Hook is true to his word. The Jolly Roger is waiting in the harbor when they arrive, Emma holding tightly to Harper's carrier with a diaper bag instead of a sword strapped across her back.

Henry's backpack has made a reappearance and it's taken everything she has to keep from sobbing when she sees it all packed up, ready for yet another adventure.

She hasn't had time to mourn or even sort through the myriad of memories shifting and swirling through her head, though. Hook's words keep replaying over and over, making her stomach plummet and her heart lurch. "Your family is in trouble."

"Swan." Hook calls as he catches sight of her, obviously understanding that she remembers.

"Hook!" Henry shouts, his feet pounding against the wood as he races for the Jolly Roger. "We remember!"

Henry scrambles aboard easily, but Emma falters, her hand clutching tighter to Harper's carrier, that voice inside of her rising up, echoing louder and louder as she thinks about what she's about to do, where she's about to go.

Run. Run. Run. Take Henry and Harper and run as far and as fast as you can.

She shakes her head knowing she can't. Once she opens her eyes again, she sees Hook's hand, held out to her.

"Careful, lass." He cautions as she slips her free hand into his and allows him to help her up.

"Hook." She breathes, looking at him with wide eyes. "I –"

"It's alright, Swan." He inclines his head in understanding.

"I don't – my family – are they – what's happening?" She can't get the words out, can't process what has happened.

"They're safe for now. But we need to get you back as soon as possible."

"But what's happening?" She asks again, needing to know.

Hook just shakes his head. "The journey will be a bit rough until we make it through the portal. I'd suggest you head down below with -" he looks down at the baby, obviously not knowing what to say or how to react to her.

"Harper." Emma supplies, and if it sounds snappy she doesn't care.

"Indeed." Hook says, still staring.

"Hook!" She calls, wanting answers, but he ignores her, turning to Henry instead.

"Want to help me sail us back home, lad?"

"Yeah!" Henry grins. Emma wants to pull him to her, wrap both arms around him and never let him go, but she just turns and moves below deck after tossing out a "be careful, please".

Hook's right – the start of the journey is rough. Harper cries, unused to the rocking motion and the hard swaying the ship does as it travels through the portal. Emma can't blame her, she feels the same way. She just can't get away with expressing herself in screams and tantrums like her daughter can.

Emma takes her out of her carrier and holds on to her, unwilling to have even that much space between them as they jump the portal. She fears that she'll somehow lose her if she doesn't hold onto her.

Once the ship and Harper finally seem to settle, Emma allows herself to look around the room and remember the last time she'd been here.

She remembers the trips to and from Neverland, the adrenaline and emotions, so similar to her own emotions now, if she thinks of it. The fear and the determination. Just as she knew what she needed to do then, she knows what she needs to do now. And she's well aware of what's at stake.

Last time, though, she hadn't made the journey alone. She'd had a roommate and –

Regina.

Her heart speeds up and then comes to a stop at the thought of her roommate and the last time they'd been in this tiny, cramped cabin.

She remembers coming back to the cabin after they'd left Henry – or who they thought to be Henry – safely asleep in the captain's quarters to find Regina sitting on the very bunk she's sitting on now. She remembers the way Regina had been shaking, with tears sliding down her cheeks silently.

She'd dropped to her knees in front of her, grabbing Regina's hands and squeezing, making Regina look at her.

"Hey. Hey. It's okay. He's safe. He's fine. We're fine. We're okay."

Regina had opened her mouth, but hadn't been able to say anything.

"We got him." She had promised and then, reached up to wipe the tears away. "I've got you. You're okay."

She remembers the way Regina had fallen into her arms then, clutching to her, mouthing words against her neck that somehow morphed into open mouthed kisses. And then how their lips had finally connected, hard and desperate and tinged with salt.

She remembers the rocking of the boat and how their bodies had rocked right along with it. She remembers roaming hands and bare skin and wanting to memorize every little thing about Regina, wanting to hold her and keep her forever. She remembers gasping against her skin and panting into her hair and how she'd felt the tingle of magic under her skin, enhancing all of her feelings.

And she remembers the way that Regina had cried out as she finally came apart, right before Emma followed her.

"Emma. Emma. Emma."

She's broken from her reverie by Harper, who shifts and fusses in her arms and suddenly Emma's eyes go wide as she looks at her daughter.

Her daughter.

Her child.

The child she gave birth to nine months after Regina gave her and Henry a new life. Nine months after they got back from Neverland. Nine months after –

"Oh my god." She murmurs, staring down at Harper with new recognition in her eyes.

But she doesn't even have time to process anything besides the initial understanding of who exactly her child's other parent is, because there are footsteps on the stairs and the cabin door opens to reveal Hook, who proclaims, "We're back, Swan."

When she makes it up on deck, she feels like the whole world has shifted. And not just because she's suddenly found herself in another one.

"Need a hand?" Hook offers as Emma makes her way down from the ship with Harper.

"What I need is for you to tell me what the hell is going on." She says, purposefully ignoring his hand and coming down just fine on her own. "You show up at my door telling me my family is in trouble, but now that I believe you, you won't tell me anything about the trouble they're in."

"I think it's best if you hear it from your parents." Hook deflects, starting towards the large castle that Emma remembers being in ruins the last time she was here. It still looks beat up, but in much better condition than it had been.

Emma blinks at that, thinking for the first time of her parents. "Oh god. How are they? Are they safe?" She hurries to catch up with him, but a thought crosses her mind that makes her stop, fear taking over her entire body. "It's not – Regina's not –" She can't even bring herself to say it, to think it.

"She's here. On our side." Hook says, seemingly understanding her fear. "She's the one who sent the mirror to bring back your memories."

Relief floods Emma at those words. Regina is here. She's on their side. Emma will be able to see her, to talk to her, to touch her. To tell her about Harper.

"Come along, Swan." Hook nods towards Henry who has already reached the gates of the castle. "Your people await."

"Emma!"

Hook leads them into the Great Hall of the castle where it seems like all of Storybrooke has gathered, all of them calling out her name at once.

There's only one person who calls out a different name. "Henry."

She's the only person that Emma really sees in the crowd. "Regina." She whispers, feeling her heart expand even as it beats so quickly she's sure it will burst from her chest.

"Mom!" Henry calls, racing forward to her and Emma can't stop her tears as she watches Regina drop to her knees to pull Henry into an embrace, holding him tightly and burying her face in his hair.

Emma's feet move of their own accord, trying to get to her family, to be part of the beautiful reunion that's happening, but she suddenly finds herself wrapped up in strong arms.

"Emma."

It's her father's voice in her ear and she finds that it brings tears to her eyes and a warmth and safety to her that she wasn't expecting. "David." She breathes out, carefully sitting Harper's carrier down so she can fully hug him.

"Oh Emma! We knew you'd find us again."

She pulls back with a laugh, ready to tease Snow for her inevitable optimism, but the words and the laughter die in her throat when she takes in the sight of Snow.

It shouldn't be a shock, especially not because she herself looked the same way only three months ago, but Emma feels her whole body freeze and go rigid at the sight of Snow's large, rounded belly.

She's pregnant.

Her mother is pregnant.

It's as though all the oxygen has suddenly been sucked from her lungs and her heart has been pulled from her chest, because all she can hear are the echoes of voices in her head, voices reminding her that she isn't good enough.

"We're so sorry Emma, but we're having a baby, you see? A baby that's ours. And we just can't keep you."

"What we have with her is unique, but it's not what I wanted."

"I want to have another baby."

"Look at you!" Snow gasps, clearly not noticing Emma's distress as she pulls her into an embrace. Emma does her best not to flinch when she feels Snow's belly press against her. "You're so beautiful, Emma." Snow cries, holding her cheeks before her gaze drifts down to the baby carrier.

She gasps as she takes in the sight of Harper. "Oh Emma! Hook told us but – I just – you – she's beautiful. May we?"

Emma wants to say no. She wants to hold her daughter close and not let anyone else except Henry – and Regina – near her. She wants to tell Snow to wait and hold her own child that she so desperately wants because her child isn't a placeholder, just like Emma herself isn't a placeholder. But she also knows that her reactions are skewed right now. So she offers a brief nod, looking away and trying to find Regina again as David lifts Harper out of the carrier.

She has just caught sight of her, still murmuring with Henry, when Harper lets out an angry cry. Emma spins back to see Harper crying and obviously upset, in David's arms. She moves to take her daughter, but Snow beats her to it, taking the baby instead.

"Here. Let me –"

"Maybe I should –" Emma starts to say, trying to think of a way to politely take Harper back when she is so clearly distressed, but Snow ignores her, bouncing the baby in her arms.

"Hello sweet baby." Snow coos, but Harper just continues to wail, her face going redder and her arms and legs kicking angrily.

"Okay, I think maybe I should –"

"Nonsense, Emma." Snow turns just the littlest bit, blocking Emma from taking Harper. Emma sees red. No one will keep her from her child.

"Snow," David begins, seeing the look on Emma's face and understanding it for what it is.

Henry pulls away from Regina to move towards the group, feeling the tension rising and wanting to stop it. "Grandpa! Grandma!" He calls, hoping to distract them enough so that Emma can take Harper back.

"Snow, she's had a long journey and –"

Snow continues to try and soothe the baby but it's obvious that she's only making Harper more upset. Finally, Emma can take it no longer.

"Give me my daughter!" She demands, reaching over and pulling Harper from her mother's grasp.

Snow gasps and looks hurt, but Emma doesn't even notice, she's so focused on her daughter. The crying stops almost instantly as Emma settles Harper against her chest and Emma soothes her, whispering softly and rocking her gently.

Once she's finally relaxed, she looks back up at her parents and everyone else gathered in the room, all just staring at her.

"I'm sorry." She murmurs. "It's been a very long day and she's just a baby. She doesn't understand – she hasn't been around a lot of strangers."

"But we aren't strangers." Snow whispers.

"Of course you aren't." Henry steps in. "But Harp just doesn't know everyone else yet. I bet she'll be less cranky after a nap."

Emma beams down at Henry, so relieved that he's running interference for her. "Yeah, is there somewhere I could put her down? Once she's asleep, we can all talk – catch up."

"Of course." David steps in. "You can put her in the nursery. We've been getting it back into shape to get ready for the baby, but there's no reason she can't use it for now."

Until the baby comes and she's replaced, Emma thinks, but doesn't say. Instead she smiles and nods and then looks back to her mother. "Congratulations, by the way."

She's proud that she manages to sound pretty sincere. Snow just nods.

Emma looks over and catches Regina's eye then. She moves back towards her. "Regina." She whispers, overcome again with emotion at seeing her.

But Regina's face stays a neutral mask, not breaking out into the smile that she had been hoping for. She stops in front of her, just drinking in the sight of her and she can't stop the smile that spreads over her own face. She won't school her reaction in front of everyone. She doesn't care what they think.

"Regina. I'm so happy to see you. You look –"

"You should get your child down for a nap, Miss Swan." Regina says, her tone the same as it had been when she first arrived in Storybrooke – reserved and edged. It's like a slap in the face to Emma, especially the 'Miss Swan'.

"I –"

Harper squirms just the littlest bit in her arms and Regina raises a brow, although she decidedly does not look down.

"I do need to put her down. But I need to talk to you, too." She knows she sounds pleading and she doesn't care.

Regina says nothing, just turns her attention back to Henry who has come back over to them, looking back and forth between them as though trying to figure out a puzzle.

"Everything okay?" He asks.

"Of course, dear." Regina smiles a beatific smile at Henry, ignoring Emma and Harper completely. "Come along while Miss Swan puts… your sister down for a nap. You can tell me all about how you've been the last year."

Henry looks at Emma as though asking if she's okay with this. Emma gives him a nod and turns to follow her father, but she finds herself glancing back at Regina as she does so.

David leads her to the nursery and when they enter, he stops and just stares at Emma with a look she can't understand.

She looks around, seeing that they have indeed fixed up the nursery from the way it was when she was last here and had burned the wardrobe. The crib is still there, but it's been righted and with a pang Emma sees the unicorn mobile hanging over it. Her unicorn mobile. Except not hers anymore.

The candles make the room bright and cheery instead of the cold, dark blue she remembers, but there's still something about the room that makes her ache.

"There are chambers, right through this door." David says, pointing them out. "You can take them to be close to Harper."

Emma's brow furrows. "Aren't they yours and Snow's? I can stay somewhere else with Harper. I don't want to –"

"No." David shakes his head. "Our chambers are down the hall."

Emma blinks at that. She can't imagine having Harper's nursery anywhere but next to her room and even then, she's got the baby monitor going so she can be awake the instant she hears her daughter. She had kept Harper in the bassinet in her bedroom for the first month of her life. How could they stay that far away with no monitoring system?

"The guards will listen and let us know if the baby wakes up." David explains as though he knows what she's thinking. Or maybe she spoke aloud. She isn't sure.

Emma says nothing for a long time, just stares at the crib. Finally, she clears her throat. "Are you sure this is okay? Snow looks like she's ready to pop any day. I can just keep Harper in the chambers with me and –"

"It's fine, Emma. Please. Use it and the chambers."

Emma nods and offers a smile. "Let me just get her settled for a nap and then –"

"Of course. We'll be in the Great Hall, waiting."

"Thank you."

He leaves her alone and Emma looks around the room once more before moving to the door he'd indicated and walking through to find her chambers.

Emma's in her chambers, holding Harper as she stares out the window, when Henry finds her a few minutes later. Harper gurgles, tugging on Emma's curls.

"She's Mom's." He says and Emma turns to face him. "Isn't she?" He tacks on the question, but he doesn't need to ask it. It's so obvious now, to look at her. Sure, she's got Emma's blonde hair and her green eyes, but there's something about her that's just so Regina he can't imagine how they didn't remember as soon as they laid eyes on her in the delivery room.

"Yes." Emma whispers, looking down at her daughter.

"How?" Henry asks. "I mean – magic, I guess. But –"

"I don't know." Emma says and she sounds so lost.

"Does Mom know?"

"No."

"You have to tell her." Henry insists, until he sees the look on Emma's face.

"I've tried. As soon as I – as soon as I remembered, I tried to talk to her. She won't talk to me. She won't even stay in the same room as me." Emma sighs.

"Then I'll tell her."

"Henry." She smiles then, almost sadly. "It needs to come from me."

"Okay." He nods, understanding. "But it needs to be soon. She needs to know."

"I know." Emma closes her eyes, leaning down to let her hair fall onto Harper, who giggles in her arms.

She waits until Harper is soundly sleeping, nestled in the crib that was supposed to be hers, before she finally heads back to the Great Hall. She's used the quiet moment with her daughter to calm her emotions and swirling memories.

She needs to know what new threat she is up against. She needs to figure out how to save everything. Then she can worry about her own rather fragile emotional state. For now, she needs to become The Savior again.

Snow and David are waiting for her, seated at a large round table that she feels certain they hold council meetings around. A few of the others are milling around the room, glancing at her and offering her smiles that she does her best to offer back, but her attention is focused on her parents.

"So." She says as she sits down, taking in a deep breath. "A lot's happened in the last year, huh?"

She tries not to sound bitter and thinks she mostly succeeds.

Snow beams, her hand rubbing circles on her belly. "Yes, it has."

"Hook said that you guys were in trouble. That that's why I needed to come back here. What's happening?" Emma asks, cutting right to the point. She doesn't want to have to fawn over her coming sibling right now. She just wants answers.

Snow and David share a look before David turns back to her. "There's a threat. She's taken up residence at Regina's old castle and –"

"She? Who?"

"The Wicked Witch of the West."

Emma blinks at that, trying to process the words. "I – I'm sorry. Did you just say The Wicked Witch of the West?"

"Yes."

"As in The Wizard of Oz, green skin, ruby red slippers, flying around on a broom, Wicked Witch?"

"Yes. Although the ruby red slippers were something that MGM created for the movie not –"

"Okay." Emma interrupts her mother's musings. "Okay, so… The Wicked Witch is here in the Enchanted Forest instead of Oz. What does she want?"

"To destroy us." Snow says solemnly. "She's been destroying the villages, setting fire to everything in her way."

"In her way of what, though? Why is she here?"

"We don't know. But we believe because she lost her power in Oz, she's decided to come here and take over."

Emma sighs. Her parents are always so stuck in black and white. Evil has no motive besides to be evil. But Emma knows better. "She's got to have a reason for taking over here though. Has she sent a message or –"

"She's sent her flying monkeys to attack us!" Snow raises her voice. "They attacked a group we sent out to try and reason with her. They killed nearly all of them. They killed Neal!"

"Snow!" David hisses, but it's too late.

"Wh-what?" Emma asks, the words washing over her sharply.

"Emma," David tries to soothe her, but Emma shakes her head.

"Neal's dead?" She feels tears stinging her eyes, but knows she cannot let them fall. Not here, not now.

"Robin Hood led a group out to try and spy on the Witch, to gather information. Neal went with them. She must have known they were coming. She sent her monkeys after them. They tried to fight them off, but the monkeys were too strong. Only two survived the attack and that was just barely."

"Flying monkeys." Emma murmurs, pushing the rest of the thoughts away.

"Since then, she's been sending attacks more frequently. More and more people are dying or being injured. Regina has put a protection spell around the castle and has been going out on patrols, but the Witch has powerful magic as well. She needs to be defeated or we will never be safe."

"We're so sorry, Emma." Snow reaches out to squeeze Emma's hands. "It's horrible that Harper will never know her father but –"

Emma's head snaps up. "What?"

"Well, isn't Neal..."

"No." Emma shakes her head vehemently. "No."

"Oh." Snow whispers, pulling back, looking puzzled.

Emma pushes herself up and away from the table, no longer wanting to be there, no longer wanting to have this conversation. "So there's a Wicked Witch who is attacking us with flying monkeys for reasons no one knows. And she's got powerful magic and is probably going to drop a house on us at any minute. Is that about it?"

"Well, yes, but –"

"The castle is safe? You're sure of it?"

"Regina put a protection spell on it and so far, none of the attacks have been able to get past it, although there is some worry from Blue that it is weakening."

"Okay. Fine. We're safe for now. So I'm just going to – I need to think and –"

"Emma." Snow tries to reach out to her but Emma shakes her head.

"I need time." She whispers again before she bolts out the door.

"Emma!"

Emma nearly flinches at the sound of her name being called, wanting nothing more than to escape back to her daughter, but then she sees that it's Aurora that's calling out to her and a real smile spreads across her face.

"Aurora."

The princess embraces her and Emma returns it, enjoying the feeling of having a friend for a moment in the midst of the chaos. "How are you?"

"Well." Aurora gives her a smile. "And you?"

Emma shrugs. "It's been… a crazy day. But I'm here."

"Savior," comes Mulan's voice. She is walking to join them, although her gait is a little slower than Emma remembers and she seems to be favoring her left leg. "It is good to see you."

"Mulan. It's good to see you as well." Emma smiles at the warrior, especially when she sees the baby in her arms. "And who is this?"

"Oh!" Aurora carefully takes the baby from Mulan, offering her a beaming smile before she turns to present him to Emma. "Emma, this is my son. Philip."

"Philip." Emma repeats, her eyes searching Aurora's. She understands the meaning of the name and she has not yet seen Aurora's prince anywhere.

The smile fades, as does the sparkle in her eyes. "He – he was with Neal's team when they were attacked. He didn't survive."

"Oh, Aurora." Emma reaches out to squeeze her arm. "I'm so sorry."

"And, I, too, am terribly sorry for your loss. Was your child –"

Emma shakes her head. "No." She says softly. "She wasn't Neal's."

Neither Aurora or Mulan seem confused or judgmental about that and Emma is grateful. Mulan does bow her head, though. "I am sorry, Savior."

Emma opens her mouth to speak but Aurora beats her to it. "Mulan!" Her voice is sharp. "Don't you dare apologize. We've talked about this."

"I survived. The others –"

Emma realizes then that Mulan had been with the group that had been attacked.

"And thank the gods you did. If you hadn't – if I'd lost you too –" Aurora's voice breaks.

Emma moves forward and reaches out to catch Mulan's arm. "You are the best warrior I know, Mulan. I know there's no way you got out of there without doing the right thing. Don't you dare blame yourself, okay? Aurora is right. I'm very, very glad to see you alive."

With that, Emma hugs the stoic woman, surprised by how very true the words are. Although her heart is still aching terribly at the loss of Neal, she's so very glad that Mulan wasn't a casualty too. She is fond of the warrior and it's obvious that Aurora needs Mulan just as much as Mulan needs her.

"Mulan? Snow said two of you survived. Who was the other one?"

"Robin's son, Roland. He's only a boy. Little John and some of the other surviving Merry Men who were not with us have taken him in as their own."

Emma nods, understanding. "You saved him."

"I covered him with my body. As such, I could not save the others."

"You did the right thing, Mulan. Everyone in that group would say the same thing."

She watches as Mulan gives her a solemn nod and then moves back over to Aurora, protectively standing guard over her and looking down with such reverence at the child in her arms. She's glad that they've found each other in the midst of all the chaos. She just wishes the same could be true for her.

She finds Harper awake when she gets back to the nursery and uses the baby as a distraction from everything. She gives her dinner and they play and she allows the smell and feel and sight of Harper to soothe her.

Henry is off with Regina, catching up and she doesn't begrudge them that at all. She wants them to have this time. She knows that her parents probably want time like that as well, but she can't handle that right now. So she lets Harper enthrall her as always, until the baby finally falls asleep, at which point Emma decides to join her.

It isn't long, or at least it doesn't seem like it's been long, until she hears Harper fussing. She quickly gets up and checks her diaper, but she's dry, and she doesn't want to eat. Instead, she just whimpers miserably in Emma's arms.

"Shh. Shh." Emma soothes. "What's the matter, Munchkin? Huh?"

It's then, as the words come out of her mouth, that everything suddenly seems to bubble over.

Emma feels the hysterical laughter coming up her throat and finds that she can't do anything to stop it. Instead, she lets it flow from her lips, even as words spill out too. "Munchkin. Oh god. I call you Munchkin. And now I find out that the Wicked Witch is real. Which means that Munchkins probably are too. Oh my god."

And then, she's crying and sliding to the floor, but she's still got Harper in her arms and she cannot do anything to hurt her daughter, cannot do anything to endanger her in any way, so she forces herself to calm down by taking big deep breaths.

Harper has stopped fussing now and is instead looking up at her distraught mother. Emma gives her a watery smile. "I'm sorry, baby. Momma's sorry. It's just a lot today. It's a lot for you too, huh? Is that why you're so fussy? You miss home?" Emma's lip begins to wobble.

"There's no place like home." She murmurs as tears fall. "Oh god."

She forces herself to stand up and carefully places Harper back in the crib. The baby doesn't cry, but she looks up at Emma as though waiting for something.

Emma forces the tears down and opens her mouth. "How about a song, huh? A song about home?"

She takes a deep breath before she begins to sing, her voice shaking. "Some folks like to get away, take a holiday from the neighborhood. Hop a flight to Miami Beach or to Hollywood. But I'm takin' a Greyhound on the Hudson River line. I'm in… a New… York… state… of…"

The sobs come up again and this time, Emma can't stop them as she sinks to the cold nursery floor. She cries for the life that she lost, the home in New York that isn't really hers. She cries for the memories of a life that didn't belong to her and the memories of the one that did, the memories that seem even more razor sharp now. She cries because this is her life, fairy tales and Wicked Witches and she doesn't know how to escape, even though she wants to. She wants to so desperately and she cries because of that, because she's supposed to be the Savior, not the lost little girl who runs away from her problems.

She cries for Neal, who is dead, who she never got to say goodbye to. She thinks of her confession in Neverland, of her wishing he was dead, and it hurts all the more now, because it was true. It still is true. It's painful, but it's easier too, and what kind of person does that make her?

The same kind, she thinks, as more and more sobs come and she gasps for air harder and harder, that cannot be happy for her parents when they're expecting a baby. The same kind that resents that baby and what it stands for. The same kind that feels threatened, that knows that she's going to once again be replaced.

She's going to be replaced. And it's that thought that sends her over the edge, that wracks her body with sobs she cannot control until she finally, mercifully, slips over the edge into unconsciousness.

Regina waves her hand over the mirror, watching as the nursery comes into view. She knows that she shouldn't be doing this, especially not after the way she treated Emma earlier, but she needs to see her. She needs to see Harper. She needs to know what is going on with them.

The mirror clears to reveal Emma holding Harper, but looking obviously in distress and she moves closer, trying to find out what's happening. Emma's voice comes through the mirror.

"Munchkin. Oh god. I call you Munchkin. And now I find out that the Wicked Witch is real. Which means that Munchkins probably are too. Oh my god."

Regina's heart aches as she hears Emma beginning to unravel under the weight of her new reality, knowing how difficult this must be for her. And the longer she watches, the more she hurts until finally, when Emma's sobs stop echoing because she has cried herself out, Regina disappears from her chambers in a cloud of smoke.

Regina appears right beside Emma, kneeling on the cold stone floor. She looks over the blonde's disheveled appearance and cannot stop herself from reaching out and gently moving a strand of hair off Emma's tear streaked face. She's so beautiful, even like this.

It's the first time she's touched her in over a year and she can feel the spark on her skin, the buzz of magic. She pulls her hand away quickly, afraid that Emma will wake. She cannot face her now. Not when her emotions are so close to the surface.

Once she is sure Emma is still sleeping, she waves a hand over her, watching in satisfaction as Emma's body is moved from the stone floor to the comfort of her bed once again.

She quietly enters the chamber, pulling the covers up and tucking them around Emma. Emma sighs softly, but doesn't wake up.

Without thinking, Regina leans forward and places a gentle kiss on Emma's forehead. As soon as her lips touch the smooth skin, she pulls back and flees the room, entering the nursery once again.

She intends to keep going, to leave the room and go back to her chambers, but the sound from the crib stops her. Harper is still awake and cooing softly. It isn't the whimpering of before and Regina knows she should leave but instead, her body continues to rebel against her brain and she finds herself standing over the crib looking down into hazel eyes.

"Hello there." She whispers and she swears that Harper smiles at that as her little arms reach upward.

She cannot pick her up. She absolutely cannot hold this child. It will be far too painful. And besides, if Emma were to wake up and find her here – no. She needs to leave.

But she doesn't.

Instead, she finds a precious weight in her arms as she cradles the baby who causes her heart to burst in both joy and pain.

"Hello, Harper." She murmurs. "I'm Regina."

Harper lets out a little baby laugh, a sound that takes Regina's breath away with it's beauty, and then settles herself in Regina's embrace, content to be held by her for the rest of the night.