Regina's mood shifted into angry determination as her heels announced her arrival to Gold's pawnshop.
"Oh, Madam Mayor. How can I help you?" Rumple said in his typical mocking voice.
"What happened to her?" Regina stopped only when a counter came into her way and she leaned over it, forming a threatening posture.
"I am afraid I don't know what you are talking about."
"The curse which came for me. What was it? What did it do?!" Regina demanded, wanting information and being determined to walk out only when she has some.
"You mean the one that swallowed our dear Saviour who sacrificed for you? That's going to be one lovely plot twist for the story book."
"Did you cast it?!" Regina pressed, leaning even closer towards him.
"As much as I wish I could say so, it wasn't me." Rumple scrunched his nose as he dropped his tone lower.
"Who was it then?" Regina's nails dug into the wood of the counter.
"I am afraid I don't know that. Somebody who wanted you. Difficult to say, you've known to have made lots of enemies."
"Was that a killing curse?" Regina's voice lost the anger for the first time since arriving there. It was voice of the scared little girl still living deep inside her.
"Worry not, this curse was of a different kind." Rumplestiltskin said, obviously revelling in Regina's anguish.
"So Emma's alive! But where is she?!" Regina hid the briefly escaping relief behind a mask.
"Prying information from me just like that? I don't think that will work, dearie."
"What do you want?"
"I want to make a deal."
"What a shocker. " Regina mumbled sarcastically. "What does the deal require?"
She asked, but it didn't matter. As long as it wasn't hurting Henry, she would do anything to get Emma back. No matter the price.
"I tell you the information, but you must bring me something. The curse trapped our Saviour into another land."
"Another land? Neverland? Wonderland? The Enchanted Forest?" Regina spat the questions in a rush, desperate to know the answer.
"A kingdom of a dark sorceress. Living at the west shore of the arctic sea in the Enchanted Forest."
Regina thought furiously. She needed to create a portal then. She thought about the options she had until Rumplestiltskin reminded her she was still in his shop. What was worse, now she owed him something.
"The price is simple. I need you to bring me the necklace the sorceress is wearing."
"Okay." Regina nodded, the centre of her worry was at different place than that. She turned on her heel and walked out of the shop.
"Enjoy the trip, your Majesty." Rumplestiltskin snickered behind her.
Regina's mind was already whirling with a To-Do list. But she needed information first.
She aimed to the town's library. She was nervous to walk in, so she stopped in front of the door and took a few calming breaths before knocking.
"Come in?" Belle's voice called from the inside, and confusion could be heard in her voice since nobody ever knocked on library doors.
Regina hesitantly opened and poked he head in before insecurely stepping inside.
"Good evening, Madam Mayor," Belle greeted her and her eyes were glinting with compassion. She wasn't really a friend of either of the women, but everybody could see how far they had gotten and how much they'd grown to care about each other and Belle was sorry to see the bond being ripped in half.
"Good evening." Regina said back, playing with her fingers while gaining courage to ask. "Belle, I know I've done horrible things to you-"
"All forgiven, you've redeemed yourself," Belle interrupted her softly and smiled reassuringly when Regina looked at her.
"Would I be overstepping if I asked for your help?"
"I will do what's in my powers to help you find Emma. What can I do?"
Regina was amazed of how this girl could just see the best in everybody.
"I need some information, but I don't really know where to look, and I've heard that you have extraordinary knowledge about the books in here."
Belle smiled and nodded. "What is it that we're looking for?"
"There's a kingdom of an evil sorceress in the Enchanted Forest. She lives on the west shore of the arctic sea."
"I think I know what you mean, but there isn't much about her in here, just the name and her family tree, I think. Just a moment," Belle said, but motioned for Regina to follow her. She took an old leather bound book from the shelf and started leafing through.
Regina was watching the pages of the book and peeked at Belle from time to time to see any change in her expression, signalizing success or failure.
"Here it is!" Belle pointed approximately in the second third of the book and turned it in her arms towards Regina. "This," she pointed to a name in a family tree, "is Morgana. Her ancestors always lived in that sea, so I think it's safe to assume it was her, because her clan has been known with having magic powers."
"Ursula? Is that The Ursula?" Regina pointed to the name on the right from Morgana. "Is it her sister?"
Belle took a look at the page again and nodded in confirmation. "That's her."
"You've helped a great deal Belle. I don't know how to make it up for you in return." Regina said gratefully, sliding her fingers across the yellowed book page.
"That's what I am here for." Belle shrugged and put the book back in the shelf. "If there's anything else-?"
"No, that's all, thank you."
"You're welcome." Belle smiled at her and hesitated before continuing. "Good luck in finding her."
Regina's throat tightened, so she only nodded in return before striding out again.
Regina checked the time and decided it was already too late for another visit. She would have to continue in the morning. She mentally planned everything she had to do the next day, but opted for organizing one thing just that evening.
She took out her phone and dialed Mary Margaret's number. The beeping sounds echoed for long time until the call ended itself. Regina tried it again, but when the situation repeated, she couldn't help it but go check on the Uncharmings. It took her a few minutes in rushed pace until she found herself urgently knocking on the door of their apartment.
After a few moments, the door finally opened and tired looking David gave Regina questioning look.
"Good evening Regina, what's wrong?"
"I've been trying to reach you on the phone…" Regina said, her voice only mildly colored with accusation.
"Oh, sorry, I probably overheard it… Neal's been crying for hours…" David sighed and shrugged, his posture giving out exhaustion.
"I thought Mary Margaret had a trick on that?" Regina asked him. One day ago, she would be certain to never admit she noticed that, but the sight in front of her shifted something in her.
"She does, yeah." David said, and looked to his right, somewhere in the apartment, where Regina couldn't see. "But she's not exactly in a state when she would apply that trick."
"What does that mean?"
David opened the door a bit more, to offer Regina a better sight. There was Mary Margaret, sitting on the bed in slouched position, unmoving.
"It's like after Cora… She hasn't talked or moved since we got home."
Regina's gaze flew between Mary Margaret and David, weighing her options and staying silent.
"Why did you come here?" David ripped her from her thought process.
"I was going to ask you if you could take care of Henry tomorrow. I have to run some errands concerning my plan for finding Emma." Regina explained in low voice – somehow the sight of depressed person made her talk quieter, like people do in hospitals or at funerals.
David looked at his wife.
"Actually I think we could. Henry is quite good with Neal too, maybe he could help me do something…" he mused and looked at Regina again. "What time will you drop him off?"
"Would 9am be acceptable? He will probably want to go to the library after lunch, so you won't have to look after him the whole day…"
"Okay, no problem. We'll expect him tomorrow morning." David gave her a smile, but it disappeared when the sound of Neal's crying pierced the air.
"I can try to soothe him, I've experienced a fair share of sleepless nights when Henry wouldn't stop crying…?" Regina offered after peeking inside at Mary Margaret and seeing no reaction.
"I would appreciate that greatly," David said and opened the door wide for her to come in. "He's in the crib."
Regina nodded and slightly rolled her eyes – it was enough to follow the noise. She leaned over the edge of the crib and took Neal to her arms, softly rocking him in her embrace. She walked through the apartment, whispering a lullaby to the baby and softly patting him over the diaper. David sat down in the armchair, rubbed his eyes with heels of his palms and then his gaze followed Regina around the room. It took a few minutes, but Neal eventually fell asleep and Regina tucked him back in the bed.
"Thank you so much," David whispered when he walked her towards the door. "You didn't use magic though, did you?"
"On a baby? Are you serious?" Regina looked at him with hurt in her eyes.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean that-"
"It's okay…" Regina sighed and looked to the floor.
"It's just that Snow's always worried and doesn't want him to be around any magic…" David explained and that made Regina look up. "When she's that anxious, she forgets what good magic brought us and remembers only the bad, so she wants to protect him…"
Regina nodded in understanding, not needing or wanting him to continue.
"I have to get home to Henry, it's late," she whispered instead.
"You're right. Thank you again. Goodnight Regina.."
"Goodnight," she said, turned around on her heels and rushed back home.
She turned the key in the lock and walked inside.
"Mom?" Henry called and ran out of the kitchen.
"Hello Henry-"
"I was worried where you are! Are you hungry? I'm making pizza." He said proudly and only then Regina noticed the smell filling the air.
"Isn't it late for dinner?" Regina asked and her lips curled when her son showed perfect Emma-eye roll.
"I'm all ready, showered, homework done, I was only waiting for you to come home and have a dinner with me, you know we always eat together. So where have you been?" Henry asked and led Regina to the kitchen with him.
"I was at your grandparents, asking them to look after you tomorrow from 9am, but you can go to library in the afternoon," Regina explained as they both leaned against the kitchen counter.
"What are you going to do?"
"I have to find out information about what happened to Emma and make a plan for saving her."
"You believe she's okay?" Henry asked, his voice reflecting all the hope he had.
"Gold told me she is-"
"REALLY?" Henry jumped up.
"I went to talk to him and he said the curse brought her to another land, but she's alive."
"That's great! What land?"
"The Enchanted Forest, the west shore of arctic sea."
"And who casted it?"
"A sorceress named Morgana."
Henry nodded, his face scrunched as he thought furiously. "I don't know her… I'll look in the library tomorrow! So, what's your plan?"
"Finding information is the first step. I need to know what are her powers and her weaknesses before I dive in unthinkingly."
"So you're going to the Enchanted Forest? May I come with you?" Henry pressed and used his best puppy eyes look, which he had probably learned from his other mother.
"I'm sorry Henry, it's too dangerous…"
Henry sighed deeply. "You never let me do anything adventurous."
"Confronting dark sorceress isn't an adventure, it's very dangerous and I couldn't bear if I lost you there. I doubt she will give Emma up without a fight, and she will aim for my weakness, which is you." Regina explained in tender, yet worried voice.
"So I'll help with the information." Henry said and crossed the kitchen to hug her.
"Thank you," Regina whispered and wrapped her arms around him.
That was the time when over gave a little ping – dinner was ready.
