreign to him as the rest of the town. He wobbled backwards, fell on his left elbow, howled in pain. When Regina moved to help him- to heal him- he crawled away from her until he hit the wall and supported his injured limb. "Henry," Emma knelt next to him, but he was equally afraid of her. "There's something you need to know."