Regina pushed her glasses up her nose and tucked her ankle against her thigh. She balanced in front of the stove and sang along to the music playing from her phone. It was barely eight a.m., and Regina woke up relieved that Emma slept through the night. And if she slept in the room on the couch, close if Emma needed her, then it was no one's business. if anyone said anything about Regina sleeping in the same bed, they didn't say it to her face. Regina was afraid of being too far away if Emma woke up, and yes. That was the excuse she was sticking with. Regina flipped the pancake and shifted onto her other foot, tucking the opposite ankle against her leg. She took the day off, telling her secretary she was under the weather and to use that excuse with anyone who asked. Ruby decided to work the morning shift before coming back. Killian was outside reading to the surprise of no one. The former pirate found Regina's classical literature books and wanted to read more into the subject. Regina didn't blame him. The lyricism of the classics was unmatched. It was one of the few things Regina connected with the first couple of months in the new realm.

Plating the pancake, Regina wrapped the food in foil. She placed the plate in the oven and went to the refrigerator to grab the bacon. She had never been more grateful for Granny for bringing food because it would've been an annoyance to go in the morning. She stripped the bacon into individual pieces and put each slice on the skillet. Regina hid her yawn behind her hand. She spent the entire night thinking of her babies after the conversation. The pain of losing them grew into a subtle ache. Regina could smile and laugh with Ruby and Granny, but Killian was the one who saw Regina crumble and fall apart when the silence was too loud. Regina touched the ring hidden under her hoodie and closed her eyes, swallowing the emotion bubbling in her chest. She hoped her children still had their jewelry because of the sheer amount of magic and blood that went into making them.

The type of magic that Liana pulled off that night….

It was a family secret that Regina carried. Rumple knew as well, but he didn't count as he knew nearly everything about her life in the Enchanted Forest. Regina had been weighed down with guilt when Liana died. Rumplestiltskin assured her that Liana died from a non-magical illness, and some guilt vanished, but the entire situation haunted Regina. Those rings were crafted from Hell's Gold, a type of metal that not even Rumple messed with, but Liana was insistent. She wanted their children safe at all times, and Regina caved when Bella and Kieran grew into their abilities.

Regina knew Bella's powers came from Charles and her birth mother, who kept their abilities secret from nearly everyone. Bella's pyrokinesis was a surprise and a terror. Charles had no idea which side of the family it came from, and Regina didn't know if it was worth researching. But Kieran was the anomaly. Well, no. She was more like an unforeseen development. Liana didn't have magic, per se, but she wasn't non-magical. It was complicated to explain, and Liana never tried. But the things her best friend did came from a power that Rumple said went above his "pay grade."

Regina's eyes slightly glazed over as another secret slipped through the cracks, and she touched her hip. When Liana revealed her pregnancy, the accepted rumor and gossip was that she slept with the local blacksmith, Lionel. That was the end of it until Rumple, shortly after the curse broke, visited Regina for a truce. Regina didn't hate him. She was angry about being manipulated, but they used each other. There was no reason to keep fighting. Dark One or not, Rumple was her ally. He knew her darkest secrets, and he knew her darkest urges. But he also knew the other side of her, and Rumple came to Regina with the sole purpose of revealing things to her that she never knew. Things like the scar on her hip.

Before Kieran was born, Regina remembered the day she woke up with a thin line on her hip, close to her womb, and thought nothing of it. She always had random cuts and bruises, courtesy of her dresses and a daughter who liked causing chaos wherever she went. But Rumple told her it was more than that. Liana dabbled in blood rituals that didn't start with the rings but with the child growing in her stomach. Kieran was a biological miracle, in Rumple's opinion. A child with genetic material from not two but four people was a magical phenomenon that shouldn't be possible, but it was.

Kieran was biologically Liana and Lionel's but Regina and Charles' also.

Regina had a memory float to the forefront of her mind on the night of Charles' death. She didn't think anything of the scar on his side as Charles was a soldier. Scars were a part of the job description, but Rumple's revelation changed things. Regina remembered the look on Liana's face that night as she whispered to Kieran that her father loved her very much. She thought it was about Lionel, but it wasn't.

After Rumple told her, Regina destroyed her study. Rumple stayed with her well into the morning and cleaned the cuts on her knuckles. They never spoke of it again, but it was always there in the back of her mind.

Always.

Someone coughed, and Regina twisted to find Emma leaning against the doorframe, eyes bloodshot. Regina turned off the stove and wiped her fingers on a towel. She rushed to Emma, leading her to the closest stool.

"You should not be up, Miss Swan."

"Nightmare."

"I meant you should not be out of bed. You lost a lot of energy, and your body still needs to recover."

"Heard the music," Emma yawned, laying her head on the island. "Why am I at your house?"

"I just told you." Emma opened one eye and stared at Regina. Regina tugged on her hoodie sleeves and added, "You needed to sleep without interruption. Calling Snow or David to come to get you would have been counterproductive, seeing as they were the reason your magical core fractured in the first place."

"Fractured?" Emma repeated. "How can magic fracture?"

"You suffered an extreme emotional trauma that triggered your core to expand," Regina gestured with her hands, "until it could no longer handle the pressure, ergo, it fractured. Magic is ours to use, but it is also a form of protection. And your magic felt as if you needed to be protected, so you subconsciously tapped into the rawest form of your magic and unleashed it on a project that I spent a lot of money repairing."

"Shit, Regina. I'm sorry. I can help with the repairs-"

"Why should you apologize? You had no idea that would happen. If anything, I blame your mother."

"Can we not talk about Snow at the moment?"

"That is probably the best thing you have ever said to me."

Emma rolled her eyes and pointed at the stove.

"You're making bacon."

"I was, yes."

"Why did you stop?"

"Because a stubborn and prideful Sheriff distracted me."

"She sounds awful."

"The absolute worst. Are you going to sit there and rest while I finish breakfast?"

"Do I get bacon?"

"Yes, you can get bacon."

"Then you can wake me up when the food is done."

Regina fought the smile threatening to break free. She relit the skillet and focused on cooking, not the eyes roaming over her body from someone who was supposed to be sleeping. She wondered what was going through Emma's mind -

"I've never seen you like this," she said.

Regina glanced over her shoulder and asked, "Like what?"

"Domestic? Normal?"

"My corsets are at the dry cleaners."

"I'm being serious."

"So am I. Did you think I washed those in a machine? They were handmade, and I will not ruin them for the sake of convenience."

Emma lifted her head and looked at her, squinting.

"Why can't I tell if you're joking or not?"

"You can ask the dry cleaner yourself. I go every Monday and pick them up every Friday."

"But where do you even wear them for them to get dirty?"

Regina winked. Emma flushed red, and they turned toward the door when Killian came inside. His hair fell in his face, long enough to cover a portion of his forehead, and he waved at Emma. Regina wanted to take a pair of clippers to his head, but she was going to let him have his moment. He'd get tired of it eventually. She hoped.

"Morning, Swan."

"Good morning, Killian," Emma said slowly.

Her face was pinched in confusion, glancing between Killian and Regina. Regina could see how it would look from an outsider's perspective. She waited, however, to see how it played out. Killian put his book on the table near the patio door and went to Regina. He kissed the top of her head and leaned against the stove.

"You sleep well?" he asked her.

"Well enough."

"Are you still taking your medicine?"

"No, I need a refill, and Archie has been slow with signing off on it because he feels I've become dependent."

"Want me to go tell him you're threatening to curse everyone again?"

"No, that's fine," Regina snorted. "I can exist another week without it."

"A week?" Killian sputtered. "Gina, that's-

"Whoa." Emma was about to push herself up when Regina shot her a look, and Emma huffed as she sat back down. "I feel like I'm missing something. How long have you been this close?" she asked.

"I told you that we knew each other," Killian said.

"And I told you the same," Regina added.

"Yeah, but this," Emma motioned between them, "is more than close. You're at her house in shorts and a tank top, you're kissing her on the head, and you're reading one of her favorite books. You have a nickname for her. It's weird."

"Which part is weird?" Regina drawled. "That Killian is my best friend or that I have a best friend?"

"That's not what I'm saying, and you know it," Emma argued.

"We're not dating, Swan," Killian chuckled.

"I never said you were dating."

"You were thinking it. And while it would be an honor to have the attention of her Majesty, I'm afraid I'm not her type or her interest."

"Go shower, Killian. You smell like the ocean," Regina grumbled.

"A smell you said you liked on me. Said it reminded you of home."

"I was drunk and feeling sentimental."

"You wound me, your Majesty."

Regina mushed his face with her free hand. Killian chuckled and ruffled Emma's hair as he left the kitchen. Regina finished cooking the bacon and opened a cabinet for another plate to put them on.

"I feel like you didn't tell me everything at lunch."

"Do you have feelings for Killian?" Regina asked, taking the bacon from the skillet.

"What? No! I told you I didn't like him anymore."

"So why does it bother you that Killian and I are close?"

"It just reminds me that I'm still not as up-to-date on things that seem important."

"My friendship with Killian is important?"

"Well, yeah. He means something to you, right?"

"Despite my best efforts at pretending otherwise, yes."

"Then that's why. Anything that makes you happy is important to me."

Regina bristled at the comment, if only because she wasn't prepared to tackle that part of her newfound friendship with Emma, and she removed the pancakes from the oven. She plated enough food so that Emma and Killian both had something to eat, and she put the skillet in the sink to wash later.

"Regina?"

"I heard you, Miss Swan."

"So we're back to that now?"

"Emma, what do you want from me?" Regina sighed, turning around. "Because in case this wasn't clear, one lunch is not going to change two years' worth of emotional suffering that you and your family put me through. So, you'll have to excuse me if I am a little slow to believe that you care about my happiness when it has never been a factor before."

"It's always been a factor."

"Then you have done a horrible job at showing it, Charming."

Emma flinched and looked down. Guilt rushed over Regina, and she carried the plates to the island. She then sat down next to Emma and touched her hand, causing Emma to look up.

"I'm sorry. I'm trying to get used to this," she said.

"But you're not wrong. I've done a shit job at being a friend."

"That's what you're not getting, Emma. We were never friends," Regina said. "We were reluctant allies when the situation called for it, and if we're going to do this right, then I should be honest and tell you that I have never seen you as a friend."

"What have you seen me as?"

Regina wanted to tell Emma that she saw her as a new start, a fresh beginning. But she pushed those thoughts aside and said, "I saw you as a reminder of what I don't have. Seeing you with Snow White was a shot to my gut every single day, and I spent hours crying over your existence. For a long time, your mother and father were the main sources of my anger. And then you came along, and all that anger went into ensuring you didn't get to live a good life."

"You were successful," Emma joked weakly.

"And I am sorry about that. What you went through was never considered, and that was unfair of me. But my actions were meant to be cruel. Still, I have spent decades regretting it. I wanted Snow to feel what I felt when she took my children from me. I wanted Snow to watch her child vanish into an unknown world without her protection and feel the panic and pain that comes from it. Had I known you would grow up how you did, I would have hesitated to cast the curse. But I was lost in anger for a long time, Emma. Anger and grief can poison someone from the inside out. And I was killing myself by holding onto it for as long as I did."

"Why are you telling me all of this?"

"Because if we are going to be friends, then we have to have conversations like this. I was the catalyst that caused you to be sent here as a newborn."

"Yeah, but you didn't put me in the wardrobe. Curse aside, Snow and David chose to send me away. They chose to trust in some prophecy or some pre-destined bullshit that I would come back and save them. I went through Hell, Regina. I have seen things, experienced things, and done things that no person should ever have to do just to survive. I was," Emma grimaced, "abused by people who swore to protect me. I was assaulted, and I had something taken from me at a young age that I will never get back. I got into fights with men twice my size, stole food from gas stations, and I slept under park benches during the middle of winter. I went to prison because the man I thought cared about me used me and left me when I needed him the most. I gave up my son because I knew I would never be able to take care of him. And while I have said things out of anger, I never blamed you for any of that. You have never been the cause of my suffering. The people responsible were the people that hurt me, and that is not on you."

Regina didn't know how much she needed to hear those words until that moment. She turned away from Emma and tried to swallow the lump in her throat. Calloused fingers gently grabbed her chin, and Regina allowed Emma to turn her head. A tear slipped free, and Emma wiped it away with her thumb.

"I'm so sorry, Regina. I'm so sorry that you have spent so long thinking that all of the bad that has happened is your fault. And I'm sorry that I've not taken a second out of my life to look at you and see that the woman running this town is a human being with real emotions and feelings. You are allowed to change and grow, and you are allowed to earn forgiveness. You are allowed to want to be happy, and you are allowed the room and space to heal." Emma cupped Regina's face. "I want to know you because the person I see behind closed doors is worth it. You deserve every bit of happiness and love and support this world can give you. Your happiness matters to me more than you think, and whatever I need to do to make it happen is nothing more than I can handle."

The words were too much, and Regina jumped up, nearly knocking the stool over. She held out her hand to keep Emma in place, and she hurried from the kitchen. Emma's hands fell limp to her lap, and she dropped her head onto the table.

"Fuck," she sighed.

Someone sat beside her, and she peeked over at Killian. He was freshly showered, hair combed away from his face, and he'd put on his usual wear. He started cutting into his food and nudged Emma.

"You need to eat," he said.

"I'm not hungry."

"You may not notice it, but you are. Your magic needs fuel, and food is the best for that."

"How do you know? You have magic now too or something?"

"Regina told me in case she wasn't here when you woke up," he said.

At the mention of Regina, Emma slumped and picked up her fork.

"Is she ever going to forgive me?"

"She already has, Swan."

"It doesn't feel like it."

"No, to you, it wouldn't. But if she didn't forgive you, she wouldn't have made you breakfast. She wouldn't have let you stay here. And she wouldn't have come to you last night." Killian wiped his mouth with a napkin and added, "Regina scares easily when it comes to people caring about her. She had it once before, then it was taken, and she worries it will happen again. Be patient with her."

"How long did it take you to get in her good graces?"

"I have no idea," he admitted. "I ask myself all the time when Regina let me in, but I'm glad that she did. Regina is a good person to have in your corner. You'll be coming over for dinner in no time if you keep trusting your instincts."

"What do you mean?"

"You knew what she needed to hear, and you told her the truth."

"I was just being honest."

"Yes, and that's the scariest part of all. You terrify her, Emma."

"Why? Because of my last name?"

"Because you have the power to break her more than anyone here."

Emma sat up straight and looked him in the eyes. He gave nothing away, but Emma's heart nearly beat from her chest at his comment. She chose to let the moment pass and glanced down at her clothes. Laughing, Emma tugged uselessly at her shirt.

"I have nothing to wear here or at the loft," she said. "Well, nothing I want to wear."

"Oh. Regina gave me her card to go shopping," Killian said dismissively. "We can leave whenever you want."

"I am not spending her money."

"She said you'd be against it, so she told me to tell you that you can pay her back if you want. But we have to keep the receipts for each item we purchase, and we have a list for the grocery store too. Our current collection of food might not last through the night. What Granny brought over early this morning was enough for breakfast, so we're free to get as much and whatever you want."

"Yeah, this place is kind of empty. Henry mentioned it, but I didn't know what he meant until now."

"Regina no longer lives here," Killian said.

"What? When did she leave?"

"Regina hasn't been here for a long time, Emma." Killian finished his food and stood up. "You can borrow anything you want from my room until we get you some new clothes. Now, hurry up and eat, so you can shower and we can get on the road. We have a bit of a trip ahead of us."

"A trip? Aren't we just going to town?"

"You ran."

"Ruby."

"The woman you've been crushing on since she got here poured her heart out to you, and you ran."

"Can you get me my coffee?"

"This is going to be a missed opportunity or the world's greatest love story. Do you want cream?"

"I will take it the same way I always take it."

"With a miserable sigh and a depressed head shake?"

"Give me my coffee," Regina hissed.

Ruby grinned and poured Regina's coffee. When Regina ran that morning, she showered, got dressed, and went to the one place where she would feel comfortable expressing her emotions without consequence. Killian had his instructions, so Emma was safer with him than her. Of course, that was before Regina remembered her niece took great pleasure in teasing her about her crush on someone off-limits. And straight. Regina sighed and grabbed her thermos, and she ignored the smile on Ruby's face as she sipped at it.

The bell over the door sounded, and Regina knew before Ruby's smile ever faded what was coming.

"Where is my daughter?" Snow asked, coming up behind her.

"Hello, Snow. How are you this fine morning?"

"Emma didn't come home last night."

"And what does that have to do with me?"

"I know you have something to do with it. She wouldn't stay out so late and into the morning."

"Wow, you don't know your daughter at all," Ruby muttered under her breath.

"Snow, I genuinely have no idea where the Sheriff is. Don't you have a tracker on her or something?" When Snow didn't answer, Regina pinched the bridge of her nose. "Snow, that was a joke. Please tell me you do not have a tracker on Emma," she added in exasperation.

"It's an app on her phone," Snow said defensively. "And the last place it pinged was at the docks."

"And that translates to her being with me how?"

"Because you mysteriously take the day off the day she disappears. And I thought you were sick."

"I said I was under the weather. That can mean a multitude of things. As for Emma, have you tried the docks? The school? The station? Anywhere else but here?"

Snow clenched her fists and said, "I know you know where she is. I heard you two had lunch together and that you were," she scowled, "laughing."

"Oh, how terrible. The Evil Queen laughs," Regina mocked. "She must be up to something."

"Are you?"

"I am trying to enjoy a cup of coffee before I go home and sleep. Does that satisfy your curiosity?"

"Look, you can fool everyone else, but I know you. I know your heart is cold and evil," Snow said.

"And who made it that way?" Regina hissed. She stood and slightly towered over Snow, and she leaned over to look Snow in the eyes. "But tell me, how does it feel, Snow? To not know where your child is? To not know if she's safe? Healthy? How does it feel to have your entire world narrowed to one thought that suffocates you from the inside out? I bet it's even worse now than before the curse. You've had time to be with her, to know her, and she's gone. Hurts, doesn't it?"

"Just tell me where she is," Snow gritted out.

Regina adjusted her coat and picked up her thermos. "I meant what I said. I don't know where Emma is. If she wants to be found, she will be. I have to go, but I do hope you return to school at some point. I'm sure the children miss you."

Snow glared at her, and Regina patted Snow's cheek.

"You have a wonderful day," she mocked.

Killian unscrewed his hook and put it in the glove compartment. He put on the prosthetic hand that Whale gave him and pulled his sleeve down to cover the bottom. It was still an odd fit, but it was better than walking around with a hook. He glanced at Emma to see if she was ready, but she was staring in disbelief at the store.

"You all right, Swan?"

Emma turned to Killian, her eyes narrowed and curious.

"You can leave Storybrooke with your memories intact," she said.

"I can."

"Why did you drive me to a Target outside of town while I was blindfolded?"

"I wanted to surprise you. Is this not acceptable? There is a mall down-

"No, I- how did you know there was a Target here?" she asked.

"Regina and I came here last month with Ruby."

"You three left without telling anyone?"

"We leave all the time, Emma," Killian laughed. "Regina likes Starbucks. She doesn't want to spend the money to build one in Storybrooke, so we come here to get her caffeine fix and purchase the beans. I'm not sure why we don't get shipments, but I think it's because Regina likes being able to leave and get it herself. It's her way of getting out of town and not having the reputation hanging over her head."

Emma sat back in the seat and rubbed her eyes.

"Okay, so let me get this straight. You have a car-

"That I can only drive with adult supervision-

"- and the ability to leave town-

"But only with Regina, Ruby, and I guess you-

"And you know what Target is. You have a prosthetic hand, a knowledge of classical literature, and you speak fluent Spanish."

"I am confused about why you are pointing out these things to me."

Emma shook her head and said, "I think my life just got a lot more interesting being in Regina's circle."

"You're not there yet, but when you are, you'll know."

Killian grinned at Emma as he got out of the car and waited for her to join him. When she did, Emma seemed nervous, and Killian touched her arm to get her attention.

"Hey, whatever you buy in here will be yours to keep," he promised. "No one will take it from you."

Emma sniffed and hurriedly wiped away a stray tear.

"Come on. Let's get this shit out of the way," she said. "And I think I do want to go to the mall. There's something Snow threw away that I can't get at Target."