Wind blowing in her hair and the ground lightly touching under her feet, Lena ran fast between the trees. Quickly maneuvering her body at sudden changes on her path. Ruby was only a step behind her. They were both laughing in the wind. At a small creek they took a break to catch their breath.

"Wow. You have become really fast. I could barely keep up" Ruby panted.

"Just been running a lot the past couple of months" Lena said, looking away from Ruby.

"Now why don't I believe that's the only explanation."

"I don't know what to tell you other than there's nothing more to say" on that note Lena took off in a run.

"Hey, wait up Lena" Ruby called out and started the pursuit. Luckily she quickly caught up with the girl: "Can't we just talk for a while…without running."

"I don't wanna talk…I already talked to Dr. Hopper enough yesterday."

"I know you did. But I'm your friend, remember…Maybe there are things I could help with."

"Like what."

"I don't know…Maybe the animal-like behavior your showing." That got Lena's attention. She stopped running so abruptly that Ruby almost slipped on the leaves on the ground trying to react to Lena's move.

"I don't do anything animal-like" Lena protested.

"Oh no?" Ruby looked at Lena with questionable eyes: "How about sleeping outside."

"I'm used to. I've slept outside most of my life" Lena protested.

"And jumping from tree to tree. That's not something you did in the enchanted forest. At least not that advanced."

"I've practiced a lot."

"Like your running, huh. It's not the only thing that's changed. Your eyes are different too."

Lena looked away: "I don't know what you want me to say."

"How about the truth."

"You want the truth?" Lena was getting upset. All the emotions were building up in her and she didn't think she would able to keep them in any longer: "The truth about how Elliot protected me against a curse and that he is gone now? Except of course for his freaking soul that seems to be living inside my head now. That ever since I woke up in Storybrooke I haven't had a good night of sleep without any nightmares about Elliot trying to warn me about all sorts of things? That even during the day I keep hear him talking to me and that the only way I can get some peace and quiet is by running?...Is that what you want to hear?"

Ruby watched how the tears were rolling down Lena's cheeks. She herself was stupefied and didn't know what to say next. After a couple dozen seconds of silence, except for the soft sobbing of Lena, Ruby finally spoke: "Elliot, he's inside you?"

Lena nodded: "I don't have any other explanation for why else I would hear him speak all the time. Or, like you said, why I suddenly can run so fast and jump trees like that."

Ruby stepped closer to her young friend and pulled her into a strong hug. "It's gonna be okay" she said softly: "I will help you any way I can."

Lena continued to sob. She gratefully accepted the hug and knew she could count on her friend.

"Have you told this to Regina?" Ruby asked after a while.

"No…and you can't either" Lena said, pulling out of the hug.

"Don't you think she deserves to know. Maybe she can even help you."

"No…I don't want her to know."

"Why not."

"…What if she doesn't want me around anymore? She'll probably throw me out..."

"Oh sweetie. Regina would never do that" Ruby tried to comfort Lena by pulling her back into the hug and then suggested: "What about I'll help you tell her."

Lena sighed. She knew she wouldn't get out of this one, that she had to tell Regina. After another sigh Lena slowly nodded.

When Lena and Ruby arrived at the Mill's mansion Lena quickly greeted Regina and then almost ran out into the garden. Regina watched confused.

"Did something happen?" Regina asked Ruby.

"I found out what's troubling Lena" Ruby started: "I thought it to best if she told you too but she's scared of how you will react so I suggested I help her tell you. Only I think she is so scared that she doesn't want to be present for your reaction." Ruby watched Lena outside taking place in the grass under the apple tree.

"Scared?" Regina really didn't understand.

Lena's stomach was twisting and turning. She was sure that Regina would run out into the garden any minute now and would start shouting at her how weird she was and she couldn't take care of Lena anymore. If Regina decided to kick Lena out, Lena would just go live back in the woods. Maybe Ruby would still visit her there and they could run again like they did today.

Lena's thought got interrupted by the kitchen door opening. She didn't look up until Regina stood only a couple feet away. When Lena's head finally turned up to look at her, Regina met a pair scared sad eyes. She had listened carefully to what Ruby had to tell. In the kitchen she had prepared a whole speech in her head of what to tell Lena. About how she would never kick Lena out of her home and stuff like that. But now she stood in front of the frightened young girl the words didn't seemed to come out. Instead Regina went to sit on her knees. Lena's eyes followed her confused. Regina stretched out her arms and pulled Lena into a strong supporting hug. Lena didn't understand what happened at first. This was definitely not the reaction she expecting. Her confusion quickly flowed away and she gratefully accepted Regina's hug by putting her own arms around the woman she cared so much about.

It was now time for Lena and Regina to inform a couple other people about her secret. The most important people in Storybrooke: Emma, Henry, Snow and David. They didn't think of telling Rumpelstiltskin because he would definitely abuse this knowledge.

"So…" Emma began: "You're part dragon?"

"Cool" Henry said amused.

"Now I understand why you could jump from tree to tree" David said, more to himself, thinking about the day he first found Lena in Storybrooke.

"So, is there anything else you got except for super running and jumping?" Emma asked interested.

"I think I got his memories too" Lena replied.

"His memories?" Regina asked.

"Yeah. I remember things that never happened to me" Lena explained.

"Like what?" It was Henry this time who asked the question.

"Like…flying around in Oz…I've never been in Oz" Lena stated.

"How do you know it's Oz?" Emma asked.

"Do you know another realm with an Emerald City?"

"Mmh…I guess not" Emma smirked.

"Anyone want some hot cocoa?" Snow asked out of the blue.

Everyone looked confused at the pregnant woman because of the sudden change of subject, except for Lena. She was glad Snow was trying to shift all the attention focused on the young girl to another subject.

"Yes please" Lena said with a smile.

The others broke from their confusion and they all joined around the counter to make the cocoa. Regina stayed back a bit and put an arm around Lena.

"I'm very proud of you, honey" she said.

"Why?" Lena asked.

"Because of how brave you are" Regina smiled. Lena returned the smile. Regina felt happy. She really cared about this young girl and hopefully she would soon be able to call Lena her daughter.

Please let me know what you think.
Next chapter coming soon.