How Deep Is Your Love

Chapter Three

When Regina left her office that evening after Robin had left her to care for the woman who had stolen his heart long ago until she died as she had promised him she would, she and her son walked through town and headed to Granny's before they headed home for the evening. The mayor wasn't much in the mood for company, knowing that the Charmings and Storybrooke's latest refugee from wherever she was from would all be there too, but she knew that Henry wanted to make sure his other family were all okay after their first confrontation against this Snow Queen. She had yet to meet the villain herself, but because she, Henry, and Robin all got a text from either Emma or Mary Margaret, at least they knew who was responsible for what happened to Marian now.

Mary Margaret greeted them as they entered saying, "Henry, Regina. We're glad you're here. And you're just in time. We ordered a round of cocoas with cinnamon before we head up to bed. How are you doing?"

Henry spoke up for his adopted mom as he responded, "We're okay. We weren't the ones who confronted a Snow Queen earlier. Where's Mom?

"She already went up to bed," David replied. "She turned in early because she was tired and she had a lot on her mind tonight. What about Robin and Marian? How are they holding up?"

"For now, Marian's not in any danger of freezing over completely," Regina answered coldly, then looked away from everyone as she moved to have a seat in her own booth away from the others.

Henry looked at her worryingly and then continued for her, "And Robin's holding up about as well as you would expect. He's keeping up a brave face, for Roland and for Mom."

When the thirteen year old took a seat across from Regina, Mary Margaret handed her son over to her husband and stood up, then sat down again beside the Mayor and her friend, who turned her head to glare at her and said in frustration, "If you've come over to try to tell me everything's going to work out okay, save your breath. I'm not in the mood. You can't possibly know things will work out and even if we do save Marian and defeat this ice witch, or whatever she is, Robin has chosen to remain with his wife. And why wouldn't he?"

"I'm so sorry, Regina," Snow responded sadly.

"I'm sorry," the former Evil Queen replied more calmly upon looking at Henry again and seeing the pleas in his eyes for her to try to remain civil. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. So, tell us what's going on. Who is this woman?"

Elsa sat down beside Henry, then she answered, "We aren't really sure who this woman is. But she appeared to know me very well, as well as my sister and Emma. I don't understand how that's possible. As this Snow Queen has magic like mine, she must be from Arendelle like me and Anna, while Emma is from right here."

The teenager quickly corrected her as he stated, "The Enchanted Forest actually. My moms and everyone else are all from the Enchanted Forest. That's why most of us have magic too. I'm the only one who's from here."

"But Elsa is right," David continued for the true Queen of Arendelle. "All we really know is that she's powerful and dangerous. I didn't want to admit this in front of Emma, but I don't like how this woman seemed to know her either. She claimed she knew our daughter by her reputation as the Savior, but I don't buy it any more than Emma did."

"What about Elsa's magic?" Regina questioned, then turned to look over at her. "Your powers are identical, aren't they?"

Elsa shrugged nervously and used her magic to form a snowflake within the palm of her hand to make sure she could make it work again as she responded, "It appears so, but she somehow managed to neutralize my magic when she surprised Hook and I. I was of no help to him when she nearly killed him, or to Emma and her father. What if she does so again the next time we confront her?"

As Granny walked over to the booths and carefully began to set down several mugs cocoa in front of each one of the heroes, Mary Margaret spoke again saying, "Hopefully the next time we face her won't be because she surprises us first. I hate to admit it, but that's usually how all of our first battles against evil start."

"I agree with Mary Margaret," the Mayor replied sternly. "But we've been all right so far."

"Are you actually giving us a hope speech for once?" the Princess asked mockingly.

Regina glared at her stepdaughter as she answered, "Not on your life. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to head home and try to get some sleep myself. I've never been much for hot cocoa with cinnamon."

She stood up again, as did Mary Margaret so she could let the Mayor out of their booth and then Regina continued, "Good night."

"Mom, wait!" Henry suddenly called out as he too stepped out and walked over to stand beside his adopted mother while carrying the cup Granny handed to him. I'm coming with you tonight."

"Are you sure?" Regina asked in surprise. "I mean, don't you want to go up and check on your other mother?"

The thirteen year old looked between his grandparents, then turned back to his second mother and responded, "Grandpa said Mom wanted some time alone to think about what's troubling her. But she's not the only one who's troubled right now. I would like to stay with you tonight, if you don't mind? Besides, it's a bit too cramped with Elsa staying with us now too. No offense, Elsa."

Elsa shook her head as Regina smiled and gently caressed her son's cheek, then she replied, "I think I'd like that. Thank you, Henry."

"It looks like Neal's finally fallen asleep," Mary Margaret said when Regina and Henry left as she looked down at the baby once again in her arms after she took him back from her husband. "I'll tell you, I'm not far behind. I just hope tomorrow's nothing like today. I don't want to hear that either of you are placed in danger again unless we're prepared for an attack."

"Don't worry, Mary Margaret," David answered confidently for both of the women's sakes. "We're going to find out who she is and then figure out how to defeat her like the rest of the villains we've beaten. I trust our daughter and Elsa to be able to find their strength. Emma always has and I'm willing to bet that Elsa has too, with or without Anna's help. We always find a way."

Elsa looked at them as she asked, "You really believe that, don't you?"

Mary Margaret smiled as she responded, "If you're with us long enough, you'll see that there's nothing we can't do so long as we work together."

"That includes finding Anna, just as we promised we would," David replied.

"I hope so," the Queen of Arendelle answered quietly. "I do hope so."