Her own ragged breath woke Regina up. She shot into sitting position, gasping for air, desperately needing her lungs to expand and cooperate. She sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, practising the calming technique she had learned in her teenage years.

Her eyes open roamed around the dark bedroom. Regina didn't dare to close them and see the pictures again, she wasn't ready to face it just yet. She felt her silk pyjamas sticking with sweat to her midsection and back. She shifted in the bed and her feet touched the ground. She rose up and walked to her closet for new pyjamas. She changed and opened a window, standing by and letting the cold night breeze soothe her.

"I'm sorry Emma," she whispered and wished she could be heard by somebody else than the sky full of stars. She wished Emma could see them too. To be safe here at home.

With a sigh, she turned around to her bed, seeing it was only 4am. Deciding that she couldn't do anything helpful by staying awake and being cranky a few hours later, she climbed back into the bed, but this time she pushed the sheets away. Maybe those sheets were the arms that restrained her from being able to help Emma in her nightmare.

Like Robin's in her real-life daytime nightmare.

She woke up in the morning after a few hours of what nobody could call a peaceful sleep. She got dressed and walked into Henry's room, tiptoeing to his bed. She leant over him, pushed a stray of hair from his forehead and placed a soft kiss there.

"Mom?" Henry said sleepily and half-opened his eyes.

"Good morning," Regina whispered with a smile. "Henry, I'm going to visit Ariel and Eric now, I'll be back soon. Can I leave you here alone?"
"Sure Mom, don't worry."

"I will lock the door, and you have breakfast when you get up," Regina said and Henry calmed her by squeezing her hand.

"I will be fine, Mom, go."
Regina nodded and straightened up. "Bye."

"Bye," Henry mumbled and buried his head into the pillow again.

After a ride in her car with nervous tapping on the steering wheel, she ended up in front of Ariel's and Eric's house. She took a deep breath and knocked. It took a few seconds until the door opened and behind them stood the redhead in green leggings and oversized violet T-shirt, very likely her pyjamas.

"Oh. Good morning Madam Mayor, is anything wrong?" Ariel asked and instinctively tightened her grip on the edge of the door.

"I apologize for intrusion this early… Nothing is wrong, I just have a couple of questions. I know it's a lot to ask after having done you so much injustice in the past, but I am sorry Arielle, I really am." Regina said to Ariel without breaking eye contact.

The redhead was left speechless, again in her life, but stepped aside and motioned for Regina to come in.

"Thank you," Regina nodded and walked in.

Once Ariel found her voice again, she led her to the living room.

"May I offer you a tea or coffee?" Ariel asked, nervously fiddling with her fingers.

"No, thank you, I don't want to be a burden."

"Okay," Ariel nodded again and sat down next to Regina, but with a safe distance between them. "Well, you said you wanted to ask something? Should I call Eric?"

"I don't think it would be necessary… It's about Ursula." Regina started and could see that Ariel twitched lightly. Still she continued.

"She has a sister, Morgana, do you know about her?"

"Not much in particular. My daddy told me about Ursula, because she wanted to get the throne. He said that Morgana went after the same target, but in all of their lives, Ursula was… liked more, was more competent and skilled, with magic, you know. So the trident meant not only power for her, but also revenge to Ursula and their mother… But my daddy always won over her."
"Always?" Regina asked with a slight tilt of her head.

"Well, she tried many times as she got stronger, but she was never strong enough to defeat my daddy." Ariel explained and waited for Regina to ask more questions.

Regina nodded and with eyes casted down, she was sorting her thoughts.

"How did you defeat her?"

"Magic." Ariel shrugged.

"Is there anything in particular that would be considered as her and possibly her sister's weakness?" Regina asked slowly as she was organizing the questions in her whirling mind.

Ariel hesitated for a while and then shook her head. "I don't really know."

Regina's eyebrows briefly shot up and then her features sagged with sadness.

"Is this because of Emma?" Ariel reached out with her hand towards Regina's knee but jerked away before she touched her. "Was it Morgana who took Emma away?"
"How do you know about it?"
"Rumours spread quickly in this town… And Emma is an important person to us all."

Regina sighed, "She really is."
"So was it her? Was it Morgana?"
"We have serious reasons to believe so. Gold told me the location Emma disappeared to, and Belle helped me find out who placed the curse." Regina explained and she suddenly felt like she was wasting so much time because talking to the couple seemed like long ago.

"I appreciate your help, thank you." Regina said and rose up to her feet. "I will have to go…"
"Wait a second please." Ariel shot up as well. "Emma is in another land, right?"

"Yes, she is in the Enchanted Forest." Regina agreed and waited for Ariel to continue her train of thoughts.

"Do you have a way to get there?"

"Not yet," Regina admitted a hole in her plan.

"I see," Ariel nodded and her eyes darted to a side and she suppressed a tiny smile. "Well, I hope you do well."

"Thank you Ariel. Goodbye." Regina said and Ariel closed the door behind her.

Regina pushed her hands deep inside the pockets of her coat and with clicking of her heels she made her way to her car. Her phone buzzed with a new text message.

"Hey Mom, how about we meet at Granny's for lunch? It's nearly lunchtime and you have enough things to worry about than last-minute cooking."

Regina's lips curled into a touched smile. He was so kind and caring, just like his birth mother. That was one of the inherited traits that Regina found lovable, but wouldn't easily admit it.

"I can pick you up and drive us there, I'm at home in five minutes."

Regina sent the message and sat into her car, waiting for Henry's answer to know which direction she should head to.

"No need, I'm on my way already. Be there in 10."

So Regina started the engine and drove to Granny's diner, sitting in their usual booth.

In a few moments, Ruby was at her table.

"Madam Mayor, what would it be today?"

"I will order when Henry arrives," Regina dismissed her politely and Ruby left her with a nod and smile.

Regina heard the door opening, so she turned around to see if it was Henry. It wasn't. But still the person walked towards the place she was sitting and slid opposite her.

"Tinker Bell?" Regina's brow shot up in question of what the blonde was doing there.

"Hi Regina." Tinker Bell smiled at her

"Is there a particular reason you are sitting here right now?"

"There is actually. I have something for you." The blonde smiled secretively and outstretched her arm, grasping something hidden in her palm. Regina hesitantly reached out and held her palm open under Tinker Bell's fist. The girl let go of what she was hiding and closed Regina's fingers around it with her own hands.

"I know you will use it well." She whispered and smiled encouragingly.

Regina's confused eyes darted from Tinker Bell's to her hand. She eased the grasp with her fingers and saw two brightly glowing silver beans.

"Magic beans?" Regina's surprise was obvious as she met Tinker Bell's gaze.

"I'm giving you a second chance."

"You already gave me a second chance," Regina reminded her of Robin, as if she needed a reminder.

Tinker Bell sighed and thought for a moment if she should tell Regina everything or just a part of it.

"I was wrong. I knew the place to find your true love, but I was there at the wrong time. I'm sorry that I put you through the pain… That we both went through so much pain. Let me redeem myself by giving you the right second chance."

"Who is it then?" Regina subconsciously leaned in, feeling drawn by the possibility of knowing.

"I can't tell you that just yet, I'm sorry." Tinker Bell apologized and lifted herself, sliding out of the booth.

Regina looked into her palm again and then turned to leaving fairy.
"Thank you."

"You're welcome Regina," Tinker Bell smiled and walked out of the diner, meeting Henry in the doorway.

"Hi Mom," Henry said cheerfully and sat opposite Regina. "What's going on?" He asked when he saw her bewildered expression.

"Tinker Bell gave me magic beans." Regina said in quiet voice and showed him.

"Great! You can find Emma now!" Henry's excitement was evident.

"I know." Regina's lips spread into a wide smile. "But let's have lunch first."