SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG! Really guys I can't tell you how sorry I am. Here it is though and I tried to make it a bit longer in compensation. I LOVE YOU for being patient. So yeah a little author note: I do not like Hook. I just don't. I do not like outlawqueen being forced in the show, aaaannnnddddd I really don't like Tink and Regina not being pals in the show. You cannot tell me that Regina finding a man will then lead to her life being perfect? WTH….sigh..


**Emma's POV**


Regina was staring at him again, and the longer she stared, the more I felt I should punch the thief. He wasn't even giving her the time of day. They were a mere ten feet from each other. How could he not feel her watching him? Watching him with those eyes.

I couldn't sit beside a silent Henry, or an overly doting mother and father anymore at the moment. I stood from my seat and moved to be nearest the back of the building.

I couldn't stop thinking to myself that I didn't much like the way Regina held herself around Robin. I could feel my scowl forming as I picked up a few darts, but I really couldn't have cared less.

I lobbed my first dart, and it felt a bit better to throw something than to "talk about it" as her parents so often tried to do.

My second dart sailed better than the first. I had to admit I was a better aim when angry. My tension was nearly gone, but no way was the universe going to let that happen without a fight. When I threw my third dart a felt a cold object on the small of my back.

"Perhaps I should paint a bull's-eye on the wicked witches back?"

It was Hook. I was always Hook. "She'll get more than a dart when I find her."

"I know you're hurting, Swan, but there are better ways to grieve Bealfire's death than letting anger overcome you."

I rolled my eyes. "Let me guess. rum?"

His smug smile was making me agitated. "Never hurts." He quipped, and showed me his flask.

"I'll stick with the anger until I can deal with Zalena." I was made the savior. It's my job to stop evil, or in this case Wicked.

"Take it from me. Vengeance isn't the thing that's going to make you feel better." He still wasn't understanding.

"It's going to make this town safer, and I promised Henry I'd find the person responsible for his father's death." I looked over at the booth I left my boy sitting at. "It's really all I can do for him right now."

"That can't be true? Have you tried talking to the boy?" He pushed.

"As far as he's concerned I haven't seen Neal since he left me in jail, so anything I tell him about his dad being a hero is going to sound like I'm making it up just to make him feel better." I have thought this through.

Killian swayed a moment, thinking to himself. "Perhaps I could talk to him?"

"About what? Leather conditioner, and eyeliner?" As soon as I said it I wish I hadn't. It was a low blow.

I could see I hurt his feelings a bit so I let him talk. "I knew Bea as a boy. Perhaps Henry would like to hear what his father was like at his age?"

I was taken aback. "You'd do that?"

"Ey. Could help the boy make peace with his father's passing…, and me." He was being genuine about Henry's wellbeing, and that I could respect, so I relented.

"Be careful. Zalena's still out there." I gave him my most serious warning glare.

"I assure you, nothing will happen to the boy why he's in my charge."

I nodded my head, and told myself this was a good idea. I lead both of us to the booth where Henry sat. All the while turning my gaze slightly to see Tinkerbelle approach Regina, and them both stare at Robin for the briefest of moments before engaging in conversation. Hood accompanied them shortly after, and for the first time that day Regina smiled. Lucky bastard.

"Henry, you remember Killian right?" I said.

Hook held out his good hand to Henry, who took it kindly. "Hello, Henry."

"Hi, and yeah I remember you." He was smiling sweetly. He reminded me more of the Henry I met when first arriving into Storybrooke. So young, and small. Not the young man he'd grown into the past two years.

Henry left with Killian out the back door, and I came back into the Diner hoping to maybe have a drink, but was met instead by my parents wanting to embrace me once more that day. Wonderful. I accepted it though. Through the hug I could see Regina once again sitting alone. I hated that sight, but I always figured we weren't close for me to intervene in her life. Now, however; I got the vibe maybe we could be friends of sorts?

Before I could act on any of my thoughts, Zalena burst through the door causing everyone to panic. Both David, and I reached for my mom.

"My condolences!" she said giving a very theatrical pout. "I'm so sorry I missed the funeral, but I could never pass up a Wake." She strolled around the room. "Did I miss speeches? Shall I make one? I am, after all, responsible." She said it with such joy, and I surged forward, but Snow grabbed my hand. "Emma, no. Too many people could get hurt."

The Witch smiled. "Listen to your mother. She's right. Anyone who tries to interfere with my plan is going to have to deal with the Dark One." She turned and came for my parents, but David spoke up. "Don't come any close!"

"Oh don't worry? I'm not here for your baby? Not today anyway." She was so damn dramatic.

"Then why are you hear?" All our attention turned to Regina. Who stood up, and walked into the middle of the diner. She was braver than the rest of us.

Zalena studied Regina. "Well, now that my cover is blown, I can pay a visit to my little sister."

Regina arched her brow. "Who the hell are you talking about?"

"Why you of course, Regina?"

Mumbles filled Granny's. I couldn't stop myself from internally yelling PLOTTWIST.

Regina, however; was not amused. "I'm an only child."

"Cora lied to you, Regina. I'm your sister. Half if you want to get technical." Zalena was starting to get snippy.

"Why should I believe anything you say?"

"Oh! Well, you shouldn't. It is a lot to swallow, which is why I've brought a gift to help." I rolled my eyes"

Regina laughed. "I don't want a gift from you."

"Oh, but you shall have it." Zalena moved toward Regina slowly. Punctuating each word clearly. "You see my gift to you is this sad, sad day. Use it to dig into our past, Regina. You need to learn the truth, and you must believe it. Then, meet me on Main Street tonight. Say.. sundown."

Regina looked about ready to spit. "…, and then what?"

Zalena was in her face now. It was putting me on edge. "Then I'll destroy you." She said. My arm har prickled.

Regina squinted through her eyelashes "this isn't the wild west."

Zalena bared her teeth. "No dear, It's the wicked west."

Oh god she said it. I'm done.

".., and I want everyone to be there to see the Evil Queen lose!"

I looked at Regina. A sudden worry coming over me. Regina however remained cool. "I don't lose."

"Neither do I.." Zalena smiled. "One of us is about to make history. See you tonight, Sis!"

She left without another word, and all eyes returned to Regina. Who stood looking more petrified now, than stoic.

We let the diner clear out before taking up any business about the Witch. We all collectively sat at the counter. David asked Regina three or four times if she was sure she didn't know anything about Zalena, and every time Regina replied calmly that she didn't. I could tell that she was getting a bit annoyed, so I interjected for her.

"It doesn't matter if Zalena is your sister or not. She wants you dead. Any idea why?" I said hoping to take some of David's heat off of Regina.

Regina met my eyes. I've never even met her before today." She was telling the truth about that.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Doesn't mean you still didn't do something to piss her off?"

Tink, who I noticed was sitting a little close to me, spoke up. "Yeah, you did manage to step on a lot of people's toes back in our world."

Regina gave Tink a friendly grin. "Well none of them were green."

"Then there's that missing year. Maybe you did something then to piss her off?" Granny decided to chime in as well.

Regina pursed her lips. "Stick to the lasagna, lady."

I sighed heavily. Why everyone always thought it was a good idea to gang up on Regina was beyond me.

Regina shifted in her seat to look all of us in the eye. "It's starting to sound an awful lot like you're on her side." She stepped off her step stool and moved passed us putting on her coat.

My worry peaked. "Where are you going?"

She didn't turn around. "To find out exactly what this Witch thinks I did to her." She was upset.

I put my hand on Snow's, who was about to get up to go after her. "I'll talk to her." I said, and got off my stool to move quickly out the door. I just happened to pass a worried looking Robin Hood on the way, and couldn't contain my smirk.

"Regina?" I was being slightly hesitant in commanding her attention.

"What is it Miss Swan?" she said sounding a little more than exhausted.

I caught up to her, and matched her stride. "I'm sorry about them. I believe you. The way I see it a woman like you doesn't take revenge on anyone without taking note of all she hurt, and what she did to hurt them."

I got a raised eyebrow for that.

I laughed. "All I mean is you're meticulous, and you don't hurt anyone who didn't hurt you first. I think you're pretty smile… I MEANT SMART! I meant pretty smart." I laughed awkwardly.

Regina smiled for the first time since she'd spoken to Robin earlier at the diner. Here comes the weird feelings again.

"So, this Robin Hood guy.." I stuck my hands in my pocket. Trying not to be too fidgety.

"What about him?.." Regina said looking off into the distance suddenly. There was something up with her, and this true love crap. It gave me that funny feeling in my chest like someone was keeping a secret from me, and I didn't like it.

"How is the whole uh.. true love thing going?"

"It's at a stalemate at the moment. With all that's going on. I don't really get a lot of time to ponder trivial things like love." I nodded at that. I understood.

"Don't say that in front of my parents though. Love, to them is much more essential then trivial." Regina laughed. A wonderful sound.

"Let us help you? Please?" I couldn't help myself. There was no way I was going to let her do anything alone. At least until she asked. She stopped walking as did I, and looked me in the eyes. I could almost hear the wheels turning in her head.

"Don't think on it too hard?" I said, and laid a hand on her elbow lightly.

"Okay. Yeah, just call your mother too. I have more than enough stuff to go through." She seemed more that apprehensive, but smiled at me when I called to tell Mary-Margaret to meet us at Regina's vault.

We searched through piles of stuff. Stuff that called junk once, and got the dirtiest look. Regina mostly was in her own world. Talking to herself, and mumbling oddities when she would pick up a certain item. I would never tell a soul, but I found her so beautiful when she wasn't thinking about being perfect, and poised. I found myself getting nudges from Snow to get back to work sifting through books. I dint even think she noticed I was staring.

My cell rang, and Regina just pointed for me to leave.

Quickly I raced up the mausoleum stairs and into the light.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Emma its Dad. I just wanted you to know that we are out letting people know to stay inside. You know, just in case this thing happens tonight."

"Okay good. We are still here looking through stuff. Regina's seems really shaken by this sister thing." I didn't know why I said it. I just needed to voice my thoughts to someone.

"I can understand. It's crazy to find out you have a sibling after so many years of knowing otherwise."

"Alright well im going to get back to work. I'll see you for dinner?"

"You bet!"

I hung up the phone feeling slightly better than before. There was something to this having parents thing.

When I returned back into the vault. Snow was stretching her back. "….I don't think a sleeping curse is good for the baby.." They didn't even hear what I said about David, and the others were taking care of things in town.

There wasn't a response from Regina. She was crouched over a chest with a letter in her hand.

"What'd you find?" I said curiously.

"It's a… a letter..."

"What's it say?" Snow asked.

"…Zalena is my sister."

It was quiet for a minute. "Regina what is it?"

"Nothing." She said "don't worry about it." Before I could say anything Regina bolted out of the vault.

My heart was hurting. I hated when she closed herself off like that.

Snow, and I walked back to town after locking up. It took me a minute to figure it out, but I used my magic to lock it from the outside. I will not mention that I heard things exploding. I locked it though, that's the important part.

I pulled out my cell phone and texted Henry. Then for good measure I texted Regina.

I don't mean to pry. Here if you need to talk. –EMMA

That's not creepy right?

David, Tink, and Belle where waiting by Granny's. Mary- Margaret waved, and walked ahead. Just as I was about to reach them my phone buzzed.

It's alright. If you can. Meet me in the forest near the Well? I'm really not

Looking for a ray of sunshine. – REGINA

I stuck my phone into my pocket. Mary-Margaret was already informing the group on the news of the letter. David asked if we should go help her, and I smiled.

"She seemed pretty set on doing this herself." I said.

"So what do we do? Just leave her alone?" He said with his arm around his wife.

"Hell no, we're gonna help her whether she likes it or not." I smiled, and I noticed Tink give me a smile too.


This chapter took me way too long to write. Work sucks. Hope you guys liked it. Im going to start deviating from the episodes a bit, and slowing down the Zalena evil scheme progression. Please comment I love all of you guys J