The mornings proved to be more difficult for Regina than anything else. When she'd wake she'd feel herself reaching out to the empty space beside her, every morning. Faint traces of Emma's shampoo still clung to her pillow and Regina, god help her, liked it. It was odd, really. They hadn't even been on a date— that she could remember— and Regina found herself wanting Emma, needing her presence. And yet, she couldn't stand the sight of the Savior. Emma was a walking reminder of the things she didn't know, a relationship, a life.

Every day, Regina found herself learning something new about the person she'd become. Henry would show her pictures of their family over the years, read her stories from his book— moments he relayed with the same passion she'd always seen in him.

The morning after her encounter with Emma in the nursery, Regina left the manor while the others slept. She threw on whatever fit best, wrapped her black coat around her for security, and walked to the station. She hadn't spoken to Cora in several days, not since seeing her for the first time (again). She still had so many questions, so many years she wanted answers for.

When she walked through the doors, Regina tread carefully as she approached the cell. Cora sat on the bench, her back against the wall, her eyes closed. Regina didn't know if it was Cora she'd speak with or Gothel. But she was willing to take that chance.

"Mother?"

Cora's eyes fluttered open and she turned slowly to look at her daughter. A sad smile spread across her lips as she rose to her feet, drifting over towards the edge of her cell. A lump caught in her throat as she stared at Regina, her eyes falling towards her midsection. "You shouldn't be here," Cora murmured. "It isn't safe."

A dark laugh escaped Regina. "I'm not sure anywhere is right now." Regina watched as Cora's fingers curled around the steel bars. "You don't have your heart," she mused. "When you died— in my arms— you had your heart."

"I know," Cora sighed.

"Nothing's changed, then. Not really."

Cora shook her head slowly, guilt flashing in her eyes. "I never wanted to hurt you," she offered. "I thought… I thought we'd moved on, moved forward."

"How are you even here?" Regina wanted to know, grazing over Cora's words. "If you'd gone into the light or whatever it was, how did Gothel bring you back? What did she promise you?"

"Nothing," Cora answered honestly. "I have no idea what she did. The only time I've felt magic as powerful as hers was with Rumplestiltskin." She waited quietly for Regina to say something. "Regina," she started. "Whatever Gothel wants, she won't stop until she gets it. She wanted your memories gone for a reason. You need to take your family and get somewhere safe, let Emma—" Something flashed in Regina's eyes, a combination of fury and hurt. Cora had seen that look in Regina's eyes before, had ignored it, had used it to push her daughter to be the stronger. But she knew now how wrong that was, how it only hurt Regina more. "Has anyone told you why you went the Underworld?"

Regina shook her head. "I assume to it was to save one of the idiots?"

Cora chuckled, but it was an empty laugh. "In a manner of speaking. It was for Emma. You didn't say it, but I knew you'd only do something so foolish for someone you loved." Slowly, Cora reached through the bars and held her hand out. A moment of uncertainty passed before Regina allowed her mother to cup her cheek. "That love doesn't make you weak, Regina. It makes you strong, stronger than I could ever be. Use that strength. Protect your family."

When Regina came home, Emma, Zelena, and Henry were pacing in the living room, still in their pajamas.

"Mom!" Henry exclaimed, running up to hug her. "You're ok!" Holding her son tightly, she frowned as she combed through his hair. "We didn't know where you were," he explained when he pulled away. "We thought…"

Realization washed over the former queen and her features softened. "I'm sorry," she said. "I should've left a note."

"Where the bloody hell have you been?" Zelena shot.

Averting Emma's gaze, Regina said, "To the station." She spoke matter-of-factly, calmly. "I went to see Mother."

Emma stood with her cellphone in one hand and the landline in the other, her hair pulled into a clumsy ponytail. Her cheeks were pink and jaw clenched as she waited for the adrenaline to dissipate. "You could've gotten hurt," she grunted. "What if Gothel—"

"I'm fine," Regina said. "Nothing happened. And, contrary to what you may believe, I'm still perfectly capable of defending myself." As if to prove her point, Regina conjured a fireball, only for Henry and Emma to flinch. "What?" she semi-growled.

Henry turned to Emma, as if waiting for her to be the one to break the news. "It's just," Emma sighed, "we've been trying to cut down on the magic lately."

"I seem to recall both of you," Regina gestured to Zelena and Emma, "using it to your advantage recently." As if sharing a guilty secret, the other two women shared a look. "I see," Regina said finally. "By 'we,' you meant, only myself. And why, may I ask, am I the only one refraining from magic use?"

"We just didn't know how it would affect the baby," Emma explained. "We didn't wanna jinx anything."

Regina rolled her eyes. "The crib, now this. Well, I'm sorry to break it you, Emma, but I'm not sure cowering from superstition has done us much good so far. Now, if you'll all excuse me." And without another word, Regina walked past the trio, straight down the hall to her office, and closed the door behind her.

Emma let out a loud sigh and forced a smile to Henry and Zelena. "That went well."

Time moved so fast, and yet so slowly. Seconds felt like minutes, and minutes felt like hours. Emma felt as though she'd been pushed into a pit of quick sand, sinking faster and faster with every second that passed. But the only person who could pull her out refused to look her in the eye.

Few things kept her grounded these days. Emma had learned a long time ago that anger was a good motivator. She often channeled her fury into action, thinking only after she dove in head-first. She didn't have that luxury now— the anger, sure, but taking action? Going after a lead on her own? Every time she considered confronting Cora, baiting Gothel into the woods, all she could think of was Henry and Regina. Their child. Her parents. Anger, she'd come to understand, wasn't the only thing that motivated her. Love did too.

Emma thought of it later that afternoon, a few hours after Regina stormed away to her office. She was at the station with David and Belle, scouring through texts and scrolls Belle snagged from Gold's personal library. None of them could read elfish and Belle could only translate half the book from the ogres. In the end, their answer was simple. And it had been staring them in the face the whole time. At least, in Emma's mind.

She left David and Belle to watch Cora, told them to call her if anything changed. She practically kicked down the door to Gold's shop and strode up to the wizard behind the counter.

"I've already told Zelena, this is not my fight," Gold said evenly, his focus on a disassembled telescope. "And believe me, she was rather persistent."

"Yeah, well, you're in luck. That's not why I'm here for. Even though you're an ass for that," Emma said. Planting her palms flat against the glass, she stared at Gold until he put down his toy and made eye contact. "What Gothel wants, True Love's magic, does it have to be a child?"

Pressing his lips together, Gold considered Emma's question. He was an astute man, had been around long enough to know when someone's intentions didn't match their inquiry. "A child would be ideal, a baby not yet swayed by darkness or light. But, in certain circumstances, magic is magic."

"So, hypothetically, if I— say— stripped away my magic, could I give it to Gothel? Would it be enough for her to get her fix and leave us alone?"

Gold surveyed Emma's features, noted the way her brow pinched together, the determination in her green eyes. "Hypothetically speaking, it is a possibility, yes."

Emma didn't smile. "That's all I needed to know." She turned to leave, made it halfway across the store, before pausing. "You know," she said over her shoulder, "You never said how you knew Gothel."

Already picking up the telescope once more, Gold said, "You never asked."

Emma took that as a sign not to push her luck and left, the chimes echoing through the empty shop as she vanished.