Many Miles to Avalon

by wistfulwatcher

When Emma is pulled from her happy life in New York to help save her family in the Enchanted Forest, she embarks on a journey to Camelot with Regina, Snow, and Henry to find Merlin's Twin Blades and stop a deadly threat. But a single savior cannot wield two swords and as their quest unfolds Emma and Regina begin to discover just how much more powerful they are together than apart.

3. Ogre the Hills and Far Away

Despite her early turn-in, Emma woke poorly-rested and bleary.

And with a foot squarely in her back.

Groaning at the freakish strength in Henry's legs, Emma rolled away to the edge of the bed and dropped her head heavily to the pillow. Light was just starting to filter in through the window, and Emma pushed the hair away from her face, resting her palm on her forehead.

Despite her physical fatigue, Emma had been unable to fall asleep the night before, her mind running nonstop with thoughts of her parents, of her son, of the—still absolutely insane—situation she was in.

She'd finally started to drop off after hours of tossing, of thinking about everything over and over again, though she'd woken on and off through the night. Granted, that was mostly due to her son. First when he'd returned to the room, dropping something loudly to the floor and sliding it under the bed—books, she was guessing, the damn kid was a pack-rat—and then by the non-stop movement throughout the night. And the lovely series of bruises she was sure he gave her.

It wasn't new—she had ten years of cuddle-time-turned-sleepovers of experience—but it still drove her crazy, and left her in the not-so-splendid mood she was currently in.

Emma laid there for long minutes, sighing when Henry started to shift around once more. With a dramatic flip onto her other side, she faced him and started rubbing his back softly, a technique that had worked since he was a child.

It soothed him quickly, and his legs stopped flailing. With one last pat to his shoulder, Emma slid out of the bed, her feet freezing as they touched the cold floor. She rubbed at her eyes and picked up the toiletries and towel from the day before, and the clean set of clothes she was guessing Granny had dropped off sometime yesterday.

Opening the door carefully she crossed the hall to the bathroom, and set her things down on the counter before starting the shower.

As the room warmed with steam, she started to think again about all she had learned in the past day and a half. The thought that she was about to embark on some hero-quest to find Merlin was surreal, though no more so than anything else she'd experienced in the past 36 hours.

Namely, that her parents were from a different world—as was she, apparently—and that she was given magical abilities because of their love. That her parents gave her away in the hopes that she would have a better life, which she'd love to tell them was a failure. That she had met them, been with them for two years, and had been happy with them.

And that they were gone.

It was a thought she'd toyed with over the years. She knew the statistics for teen parents, for drug abusers, for runaways. She knew the likelihood of them falling into a category labeled "useless" and being lost because of it. Really, she'd been preparing for this result since she started searching. But it didn't make it any easier.

Part of her was relieved, happy, even, that she had some closure. Had something to put in own history to eliminate one more blank space. But the bigger part of her just felt lost and let-down. She'd been expecting an answer like this, something finite but dissatisfying; she knew enough of the world to know that if you wanted something as badly as she wanted this, that it would never be what you needed it to be.

She was a skeptic; a non-believer. But that didn't mean she wanted to be.

The shower before her was foggy from the steam, and she shook herself out of her thoughts as she stepped into the shower. The water was warm and instantly soothing, and she took a deep breath in as she tried to calm herself, tried to focus.

Because she had a mission, today. She was there for a reason, to help protect the people she was rapidly accepting as…well, something. She wasn't anywhere near ready to accept family, or even friends, but she was starting to think of them as hers, in a way.

The warm water coursed over her skin, and her stomach fluttered at the reminder of the day before, of magic and casting and Regina. How she'd finally found her control over her magic in thinking of the other woman, focusing on her. It was weird, right? She didn't know a lot about all this fantasy stuff—it was really more Henry's thing—but she'd gathered enough to know that something like this was important. That her being a focal point meant something.

Emma just wished she knew what.

---

Warmed from her shower and feeling marginally better, both physically and mentally, Emma emerged from the bathroom. The clothes she'd been given were similar to the previous ones: cotton pants, tunic, and vest, though this time the pants and vest were black, the tunic a dark grey.

When she walked back into her room, Henry was sitting up in the bed, his back against the headboard with a book open in his lap. His head was tilted down but he seemed to be staring off instead of reading.

"Morning, kid," Emma said more brightly than she felt, and warmed when Henry looked up with a smile.

"Morning." He put the book down and stood up, shifting a bit. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah," she said quietly, eyes narrowing as she tried to read the hesitancy in his voice. He was used to her having to leave him for work, but it usually wasn't long, and if it was he'd come with her. Something that wasn't an option in this case.

Guilt suddenly prickling along her back, she sat down, and pulled on a thick pair of socks before reaching for her boots. Taking a deep breath and trying to sound casual, Emma kept her eyes on her laces as she said, "You're good with this, right?"

When she glanced up, Henry was more relaxed, and he sat down on the bed next to her. "Yeah, ma. It's fine, really." Everything told her that he wasn't lying, that he really was OK with her doing this, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was making him uncomfortable and a bit nervous.

Reminding herself that Henry was a good kid, she shook it off and said—actually casual, this time—"Good. But you know you can tell me if it's not."

"Yeah, I do." He said, and stood up again. "Shouldn't you head downstairs to meet them? Get ready or whatever you have to do?"

Emma finished lacing her boots and stood, hands on her hips as she got the distinct impression he was trying to usher her out of the room. Narrowing her eyes a bit, she said, "I guess," and bent to pick up her jacket. Slipping it on, she pulled her still-damp hair out of the collar and let it fall heavily against her back to dry.

She glanced around the room, hesitating on her baby blanket still on her side of the bed, but decided to leave it where it was. It was hard, her most prized-possession so recently returned to her, but it made no sense to bring it along, and she'd be coming back for Henry anyway; it's not like she'd be leaving it behind forever.

Realizing there was nothing else she even had to grab, she pulled the door open and stood in the frame, looking at Henry. "You're not gonna see me off? I thought that was standard quest procedure?" she said with a playful pout.

Henry shook his head and picked up his own towel. "You go ahead. I'm gonna get dressed first. Granny said she'd have breakfast for you, anyway."

Emma shrugged and turned to leave, shutting the door behind her. The halls were quiet—she couldn't figure out how a full castle could be so still—as she walked down the stairs and neared the dining room.

The door was open a crack, and as she got close she could hear shouting.

"If anything happens to her, I'll never forgive you, David! She's risking her life, do you understand that? Our—"

"You risk your life everyday, Snow! Do you understand that?"

"I can't just let Regina go off on her own, and you know it," Snow's voice quieted, and Emma felt herself lean a bit closer to hear.

"And why the hell not?" David asked, his own voice softer. "It's her fault that you're—that all of us—are in danger, and you insist on helping her fix this."

Emma swallowed, uncomfortable to be eavesdropping but unable to walk away. David sounded furious, and Emma thought back to the interactions she'd seen between him and Regina the day before. They hadn't been friendly, to be sure. Icy was even a kind descriptor, and she suddenly wondered what had happened between them to cause this animosity? When they both clearly cared about Snow?

"It wasn't her fault, David, not like then. It was an acc—"

"I know what you think, Snow, but we've been here before." There was a pause, and Emma swallowed, taking a step closer to the gap in the door. From here she could see them, David standing close to his wife with his hands on her shoulders.

"You're too forgiving," he said softly, and Emma could barely hear. "I love that about you, truly, but," he sighed, and leaned closer to Snow, his voice dropping too low for her to hear any more.

As she bit her lip and put her hand on the door, she started to put a little pressure, to widen the gap. "I'm certain you know eavesdropping is rude, Miss Swan."

Emma jumped away from the door, turning to face a bemused Regina. "Christ, Regina!" Her hand flew to her chest and she breathed deeply.

Regina stood before her, smirking, and looking downright evil dressed in black. Her skin-tight pants were tucked into knee-high boots—slightly heeled—and she wore a soft corset jacket over a scoop-neck shirt. Emma felt her mouth dry as she took in the details of the jacket: tight laces brought the bodice together beneath her breasts—the structure making the shirt pull over Regina's chest in a way that made Emma flush lightly—and the fabric cutting back toward her arms to curl up into a standing collar behind her neck.

The smirk Regina wore fell slightly as her eyes narrowed and she nodded toward the gap. "Hear anything good?" Her question was teasing, but she sounded legitimately interested. Was she aware they were talking about her? Or was she worried about something else?

Emma shook her head, regaining her focus. "Just that you and David have some issues, it sounds like," she said quickly, crossing her arms over her chest.

Regina flicked her hair—loose again—away from her face and quirked a brow. "Well, I hate to spoil your gossip, but that's not exactly breaking news." She crossed her arms and looked to the side, her face neutral save for the hard purse of her lips. Despite her words, Emma thought it still cut deep, whatever it was causing the problems between them.

Licking her lips, she winced a bit at the sore subject she had tossed at her so quickly. "So—"she bit the apology off, shaking her head. Whatever. Emma was pretty sure that if she could dish it out—and it certainly seemed that she could—that she could take it, too. "Heading in?" She asked instead, and gestured behind her vaguely.

"Obviously," Regina said silkily, and Emma felt her heart jump at the sound. Because, OK, that was a dumb question, but Regina didn't have to be so obnoxious about it. She brushed past Emma and opened the door, her heeled boots clacking against the hard floor.

As she moved past, Emma's stomach fluttered as she caught a whiff of the darkly sweet scent lingering where Regina had walked past.

Nearing the couple, Regina spoke loudly, gesturing to the thick white wool vest Snow wore, belted together by a wide brown leather strap. "Ah, shepherd, I see you've found your flock."

David turned toward her with a glare, his jaw tight and lips thin. "Regina," Snow said warningly, her tone sharp and leaving no room for argument. Regina looked like she was going to respond for a moment, before she simply stiffened and walked past, to lean against the edge of the table.

"Emma," Snow said, sweetly, when Regina had cleared the sight line between them, and smiled warmly as she walked closer. Reaching for Emma's hand, she ducked her head slightly and stared up at Emma, wide-eyed. "I know you said you wanted to help, but I really think it's best if you stay here."

Emma pulled her hand back slowly and hooked her fingers into the belt at her waist. "Like I said yesterday, I can't just sit here," she said patiently.

Snow's face softened into a well-rehearsed pout as David stepped closer to her, his voice low as he started talking to her again. Emma walked around her to lean on the table beside Regina. "Is Henry coming down to see you off?" Regina asked, voice low.

Emma bobbed her head. "He's just getting dressed." Emma turned to look at her. "He's gonna be safe here, right? I mean, the spell thing will keep the wraith and the ogres and whatever else out?"

Swallowing deeply, Regina said, "He will be much safer here than he would be away from the castle. The barrier is not impenetrable," her lips curled, "but the wraith has never attacked when Snow and I were traveling."

"OK," Emma agreed, and let the subject drop. Despite Regina's assurances she was wary, and she didn't want to dwell if there was nothing else for her to do to protect him.

"Fresh muffins," Granny's voice barked out as she walked out of the kitchen door holding a basket. "Eat up, you've got a long walk ahead of you," she said to Emma.

"Thanks," she smiled, and reached in. Taking a bite, she chewed before she asked, "Should I be helping pack or something?"

Regina reached for the basket Granny had set between them, picking up her own breakfast. "No," she murmured, tearing off a small bite before popping it into her mouth smoothly. "We have packs ready, though I hope you're aware we'll be traveling light: bedroll, canteen, tent, and little else."

Emma shrugged. "I kinda figured. I've roughed it before, I'm not expecting some Four Seasons camping experience," she said a bit defensively. Regina softly hummed in response, and continued eating primly.

"Good morning," Henry said as he came in, hair wet and tousled from his shower.

"Good morning, Henry," Regina said evenly, setting her food down as she stood and walked closer to him. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah," he said, smiling. "Thanks." She returned the gesture, clasping her hands in front of her as Emma snorted. "What?" he asked.

"You better have slept well, I have welts the size of a football from all your kicking," she mock-glared at him.

Granny walked into the middle of the room with her hands on her hips. "You lot ready to get going? I want you out before you lose daylight," she said gruffly, her eyes bright with concern.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Emma mumbled, sliding away from the table and stuffing the rest of the muffin in her mouth. Swallowing quickly she coughed a little as she followed the group out of the dining room and into the hallway.

At the gate they slowed, and Granny picked up three functional camping packs from a bench, handing one to Snow. "There's a little food, but be sure to catch something for dinner. You can't expect to find this fool while you're weak from hunger, you hear?" She looked pointedly at Snow who nodded, her cheeks flushing.

"Got it, Granny," she murmured, as the older woman passed another pack to Regina.

"Same to you, girl." She said succinctly, but held Regina's gaze for a long moment, her lip curling up the smallest bit as Regina took the pack. Regina was silent in reply, but nodded, and didn't flinch when Granny reached out and squeezed her shoulder.

Passing the last pack to Emma, Granny cleared her throat and took Emma by the arm, pulling her away from the others. While Snow and Regina pulled their packs on, and David and Henry talked quietly to each other, Granny leaned close and spoke low. "Be on guard out there, Emma. Our world is a scary place, and it's easy to lose sight of what you're really after."

Emma looked at her in confusion, but the woman continued. "You're heading out with the two strongest women I know, and you better believe they'll do anything they can to keep you safe. You gonna do the same?" She asked gruffly, a little accusatory.

Thinning her lips, Emma nodded. "I'll do my best," she offered.

Granny patted her arm and leaned back. "That's all I can ask. Trust your gut, girl, and you'll be fine." She started to walk back toward Snow and Regina, now watching the interaction curiously, but she turned back. "And don't let yourself get caught up in what you think you should do." Emma's brows furrowed at the statement, and Granny pulled her glasses down from where they rested low on her nose, falling against her chest on their chain. "Just some advice for life," she said, and walked back to the rest of the group.

Confused at the conversation, Emma followed slowly as she tugged her pack on, adjusting the light load by the straps. As she neared the others, she saw David standing beside Henry, a gentle hand on his shoulder as he laughed down at the young boy.

She was nervous to leave Henry behind, of course, but the connection between the two—and Granny's intensely protective nature—did a lot to soothe her worries.

"Sounds like a plan," he smiled down at Henry.

"What does?" Emma asked, cutting into their conversation.

"I asked Henry if he wanted to learn some more about sword fighting," David answered, squeezing Henry's shoulder. "But he's going to spend his morning in the library, apparently."

Emma ruffled his hair slightly. "Wouldn't you rather be outside, kid?"

Henry shrugged, his eyes downcast as he mumbled, "I like the quiet," defensively. Emma shrugged her shoulders and let it go.

"We should get going," Regina said, moving closer to the entrance. "The fairy brought the shield down a few minutes ago," she said distastefully.

"'K," Emma nodded, and looked down at Henry. "C'mere," she said in a slightly nasally whine. "I'm gonna miss you, kid. Be good, OK?" She pulled her son to her and he laughed lightly against her shoulder.

"I will," he murmured, and hugged her tight. When he pulled back, Snow reached over and cupped his cheek lightly, before giving him a gentle hug. Emma could see his shoulders tense lightly, but he brought his arms up and hugged her back.

"Henry," Regina walked toward him, her eyes bright as her lips parted. "I—" she stopped herself, looking at Snow out of the corner of her eye before lowering her voice. They were all too close, it did nothing to hide her words, but Emma found the instinct interesting. "I enjoyed seeing you."

Henry's face relaxed and he gave her a wide smile. "Same here. I wish I remembered you," he said lightly, but the words made Regina's face pale. "But it was fun, spending time with you. Thanks for everything," he leaned forward and hugged her gently.

Regina's face seemed to pale further at the same time her lips twisted into an almost-smile, and she pulled Henry tighter to her, her hands pressing firmly against his back.

When he finally pulled away, she gave him a watery smile and nodded. "Will you do me a favor?" He asked, leaning closer to her and lowering his voice as she had. "Will you take care of my mom?"

"Henry," Emma started, uncomfortable at the thought.

But Henry ignored her and continued. "She's strong, but…will you just make sure she's OK?"

Emma's face flushed in embarrassment, and she looked away, not meeting Regina's eyes. "I promise, Henry," she said tenderly, and stroked a hand over his hair, smoothing what Emma had ruffled earlier.

Satisfied, he nodded, and stepped back by Granny and David.

"Let's go," Snow said, and turned to leave.

Emma started to follow, but was stopped by David's hand on her back. "Emma," he said. When she turned to look at him, he slid the sheath from his belt, and handed it over to her, pommel of the sword gleaming in the sunlight. "Take this."

Licking her lips, Emma shifted and shook her head. "A sword? I don't, uh, really know what to do with one of those."

He shrugged, and held it out closer to her. "You're a natural, trust me."

After a moment of hesitation she took it, pulling at the belt on her waist to slip it on. The weight was unfamiliar on her hip, but pleasant, and truthfully did make her feel a bit more secure. Looking up she asked jokingly, "You don't have a gun instead, do you?"

David smiled wide and shook his head. "No, sorry kiddo," he said, before pulling her into one of the hugs she was quickly becoming used to. He pulled back and squeezed her shoulder. "You better be on your way. Be careful," he said.

Emma nodded and turned, smiling one more time at Henry before she walked past Snow to join Regina on the other side of the barrier.

"Do you even know how to use that, Miss Swan?" Regina asked acerbically, pointing at the sword on her hip.

"I guess we'll find out," she responded, holding her ground. The light of the barrier shimmered behind them, and Emma turned to find David and Snow sharing a long kiss goodbye on the other side. Without thinking, Emma's mouth turned down into a grimace, and she looked away from the sickly-sweet sight.

"It doesn't get less revolting," Regina said, her own face twisted with distaste. Emma suppressed a grin in response as Snow crossed the open barrier to join them.

"Let's go," Snow gestured ahead, and with a last glance back at the people seeing them off, they left.

---

As it turns out, the whole questing thing was way less exciting Emma had been expecting. Where the fantasy series Henry loved were all about ass-kicking and amazing discoveries, all this adventure had consisted of so far was about six hours of walking.

Hours she felt in her aching feet, but didn't show in the progress they were making, considering the mountain looked as far away at the castle as it did now.

The worst part, of course, was how mind-numbingly boring everything was. Since they'd left the castle, Snow and Regina had both been quieter than they had been since Emma arrived, and the uncomfortable silence—punctuated by terse replies and break requests—paired with the hair-tearing walk was starting to drive her mad.

Not that Emma was a fan of small talk, exactly, but with quiet a long road ahead of them, Emma would take it over the silent tension that was slowly suffocating her. Most of all, it was strange; the day before it had felt like they were itching to talk to her—though only Snow had been obvious about it—and now she was getting an almost cold shoulder.

"How much farther?" Emma asked, her voice loud over the quiet chirping and rustling leaves.

"We've been traveling for about half a day," Regina responded from her place ahead. "So, as it's a day and a half journey, how much farther do you think?"

Rolling her eyes, Emma adjusted the straps of her pack, its once-light weight now growing heavy in its constant pressure. She pressed her lips together tight, not responding, and looked over to Snow, who walked beside her. Her feet were steady, but her eyes were unseeing in their focus ahead. She seemed to be deep in thought, and Emma sighed heavily.

The action startled Snow, and she looked over at Emma. "Are you doing alright, Emma? Do you need to rest?" Her voice dripped with concern.

"No," Emma shook her head, her hand coming to rest on the pommel of the borrowed sword. "Thanks." Snow nodded, and before she could drift away again, Emma said, "I'm surprised David didn't push to come with us."

Snow's smile was tainted, a little guilty. "He did." She worried her lip. "He always does, actually. Every time Regina and I leave."

"How often is that?"

Snow shrugged vaguely. "It depends. We've been gone quite a bit recently, looking for the scroll. And maybe half a dozen times before we started searching for it, back when we were just trying to figure out where it had come from."

Emma's brows furrowed. "Where the wraith had come from?" Snow nodded. "Didn't you say you sent it here from Storybrooke?"

Snow licked her lips and lowered her voice, eying Regina up ahead by a few feet. "We did," she nodded. "But it didn't start to attack until about two months ago."

"How come?" Emma asked.

"We were never able to find out," Snow shrugged, shaking her head sadly. "And with the Ogre Wars and the wraith keeping us effectively trapped in the castle, we haven't exactly had the easiest time trying to find out."

"Wow," Emma breathed out.

"What?" Snow asked.

"It's just," Emma gestured around her. "All of this. This world. You said someone cursed you to Storybrooke, right? Well, I'm sure it had its drawbacks, but it kinda sounds like you traded up in location."

Snow's lips thinned, and she fell quiet for a long moment. Finally, she cleared her throat and spoke louder, Regina slowing ahead of them until she was just a foot in front. "We did. I've come to learn that things weren't the easiest for people here before the curse. And maybe," she picked up her pace a bit, walking beside Regina. "Maybe I had a hard time seeing that."

Regina looked over at Snow out of the corner of her eye, shaking her hair back from her face. "We should rest," Regina said decisively, pointing at a stream just visible through the trees. Slipping her pack off her back, she led them over to the rocky edge, and set her bag down. "You two go catch us something while I start a fire." Her voice warranted no room for argument, and Emma shrugged, dropping her own bag beside Regina.

"I've never caught anything besides fish before," she warned.

Giving her a cruel smile, Regina said, "Don't sell yourself short, Miss Swan. I'm certain you've caught plenty of undesirable things in your lifetime." Emma glowered. "Now try not to poke yourself with that stick while you're gone."

"C'mon, Emma," Snow looked at Regina in disappointment and pulled the bow from its spot on her shoulder.

As they walked away, Emma asked quietly, "What's her deal? One minute she's looking at me like we used to be friends, and the next she's making me feel like an idiot." She grumbled the end of her sentence and pulled out the heavy sword she'd been given.

"That was sort of your thing, actually," Snow answered, pulling an arrow from her quiver and leading Emma through the trees and away from the stream.

"What, like frenemies?"

Snow bit back a smile. "In a way. You…challenged her. Didn't put up with her attitude." Emma snorted. Yeah, that sounded about right. "I think she misses it, to be honest."

"Yeah, well, I haven't challenged her since I got here, so whatever her issue is it's her own problem now."

Snow stilled, and her brow wrinkled in distress. "Emma, you should know that she lashes out like that when she's distressed."

Emma's anger faded a bit. "Because we were talking about the curse?"

"Partly."

Emma thought to all the times she'd lashed out in the exact same way when she'd been reminded of her own shitty past. Swallowing harshly, she asked, "It was bad for her?"

Snow brushed her long hair back, thinking over her response. Carefully, she answered, "She's lost as much as any of us."

---

Having a sword did virtually nothing to help you catch a rabbit in the woods. Emma didn't think she really needed to experience it to know that, but now she had first-hand proof.

Two skinned rabbits were now cooking over the fire, and were completely thanks to the only princess in their troupe. Emma was pretty sure she'd never live it down if Henry found out.

Regina stamped out the flames when the meat was cooked, and handed Emma a hot leg. Their meal was eaten in silence—everyone still uncomfortable from the conversation beforehand—and before Emma was ready they were packing up to leave once more.

The sun was still high in the sky, and Emma sipped from her canteen as Regina and Snow pulled on their packs. As they walked back into the thick forest, Emma fell into step with Regina, Snow walking just a few feet behind them.

Thinking of what Snow had said, Emma looked over at the other woman casually, and tried to determine if she had truly upset her. To be honest, she didn't look ruffled. Her face was unreadable, but it didn't exactly scream hurt, and Emma looked forward again.

They walked quietly, Emma trying to gauge her mood out of the corner of her eye, but found nothing but the occasional look of mild irritation. Emma clicked her tongue absent-mindedly, and smacked her hand against the sheath of the sword, trying to combat the monotony that was becoming the journey.

"What, Miss Swan?" Regina bit out suddenly, and Emma turned her head to look at her, startled. "You've been staring at me for nearly a half hour, spit it out."

Emma took a deep breath, thinking of what Snow had said, that she challenged Regina, and decided there was no use tip-toeing around anything. "I'm sorry, you know." At Regina's expectant look, she continued. "If bringing up the curse upset you. I don't remember anything about it," she said defensively, and shrugged.

"I'm aware," she responded, flicking her hair away from her face in mild irritation. Emma dropped the subject, and looked forward. After a long pause, Regina looked at Emma with a small turn of her head, before sighing dramatically. "I know you meant no harm. I overreacted, I'm sorry."

Emma felt a tension she hadn't noticed ease from her shoulders, and a natural smile grace her lips. "No sweat." They fell into silence again before Emma asked, "What, uh, was the curse like?"

Tensing, Regina said succinctly, "It was cruel."

"Yeah, I mean I figured. But what did it do, exactly?"

Regina stopped suddenly, and turned to face Emma. "It ripped apart happy endings. It took everyone away from the ones they loved and made them forget that they ever had someone. They spent every day feeling off, passing by their families and feeling a connection that went nowhere." Snow had stopped walking as Regina talked, and stood a few feet away.

"Do you know what it's like to see the one thing you want most in the world and be unable to have it? To be so close to happiness and fall short?" She was standing just inches in front of Emma, her voice cracking with emotion, eyes dark but bright with emotion, and her jaw was clenched tight in pain.

Her eyes darted between Emma's searching for something—recognition, maybe—and Emma opened her mouth to respond. "I—"

"It was cruel," she repeated, leaning away from Emma and pulling her arms toward her stomach, holding tightly. Regina gathered herself, and then began walking again, Snow eyeing Emma she left them behind.

Snow's presence suddenly felt intrusive, and Emma turned, taking quick steps to catch up to Regina. A part of her wanted to apologize again, but the larger part—the curious part—made her ask: "Who did it? And why?"

Regina didn't slow or stumble this time. Instead, she simply said, "The Evil Queen."

Emma's brows rose. "That seems a bit dramatic." At Regina's silence, she asked, "OK, so why did she do it?"

A humorless smirk graced her lips and she tilted her head fully toward Emma as she pushed a low branch out of her way. "Because she's evil, of course."

---

If she thought six hours of walking was bad, ten was getting to be torture. The sun was finally starting to set, and she was immensely grateful that they were traveling away from the bright rays; a headache had been slowly developing since lunch, and the sunlight would have only made it worse.

Regina had been a little more talkative since she'd apologized, but her reactions continued to be a mixed bag; she alternated between being cordial and making snide remarks to both her and Snow.

Snow, it seemed, was pretty used to such behavior, as she'd simply quirk a brow and look to Emma, before shrugging it off. Emma, on the other hand, found herself becoming more and more aggressive about her own responses; she'd never let anyone talk to her that way before, and she wasn't about to start now, forgotten family/friend or not.

Squeezing her eyes tight against the pain of her headache, Emma's foot caught, and she fell to her knees, wincing at the pain.

"Emma!" Snow gasped, and knelt down beside her. At the noise, Regina turned, too, her brow crinkling at the sight of Emma sprawled out on the ground.

"Are you alright?" She asked quickly, taking long steps toward her, and sinking to a crouch gracefully. Her hand shot out, but she pulled it back in an instant, resting it on her knee.

"Yeah," Emma smiled embarrassedly. "I just tripped. Loose root," she gestured to the ground.

Snow helped her up, and Emma blinked at the spots she saw. "Headache?" Regina asked, just a little gently.

Emma nodded, and looked up when Regina held her canteen out. "Are you out of water?" Emma nodded. "You're probably dehydrated," she said, in mild exasperation. "You should have said you needed a break."

Guiltily, Emma took the water and drank, feeling embarrassed to be called out by Regina. She hadn't wanted to slow them down, but she felt herself warm at the concern both women showed. After a lifetime time of being cast aside—and a decade of being the caretaker—it was nice to know that there were people that cared about her, even something so little.

"Thanks," Emma swallowed and handed the canteen back to Regina, who tucked it back into her bag. "I think I can—"

"HELP!" A voice shouted from deeper into the forest, and all three women turned to look at each other, wide-eyed and frozen in fear.

Because that shout sure sounded a lot like her son.

"Henry," Emma and Regina said at the same time, before they turned toward the sound and ran, legs pumping furiously as they navigated twigs and branches and piles of leaves toward the sound.

Trees whipped past Emma, her chest pounding as she ran as fast as she possibly could until a loud growl stopped her dead in her tracks. "Oomph!" Regina slammed against her hard at her sudden stillness, and she hissed, "Why are you sto—"

Emma inched toward the edge of the trees that led to a small clearing, and Regina's question died on her lips as they saw what was happening: Henry, lying frozen in fear on the ground, and a large, disgusting, drooling mess—and ogre, Emma gathered—leaning over him.

Regina stepped forward to run around Emma toward the beast, but Snow held her back, whispering, "You can't use magic!"

Regina whipped around, snarling, "The hell I can't," in a dangerous voice. "To hell with this damn mission, he's in danger!" Snow shook her head again and pulled her bow up, reaching into her quiver for an arrow.

Emma felt as petrified as Henry looked in that moment, absolutely frozen in fear with no idea what to do to save him; if only she had her gun. Remembering the sword, she reached at her side, brandishing it, but having no clue how to fight the giant creature.

"Listen," Snow whispered. "I'm going to run over to that side. Distract him until I can get over there, and when I'm in position, I'll take the shot." Both women looked at her in terror, and she glanced between their faces, adding, "I won't miss," before darting through trees to get to the area she had planned.

"How do we distract him?" Regina asked frantically. "I have to use magic to—"

"Wait," Emma said, and walked out of the tree line and into the clearing. "Over here!" She shouted, and held the sword over her head with both hands.

"What are you doing?" Regina hissed. "Emma, you can't—" But Emma threw the sword toward him, and watched as it sunk into a meaty thigh.

The ogre looked down at the blade lodged a foot deep into its skin, and plucked it out effortlessly. It turned from Henry, allowing the boy to scramble backwards as the ogre stomped toward the tree line, mouth open as it growled.

"Emma!" Regina shouted, and ran out next to her, hands open in front of her body.

Before she could do anything, Snow shouted, "Hey!" from the other side of the clearing. When he turned toward the sound, Snow shot a single arrow directly into his eye.

With a groan he collapsed, narrowly missing Henry as the boy scooted away furiously. "Henry!" Emma shouted, running over to her son. Regina dropped down beside her and began running her hands over his arms, his face, his legs, checking for injuries. "Are you OK, kid?" At his nod, she looked around. "What the hell are you doing out here?"

Henry was breathing heavily, but even so he managed to look sheepish, ducking his head a little. "Don't be mad, ma."

Letting out a deep breath, Emma collapsed onto her ass on the ground. "Jesus, Henry, you followed us? Don't you see how stupid that was? You could have been killed! Did you see that thing?"

"The important thing is that Henry's fine," Regina said, voice dripping with relief. She stared at him closely, and when he nodded she hugged him tightly before leaning back.

Emma held out her hand and stood, pulling Henry up as Snow joined them, wiping the arrow she had just pulled from the ogre on her boots. "Henry," she said in surprise. "What are you doing out here?"

"He followed us," Emma said, her voice thick with thinly veiled frustration.

"I wanted to help," he defended. Leaning down, he scooped up a bag that matched those of the rest of the group, something he'd no doubt snuck off with when no one was looking. Damn his thieving genes, she mused darkly.

Emma shook her head. "No way, kid, you've gotta go back. In case you haven't noticed this is no place for a kid." She gestured to the dead ogre behind them.

Henry stood up straighter. "But I'm already here! And it's hours back to the castle, it'd be safer if I just stayed with you."

Snow put the arrow back in the quiver and squeezed Henry's shoulder. "I think he's right, actually." Emma narrowed her eyes at the suggestion. "We're almost there, Emma. It'll be safer if we can simply find Merlin to send you home," she reasoned.

"See!" Henry gestured toward Snow.

Emma groaned. "Fine, kid. But you don't do anything crazy, you don't go all action-hero if anything like this happens again. And if I tell you to stay, you listen, got it?"

"He's not a Labrador, Miss Swan," Regina said dryly, but her eyes were smiling as she focused on Henry. She stared at him for a long moment, before running a hand over the back of his head. "That was very dangerous, Henry. And you must listen to us, do you understand?"

Henry ducked his head guiltily. "Yeah, I do. I'm sorry," he murmured.

Emma let her shoulders drop, helpless to the sweet face of her son, and nodded. "Good. That was really dumb, kid. I still love you," she pulled him to her side and dropped a quick kiss on the top of his head. "But that was really dumb." Looking up at the darkening sky, Emma asked, "Should we camp for the night?"

Regina looked around and nodded, clasping her hands together. "We should, yes. We'll walk a bit farther East, and then we should be far enough away from such beasts. That one is far closer to Aurora's kingdom than she made it sound." She noted, and turned to lead them toward the mountain once more.

After another half hour of walking—when Emma was ready to collapse—Regina stopped them, and gestured to a small patch of forest that looked to be relatively clear of rocks and sticks. "Here," she said. "We'll set up camp for the night." She crouched down and pulled a thick stack of fabric out of her bag, followed by several strands of heavy rope. "Henry? Will you help me with the tent?" She asked sweetly.

Smiling, Henry nodded, and dropped his own bag to the ground to assist her. Snow set her bag down beside them, and slid her hands into the back pockets of her pants. "Emma and I can go grab some firewood," she said, but Regina was already focused on explaining the set up to the preteen.

"Emma?" Snow prompted, and she followed her away from the campsite. They didn't go far—if she looked closely she could see Regina and Henry beyond the trees, and hear talking. Still, on-edge from finding her son so close to danger, it was hard to leave him behind. "He'll be fine, Emma," Snow said, as though she could read her thoughts.

With a small shake of her head Emma breathed out, "Yeah," and started to pick up sticks. Just as she had the day before, Emma knew that—that Henry was safe with Regina—but something niggled at her. Namely, the intensity of her care for Henry. It was caring—motherly, really. There was a connection between the two, one that Emma couldn't help but notice, and she cleared her throat to get Snow's attention.

When she looked up, Emma stilled, her arms full of thin sticks. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," Snow said easily.

"Regina seems different, with Henry, right? She said she was a sort of family friend back in Storybrooke, but I just can't figure out why she's sogood with him, I guess." Snow worried her lip and turned her back to Emma, picking up useless twigs in her discomfort.

The action made Emma even more suspicious, but the pieces started to form together, in a way. The reference to clothes-sharing, the bond between Henry and Regina, the tension between the two, the care she seemed to have toward both of them, and—why deny it—the fact that the woman was drop dead gorgeous, but seemingly unattached.

Emma had only ever had serious relationships with men—as far as she knew—but she'd always been open to the idea of dating other genders, and she'd certainly been attracted to women before. The more she thought about the connection she had with Regina—their magic was a tangible example—the more she started to wonder if her relationship to the other woman was something romantic.

Just thinking it made her snap her mouth shut, and she murmured, "Nevermind," a flush staining her cheeks. Because the thought was appealing—surprisingly so—but it also didn't feel right. The pieces fit but they didn't at the same time, a realization that Emma found oddly disappointing.

Snow turned back—looking a bit guilty—and nodded. "OK. Let's get these back," she led the way, not making eye contact with Emma as she brushed past. "Can you start the fire?" She asked, back at the campsite. Emma looked over to the rapidly-rising tent, secure on two ends, the other held by Henry as Regina tied the third corner down.

Looking away from the two, Emma grimaced. "Unless you have a lighter, I doubt it." Snow smiled patiently and knelt down, arranging the sticks as Emma watched. She worked fast, an orderly pile forming as she added the last of the twigs.

Emma sat back, watching as she rolled a thin stick between her palms, and small flames flickered out. As she blew on them strategically, Emma leaned back, eyes wide. "Wow, how do you know how to do this stuff? I thought you were a princess or something."

Snow smirked as the flames grew, a warm fire emerging. Satisfied, she, too, leaned back, and looked to Emma. "Technically, I was—am, a queen." She licked her lips. "But I didn't exactly have a stable life when I was younger. I had to run away when I was about eighteen, to protect myself from someone that wanted to hurt me." She looked quickly over her shoulder, her voice lowering.

"Wow," Emma said. "I had no idea."

With a small shrug, Snow leaned back on her palms. "It was a long time ago. I was on the run for a few years. I was lucky to find some really good friends, but for a while it was rough. I was an outlaw, always looking over my shoulder, always waiting to be caught. I spent far too many nights camping out, I got good with a bow for a lot of reasons, and I got pretty tough."

Emma found herself leaning into Snow's words as she described a life she knew well. But it was the story between her words—one of fear and isolation—that really resonated with Emma. Connection with someone on such a personal topic was always something amazing, but connecting with someone you never thought would understand you, well, it was transformative.

Snow rose gracefully from the ground, and wiped off her pants. "I'm going to get some dinner. Watch the fire?" Emma nodded, and Snow walked back through the trees.

Emma wondered if her—the old her—had known about Snow's past when they became friends. Wondered if maybe that's why they had become friends. It certainly opened her eyes to the princess—though admittedly a badass one—that she had met earlier.

"It's probably better you tied them, then," Henry said with a laugh, as he and Regina came to sit beside Emma. "Hey, ma." He said cheerfully.

Closing one eye at him, she said, "Why are you so perky? Did I forget to tell you you're grounded when we get back home for that stunt you pulled?"

His shoulders immediately dropped and his lips pursed. "But I wanted to help," he whined, and looked down at his shoes.

Emma looked past him to Regina, and swallowed, remembering her previous thoughts about the woman. After Regina arched a brow at Emma's long look, she coughed awkwardly and asked, "Do you guys need any help with the tent?"

Regina looked over to the sleeping area slowly, and Emma followed. A lean-to tent was secured to two trees, and their bedrolls were spread out. "We managed well enough, Miss Swan," she said, her voice light and a bit teasing. Her mood had improved since earlier in the day, and Emma figured it was about time she threw in the towel on trying to figure her out.

"Right," Emma said, head bobbing.

"How are you feeling?" She asked. "Is your headache gone?"

It wasn't, but Emma figured there wasn't much she could do about it. "Yeah, I'm fine now."

Narrowing her eyes, Regina held out the canteen she had and tilted it toward her. "You're a terrible liar, Miss Swan. Drink, and I'll refill them in a moment."

Emma suppressed the urge to refuse the command, and took a long drink of water. "Thanks," she mumbled when she was finished, and handed it toward Henry. "You too, kid." He took the bottle but kept his eyes forward, still angry with her for the announced punishment.

"Where did Snow run off to?" Regina asked, looking around.

"Hunting," Emma replied.

"Henry," Regina turned toward him, "will you go grab the pack with our canteens and bread?" Henry smiled and nodded, jumping up to do the favor. Emma felt that familiar jealousy rile in her belly as he scored her attention for doing what a parent was supposed to, but fawned over Regina.

Regina watched Henry leave the campfire, and when he was almost to the tent, she turned her head back toward Emma. Licking her lips, she narrowed her eyes a bit and looked down, before saying evenly, "He adores you, you know." Looking back up at her she nodded, and gave a small but genuine smile. "I'm certain he knows what he did was foolish, but he can't admit that." Breathing slowly, she murmured, "I have no doubt things will return to normal between you in no time."

Crunching leaves broke the moment, and Regina looked up to Henry, reaching out to take the bags as she stood. "Thank you, Henry. I'll fill these and then be back," she said as she got up to leave.

Henry sat back down beside his mother, pulling his knees to his chest and staring into the flickering flames. Emma sat there, patiently, and let her tension start to ease; Henry was fine, they would find Merlin tomorrow, and she and her son could returned to their regularly scheduled lives in New York.

"I know I screwed up, ma. Really, I do. It just felt wrong to wait for you back at the castle, knowing I'm the one that got you into this mess in the first place."

Emma closed her eyes and sighed. "Oh, Henry," she started, and put her arm over his shoulder. "I wish I knew where you got that damn hero complex from," she laughed, and looked out to the fire with him.

"That's no mystery, you know," he said quietly, and Emma felt her chest constrict. It was touching in the same moment that it terrified her; it was hard enough being seen as a regular hero in your kid's eyes, but to be seen as a hero in a world where that literally meant fighting ogres and wraiths and who knew what else? Downright terrifying.

Trying to focus on something less frightening, Emma said, "So you and Regina seem to be getting along."

Henry shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so," he sounded a bit wary. "She's cool. She knows a lot about this world, and she tells me stuff if I ask."

"That's nice of her," she said simply, and Henry nodded.

"Yeah, it is. I'm glad you were friends with her, back in Storybrooke." Henry hesitated, his face twisted with uncertainty. "I think that maybe I was, too. She seems to know a lot about me."

Emma nodded, filing that thought away, and the two fell into peaceful silence until Regina returned. She set down the canteens in front of Henry and Emma pointedly. As Henry took a drink of water, Regina reached into the bag with food, and pulled out a small loaf of bread and an apple. With an outstretched arm she offered the fruit, and Emma felt a weird sort of déjà-vu as she took it from her. Their fingers brushed together lightly, and Emma felt her cheeks warm pleasantly as she muttered her thanks.

As she took a bite, Snow walked back into the campsite and held up two small birds and another rabbit. "Hungry?"

---

Bellies full from the packed food and meat Snow had hunted—and cleaned, impressively—the group quieted, and fell into a surprisingly comfortable silence. After a bit, Henry yawned, and Emma looked at him pointedly. "Tired, kid?"

Henry ducked his head. "I was up pretty late last night, uh, plotting." Emma pursed her lips, trying not to laugh at the statement, and pointed behind her.

"Get to bed, then. We've got another half a day left, right?" She asked Snow and Regina, who confirmed her question with a nod.

Henry stood and started to walk toward the tent, but paused and leaned down to give Emma a one-armed hug. "G'night, ma."

"Good night, kid," she hugged back, and he looked between Snow and Regina.

"Good night," he said more shyly to them both, and Regina looked up at him, watched as he pulled away from Emma but turned to go directly toward the tent. "Good night, Henry," she said after him, and pulled her legs up toward her chest.

The three women sat quietly, watching as Henry tucked himself in. "It appears I was right—it took no time at all for things to be as they should with him," Regina said a little bitterly, and Emma prickled at the tone.

"Huh?" She looked to Snow for help, but she was simply watching Regina, a dark expression on her face.

"Henry," Regina said, looking forward. "It seems things between you are back to normal already."

Emma shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. Is that, is there something wrong with that?" Regina remained silent, and Emma breathed out.

"Of course not," she finally answered, and stood, brushing the dirt from her pants aggressively. "Good night," she bit out, and didn't wait for a response before she walked away.

Sighing, Emma turned toward Snow. "Thanks for dinner," she said.

"You're welcome, Emma," she said easily. Despite the long day, Emma didn't feel quite ready to lay down, and so she sat in front of the fire beside Snow.

An owl hooted loudly above them, and Emma jumped slightly at the sound, a reminder that they were not the only ones in the forest. Shifting uncomfortably, Emma asked, "Do we have to worry about real forest things, like bears? I mean in addition to the ogres and the wraith."

"Not exactly, no. The presence of the ogres generally limits wildlife," she pursed her lips.

"Wow, that's a hell of a trade off," she murmured. Snow didn't disagree. "So, you never figured out why the wraith came after you when it did?" The story felt off, and she watched Snow closely.

"No, we didn't," she said with distress. "It just attacked one day."

"You guys said it goes after a target," Snow nodded. "How does it know who to attack?"

Biting her lip, Snow looked over at Regina and Henry, settling down into their bedrolls. "There's a mark."

Emma followed her gaze and raised her brows. "A mark? Like birthmark or something?"

Snow shook her head. "More like a, a brand." Emma shivered at the thought.

"Oh," Emma said breathlessly. Noticing that Snow's eyes hadn't strayed from the tent, Emma guessed, "And Regina has this mark?" Snow looked at her pointedly. "How did she get it?"

"Someone from our land did it, in Storybrooke. He and Regina had a complicated relationship." Snow's hands gripped onto her kneecaps, tightly. "He marked her with a medallion, so that the wraith would suck out her soul."

"Jesus," Emma's eyes widened. She spun her head to look at the woman in question, but she was obscured by the tent and the bedding, and Emma swallowed hard.

Snow tucked her hair behind her ear as she licked her lips. "Each time it happens—when the wraith catches us off guard, her magic gets a little weaker." Looking down at her hands, Snow breathed slowly, her lashes brushing her full cheeks.

Emma shook her head in disbelief. Following the investigative trail, she asked, "So I'm assuming you've tried asking this guy where the wraith came from?"

"No," Snow said, sadly. "He died—well, sort of died—shortly before the curse sent us back here."

Emma snorted. "'Sort of died'? How does that work?"

"He's been missing. But we found an artifact, of his. Something important." Voice low, she said, "We think that he may be alive, but we haven't been able to find him. His son, girlfriend, and our friend, Ruby, have been looking for him for months, but have found nothing."

"Hmm," Emma looked toward the fire. "This medallion, do you know where it came from?"

Shaking her head, Snow hunched forward, closer to the fire as the air grew a bit colder. "No, I don't. Regina's been trying to find out more about it, but the only thing we've learned is that it belongs to The Dark One."

"Ugh," Emma said distastefully. "That seriously does not sound good."

"No," Snow said with a small laugh. "It's not." She wrung her hands together, and the ever-present gloves caught her attention.

Thinking back to the way Regina had brushed off her questions the day before, had taken off one glove, but left the other one on, Emma looked up in realization. "Is that why she wears her gloves? She's marked on her hand?"

Snow hesitated a moment, but finally nodded, and put her own hands down at her sides, away from Emma's sight. "Yes," she answered simply.

Still, that didn't explain Snow's own pair. "And you?" Emma asked, pointing vaguely at her.

After a long moment, Snow clasped her hands together in her lap, looking down. "I didn't say she was the only one that's been marked."

Emma didn't know what to do, how to respond to such an admission. Snow had basically told her she was sentenced to death, and even though Emma had gathered as much, it still sent a shiver up her spine to hear.

Instead of saying anything, Emma sat there, quiet, and listened to the fire crackle softly. She still had questions, still had pieces of the life they had told her she lost that were missing, but it all paled after an admission like that. She'd been cautious to begin with, afraid to find out what she'd forgotten—as she had quite a bit of experience finding out that things were usually better left unremembered—but the more she'd learned, the more she thirsted for answers.

"Emma," Snow's voice cracked, and she cleared her throat. "I need to tell you something about your parents."

The thought struck fear in Emma; she was afraid to learn more, and terrified to lose her chance to do so. Thinning her lips, she turned to look at Snow in silent agreement.

"Please, hear me out," she started, and Emma's defenses prickled. "I know that it's difficult, but I need you to understand why they did what they did."

"You already told me. They sent me away because I was the Savior," she bit out. "Because they needed me to save them."

Snow looked taken aback and held her hands up. "That's not it, not completely. I told you, you would have been stuck if they hadn't—"

"And I told you that at least we would have been together, Snow." Emma looked over at her, lost, and felt her anger deflate a little. "The fact is, they chose to send me away."

"They did it to give you your best chance, Emma."

"No, they did it because they were scared. The curse was a nice little excuse." Emma ran her fingers through her hair and sighed. "I've been there, Snow. I was terrified when I found out I was pregnant with Henry, and I seriously thought about putting him up for adoption," she looked over her shoulder and lowered her voice. "I told myself it was for his best chance, but it was crap. I was in that system, I knew that he could have ended up just like me, OK? And I realized, that nothing was more important than him, that I loved him enough to make none of the rest of it matter."

Snow flushed, and her brows wrinkled in frustration. "Emma, it's not that simple. I know you know that, deep down," she looked at her pleadingly.

The argument was draining, and Emma looked at the open face of the woman before her. Her eyes were wide and wet, and Emma felt a pang of sympathy for her as she tried to be an ally to Emma while arguing for her own friends. "Maybe," Emma finally said, shaking her head.

Snow licked her lips, and leaned back. As the fire crackled, she asked slowly, "Do you really believe that your parents sent you away just to save them?"

"What else can I think?" she asked, her voice thick. Snow said nothing, just sat there, quietly, and Emma felt a wave of fatigue course over her body. "I'm going to," she gestured to the tent, and Snow nodded.

Her feet ached as she dragged herself over, and found Regina and Henry both asleep, eyes closed. Henry's face was gentle in his slumber, his cheeks still clinging to the last vestiges of baby fat that left him soft, young. His arm was curled under his head, and Regina lay facing him, her own hand curled protectively around his elbow.

The sight warmed Emma, and chased away the heaviness of her conversation with Snow. Loosening the laces to her boots just enough to be more comfortable, Emma knelt down next to her son and crawled into the bedroll.

The ground was hard, and the thin mattress did little to cushion her back as she flopped down to get comfortable. Emma breathed out, her body aching from the long walk and yet her mind keyed up from the events of the day—namely, almost losing her son—and the heavy talk just minutes earlier.

Huffing quietly, Emma tried to roll onto her side, her covers snagging under her and making her grumble. Satisfied with the new position, with her back to the others, she tried relaxing her body, and letting her mind settle.

It worked. Well, for about three minutes. Licking her lips and pushing her hair from her face, Emma breathed out heavily, and tried turning onto her other side, facing Henry's back. Her covers rumpled again, louder, as she realized they were tangled with her boots. "Would you rather I simply toss the bedroll into the stream?" Regina said dangerously, her voice heavy with exhaustion.

Emma stilled, and looked over Henry to find Regina, eyes still closed, laying as she had been when Emma first laid down. Licking her lips and feeling her cheeks flush a bit with embarrassment, Emma shook her head. "Sorry," she murmured. "The ground is hard."

Regina cracked one eye open. "You were expecting something different?" Rolling her eyes, Emma flopped back down on her back and stayed there, trying very hard not to move a muscle.

"I'm done. You can go back to sleep," Emma said, tucking her arm behind her head in one last movement.

"Not if you keep talking to me, Emma." A small thrill went up Emma's spine at the familiar name, something small that warmed her greatly coming from such a cold woman.

"Gotcha," she said, and smiled up at the sky when Regina shot back with a quiet shush.

Just as the air seemed to settle around them, Henry began to shift, his legs kicking out and connecting with Emma's shin hard.

"Geez, kid," she groaned, and was almost positive she heard a muffled chuckle. Henry stilled, and she reached down to rub her leg. As she did, he moved again, and Emma rolled back to get away from the danger zone.

Eyes closed as she tried to stay relaxed, she reached for her son's back, and began rubbing soothing circles. As her fingers moved up toward his neck, she felt bare skin, and opened her eyes to see Regina's right hand rubbing the same circles on Henry's back, her glove discarded.

Looking over Henry's shoulder, she saw that Regina's eyes were closed, and she breathed evenly, as though she were still mostly asleep. But her movements continued, and Henry stilled again, tucking his head down and curling his body just a bit closer to Regina.

It was strange—the instinctual soothing Regina had done—and Emma's brow crinkled as she tried to figure out how she'd known to do that.

The light from the campsite went out, casting the campsite into further darkness, and Emma closed her eyes, forcing herself to try to sleep—to keep from talking to Snow about her parents again, at the very least.

As Snow started to crawl into her own bedroll, Emma felt herself start to drift off.

---

The sound of cheerful shouting woke Emma, and she opened her eyes only to slam them shut at the bright sunlight streaming through the trees. Groaning slightly, she tried again, preparing herself for the light as she blinked rapidly. Immediately she noticed that Henry was no longer by her side, but instead she was just inches from silky strands of Regina's hair, spread out over Henry's pillow.

Before she could panic at her son's absence he cheered again, and she raised her head slightly to see him standing beside Snow, a bow in his hand. Relieved, she dropped her body back down, and realized that she and Regina must have both shifted a bit onto Henry's bedding after he'd gotten up.

Emma breathed out, taking in the gentle curves of Regina's face, eyes still closed in sleep. Her hair was slightly mussed, fanned out around her, and a thick lock fell across her cheek, draping over her jaw. Her lips were parted, gentle puffs of air ghosting over to Emma as she breathed, and Emma swallowed deeply.

Regina shifted her head slightly, the lock of hair falling deeper over her face, and Emma pulled back a bit, suddenly feeling as though she were about to get caught. The idea was ridiculous—she wasn't doing anything—but strong, and she curled her fingers in towards her palms, only to freeze when she realized that Regina's bare hand lay flat on Henry's bed, her fingers splayed out, and Emma's own hand rested lightly atop it.

Licking her lips, she watched Regina carefully as she pulled her hand back. Their connection now broken, Regina's fingers spread out further, as though they were searching, and Emma sat up suddenly, surprised to find herself breathless.

"Emma?" a groggy voice asked, and she looked over to where Regina was pushing her hair back, and retreating back to her own bed. Emma turned back to look ahead, where she could see Snow gently guiding Henry's aim, and she pulled her arms around her waist.

"What is she doing?" Regina asked sharply, as she sat up beside Emma, and quickly began to pull her hair away from her face, and smooth it back into a French braid.

"I just woke up," Emma said quickly, and pushed her blanket down to begin tying her shoelaces. Once they were on, she began to roll up her bedding. Licking her lips and glancing at Regina every few seconds, she slung the roll onto her back and muttered, "We should probably get going, right?"

Regina secured her hair with a band, and furrowed her brows slightly as Emma walked away.

---

By noon, the mountain that had seemed hundreds of miles away, started to seem achievable. The trees were thinning around them, leaving more of the upcoming landscape in view, and Emma started to feel uncomfortable. Almost disappointed.

Which was ridiculous. Because Emma was ready—really, really ready—to be back home, to have her son safely off at school, or out with friends.Not complaining loudly about his aching feet beside her.

"Suck it up, kid," she said, thinning her lips. "You're the one that wanted to tag along on this adventure." He groaned but stayed silent—the unofficial surrender—and let his feet fall harder to the ground in a mature sort-of stomp.

"Do you need to rest?" Regina asked him with concern. Shrugging his shoulder a bit, he looked up at her with wide eyes and seemed to puff out his cheeks a bit.

"No, I think I'm OK," he said pitifully, and Emma narrowed her eyes as Regina squeezed his shoulder sympathetically. The little con! Puppy dog eyes had stopped working on her—mostly—about a year ago, but it seemed Regina was not immune.

Still, it was nice to see her—and Snow, though the latter had been much quieter today—being so considerate and protective of her son. The disappointed feeling settled in her stomach again, and she furrowed her brow, shrugging her pack on tighter as she pinpointed what her hesitation was: she didn't want to leave them.

It was stupid; Snow and Regina (and the others at the castle) were all but strangers, as far as she could prove. Despite the claims of family they had made—and she had gone with out of a lack of better explanation and, yeah, a bit of desperation—she had only truly known them for less than three days. She'd spent more time with some of her bail jumpers.

Still, as Regina announced that they were getting close—she could feel the locator spell surge with strength—Emma had to breathe deeply to combat the sudden sadness that had gripped her.

It wasn't much farther before the group passed the last tree of the forest, and stepped out of the cover to stand at the base of the mountain. Lush grass covered the sweeping hill that led up to a rockier mountain face, large stones and tree stumps littering the area surrounding a white rocky path that led straight up the mountain.

Emma felt her breath catch as she took it in, never having seen something in nature be so incredibly overwhelming. The path curved a hundred feet ahead, and disappeared along the side of the mountain, which, it appeared, extended high into the sky.

"Woah," Henry whispered, coming to stand between his mother and Regina. Looking up at her, he asked, "Is this the right place?"

Regina nodded, her chest moving deeply as she breathed in and closed her eyes. "Yes," she murmured before looking ahead and beginning up the rocky path. "It is."

---

They were at least twenty-five feet up the mountain when Regina stopped, holding her hand up in an order for the others to follow. "Regina?" Snow asked from the back of the line, behind Henry, but she received no response.

The path had led them up the mountain and around a small peak. Thick trees grew in the area, and the light was dimmer, the air cooler, hidden from most of the heat of the sun in the small valley. In front of them the path split; one route led straight ahead, deeper into the valley, and the other curved right, winding downward where it disappeared out of sight on the other side of the peak.

Finally, Regina murmured, "We're very close," and followed the curved path. Emma quickly followed her, trees whipping past as Regina walked faster and faster, nearly running over the rocky terrain.

"Regina, slow down," she said, breathing a bit heavier. Regina continued to navigate the rocks quickly, only to stop suddenly. "Oomph," Emma groaned, slamming into Regina's back before she leaned away.

In front of them was a small cave, the mouth forming a deep semi circle with stone formation like a column in the very center, a single torch lit and resting in a holder. To the right was smooth rock, covered in vines and moss. To the left was the shadowy entrance, and Emma gulped a little, seeing it in front of her.

Regina closed her eyes briefly in irritation and walked towards the opening of the cave. "It feels like this is it," she said warily, stepping forward to rest her palm on the column in the center of the curve.

Voice low, Emma couldn't help but ask, "Are there, you know, bats in there?" Regina said nothing, simply pressed her hand against the stone and closed her eyes, concentrating. "Regina?" Emma prompted as Snow and Henry came to a stop beside her.

Regina leaned back, looking frantically over the cave. "This is it," she murmured to herself, and turned left towards the entrance. "Wait here," she said over her shoulder, and picked up the torch from the small holder on the column.

"Woah, you're not going in there alone, are you crazy?" Emma asked.

Regina gave her a skeptical look. "I suppose you're volunteering?"

"I mean, I guess so." She rested her hand on the hilt of her sword and turned toward Henry. "Be back in a minute, kid."

Turning back toward Regina, Emma nodded, and walked to stand beside her. Raising a brow, Regina asked, teasingly, "Are you sure, dear? I thought you were worried about bats."

Emma gave her an unamused look and pulled her sword from the sheath before walking in a few feet, the light from the torch Regina carried barely illuminating the area. A noise echoed from deeper within the cave and Emma's step faltered almost imperceptibly. "OK, seriously, do you think there are bats in here?"

Before Regina could answer, the women made it through the narrow tunnel that had led from the mouth of the cave, and stood in a small, more open area; a completely empty open area.

Regina walked forward, holding the torch out as she circled the walls, looking for something—another tunnel, a sign, anything. Emma shifted awkwardly, dropping her sword to let the tip dig into the sandy ground. "Well, at least—"

"If you mention bats one more time Miss Swan, I'll destroy you." With a small sigh she lowered her arm and walked toward the tunnel they had just come from.

Emma followed, and when they emerged back into the sunlight, Snow and Henry stood up straighter, expectantly. Regina remained silent as she put the torch back in place, and Emma shrugged, sheathing her sword.

"Regina?" Snow walked toward her, where she still stood facing the torch.

"It wasn't the left," Regina murmured, turning suddenly toward the mossy surface to her right. Pressing her hand against the rock, she closed her eyes. "It's here, it's behind here."

Snow's brow crinkled in confusion. "Regina, there's nothing there. It's just the mountain."

Shooting her a dangerous look, Regina repeated, "It's behind here." She slid her gloved hands over the smooth surface, brushing the moss and vines out of the way, and running her fingers over the uncovered edges.

With a grunt, she turned to look at Emma. "Help me," she demanded, and Emma walked forward, helping to clear the plant life.

Regina pushed and pulled at the stone. "I can't find anywhere to get a grip on this," she barked, frustrated.

Turning to Emma, she said, "We'll use magic."

"Regina," Emma started, brows quirking with hesitance. "If you use magic, won't it—"

"This is it, I don't need the spell." Looking at the solid rock in front of her, Emma hesitated. She couldn't imagine there was anything behind that rock except for more rock, and if they overrode the spell now, there was a chance they'd never find Merlin—that she'd never be able to get home.

Regina looked her square in the eye, turning her body slightly, and said, "This is it, Emma." She was certain, determined, and Emma swallowed deeply. It was a gamble, a big one, and she bit at the inside of her lip. Deep brown eyes stared at her with certainty, and she knew Regina was right. She believed her.

"OK," she nodded, and a relieved smile graced Regina's lips, warming Emma. "How do we do this?" she asked.

"Take my hand," Regina said, offering her a gloved palm. Emma could still picture her strong resolve as she turned toward the wall, could feel the intensity of her stare. Immediately Emma felt warmth blossom across her body, and she held her free hand up, mirroring Regina as she slid her hand away from the cave.

The large rock face began to move, the ground shaking with the effort, and Emma felt the warmth grow hotter with the exertion. With an opening two feet wide, Regina let go of Emma's hand, and Emma felt a small stab of disappointment at the loss of contact. She watched as Regina picked up the torch once more and turned to slip through the small space.

Following again, Emma did the same, only to be stopped by Regina's outstretched hand. "What do you think you're doing?" she hissed.

Emma tilted her head and gestured forward with her chin. "C'mon, keep going." Regina waited for a long moment before she sighed, allowing Emma to follow her. Henry bumped into Emma's side as he trailed her, and soon Snow was the last one clearing the passageway.

The cave felt identical to the one they'd just been in, but, Emma noted, it seemed unnaturally bright for just a simple torch. The walls of the cave flickered from the flame, and Regina cleared the small tunnel that fed into a small open area, just as the other cave had.

This one, unlike its twin, was not empty.

"Merlin?" Emma asked, shocked at seeing yet another fictional character crop up in her reality. Only, this man looked nothing like what she expected.

Standing in the center of the cave was a tall, thin man. His shoulders were rounded from poor posture, his clothes hung limply from his body, and his eyes were dark and sunken in, leaving big bags beneath them on his too-pale skin. The long white hair Emma had been anticipating was, instead, greasy and brown, and his hairline started too far back on his head. Most notably, the trademark white beard was absent, and just a few patchy tufts graced his jaw line, uneven and ill-cared for.

At the sound of Emma's voice Merlin smiled, further revealing a crooked, yellow row of teeth. Emma suppressed a shiver, and pulled Henry closer to her from where he stood at her side.

"Merlin?" Snow stepped forward, smiling at the wizard, and extending a hand. "I'm Snow." Emma caught the sight of Regina stiffening beside her. "We've been looking for you. You're a very hard man to find," she said with an uncomfortable laugh as Merlin eyed her.

Slowly, he took her hand. "Snow," he rolled her name around in his mouth, before smiling widely at her, baring his teeth. "Pleased to meet you," he said, dipping down in a small bow, "my Queen." When he stood back up he dropped her hand, and looked down at the dusty tunic he wore. "Pardon me, I wasn't expecting guests," he said with a small laugh that was just a bit shrill.

He brushed his hand down the front of his shirt and jacket, and dirt filled the air around them, making Emma cough. With a grimace she covered her mouth, and shifted uncomfortably.

Snow stepped back a bit toward Emma, and asked, "You know who I am?"

A sly smiled twisted his lips, and he nodded. "But of course, your Majesty." His eyes flickered around the rest of the group lingering on Regina, and Emma felt herself take a small step closer to the woman. "In fact," he said, "I know why you're here."

Eyes narrowing, Emma asked, "Oh yeah? And how do you know that?"

Merlin looked to her, and took a large step closer to her, his actions jerky and sudden, making her press her lips together and pull Henry closer to her side. "Clairvoyance, Emma." He winked at her, and her heart jumped. "It comes with the territory," he held a hand up and small fireworks emerged from his palm in a brilliant display.

"You know my name," she said.

Merlin looked at her, eyes wide, and said, "Oh, and then some." He reached out, bony fingers reaching for a lock of hair. "I must say, it's not every day you meet the Savior."

"You know why we're here?" Regina cut in, leaning over to draw Merlin's attention. "And why is that?"

Merlin dropped Emma's hair and walked away, back into the center of the room and tucked his hands behind his back. "Because you need my help, of course."

Regina rolled her eyes. "Brilliant deduction," she bit out.

"Regina," Snow warned, and walked back into Merlin's sight line. "We were wondering if you'd be able to send someone to another world? To create a portal," she shrugged hopefully.

Merlin stared at her for a long moment. "Someone?" Snow shifted, but remained silent. "I assume you mean Miss Swan, and her son Henry."

Every alarm bell in Emma's mind went off, and she was sure Henry would have a bruise from the grip she had on his shoulder.

"Or, perhaps you wish to send the wraith to yet another world? It worked last time, did it not?"

Snow eyed him warily. "How did you know that?" she asked.

Merlin's brows rose, and he tapped his head. "Clairvoyance." Walking closer to Regina and Emma, he murmured, "She's not the brightest queen in the castle, now is she?"

Regina's lips pressed together tightly. "Can you do it, or not, wizard?" She asked brusquely.

"My my," he tskd, and shook his head. "I can see where the name comes from," he smirked, and Regina's face paled slightly. "I mean Regina, of course." He tilted his head. "It means 'queen' if I'm not mistaken."

Regina licked her lips, but otherwise kept her face impassive. After a long moment, he tossed up his hands. "Oh alright, yes I can do it."

Eyes wide, Emma gaped. "Really? Just like that?"

"Just a snap of my fingers," he bragged.

"Well, that's wonderful, Emma," Snow smiled tightly, and walked over to squeeze her forearm.

"Of course," Merlin held up a finger, "there is a small problem."

Emma's stomach dropped. "What is it?"

Merlin looked up at the ceiling of the cave. "Perhaps you haven't noticed," he looked back at her condescendingly. "But I'm a bit trapped, at the moment."

"We opened the cave," Emma said, gesturing back toward the entrance. "It's how we got in."

"Yes," Merlin nodded, "impressive. But ultimately unhelpful. This cave will stay open for ten minutes—not a second more—and I will be unable to pass that rock. Others have visited before you and each time it was the same." He leaned an arm against the wall of the cave, sighing heavily and looking much younger as he rested his weight on the arm. "So, alas, I am stuck here." He turned his head toward the others. "And as long as I'm in this cave, no portal to home sweet home.

"And no stopping the wraith, for that matter," he added with a shrug as he pushed himself away from the wall.

Henry stepped forward a bit, and narrowed his eyes. "But you just used magic," he argued.

Leaning down until Merlin was face to face with the boy, he held up his hand and the fireworks burst again. "This? This is nothing more than a light show, my boy. An illusion."

Regina stepped forward, and held up a hand. "If we free you, you promise to create a portal? And stop the wraith?" She eyed him evenly as he stood up straight again.

Merlin closed one eye, tilting his head as he looked at the raised left hand. Before Regina could pull it back he grabbed her wrist, pulling the glove off. Emma couldn't stop the gasp that fell from her lips at the sight of Regina's bare palm, the skin burnt badly, as if she had been branded over and over. The symbol wasn't familiar, but it was large, and spanned the entirety of her palm.

Emma turned her head to look at Snow, who cradled her own wrist in sympathy.

Snatching her glove back, Regina tugged it on as Merlin laughed cruelly. "So will you?" she bit out.

"Yes, I believe that's a fair trade. You get me out, and I will send Emma, Henry, and whoever else you wish back to your world, and take care of the wraith." Putting a finger to his lips, he added, "My, that's quite the bargain."

Ignoring the quip, Regina asked, "How do we get you out?"

"This really makes my offer a steal, you know, giving you the answers," he prefaced. "I was sealed in by magic, and only the most powerful of weapons can shatter the lock that keeps me here." Looking around the room, his voice lost its lightness, and he said, seriously. "When I was just an apprentice, I forged two swords: the Twin Blades. They were powerful on their own, but combined they could cut through the most impenetrable barrier like it was butter. It could stop any spell, wound any enemy.

"So I had to split them, to protect everyone from their power." The borderline mad-man that had greeted them was gone, and an intense look fell over his face as he said, "I separated them. One, I embedded deep into a stone, just outside of Camelot. The other, I sank to the bottom of a bottomless lake." He walked closer to Emma, and said softly, "Find the blades, and they will break the lock."

Regina leaned forward. "And how are we supposed to retrieve these Blades if they're so confined?"

Merlin's seriousness fled, and he smiled at her, wide. "An important question," he replied, but said nothing else.

The cave began to shake, and Emma turned quickly to see the heavy stone face sliding back to cover the entrance. "I believe that is your cue," he said loudly, talking over the rumbling of the rock.

Snow turned, and pushed Henry ahead of her as she ushered him out of the cave. Emma turned, too, but noticed that Regina was still eying Merlin carefully. "Regina, we gotta go," she said, and Regina gritted her jaw, but started to leave.

Emma slid through with just a foot of space left and stuck her hand out to pull Regina through as well. As her fingers curled around her palm, she tugged, and she slid through just before the stone slammed back into place.

The four stood silently, breathing a bit heavily from the adrenaline as they looked around at each other. Licking her lips, Emma put her hands on her hips and asked, "So, which way to Camelot?"